Re: Fish Oil for dogs I was at the vet the other day and he recommended two fish oil tablets/capsules a day for Obi (just as a general thing for good coat and overall health). We feed Obi a 100g tin of sardines a day but the vet said that he'd need to eat a lot more sardines than that to get the equivalent of a couple of capsules. So I found the article very personally timely and interesting - thanks
Re: Fish Oil for dogs Interesting, are they special doggie capsules or just human ones. Is it just cod liver oil ones? Helen x
Re: Fish Oil for dogs We also use fish oil. Previously we used Yumove which is a combination product with the Omega 3 fish oils and chondroitin (and probably other stuff). I had started this before seeing the ortho specialist, mainly as there is some evidence in human studies that the chondroitin with the omega 3 benefits knee arthritis The ortho guy said just stick with the fish oil as no evidence the chondroitin was any benefit certainly for doggy hips. He said to use a human supplement and double the recommended dose. Not sure if this was dogs in general or whether this was appropriate to her weight (24-25kg) We use a relatively cheap supplement and she gets 2 a day - might be underdosing her though. I found these 2 articles which might be of interest too - Relating to supplements in HUMANS - http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/a...oil-supplement-good--load-old-codswallop.html The interesting bit for me is In the absence of an official recommended daily amount, start by choosing products that contain EPA and DHA,' says Dr Richardson. 'This usually means fish oils. Vegetarian Omega 3 supplements usually contain none at all: instead, they are made with linseed or flax oil, which provide a different form of Omega 3.' They're not a complete waste of money, she adds, but vegetarians would be better off taking ones containing DHA from algae. Next, ignore any doses suggested on the packet, and focus on the small print to find out how much EPA and DHA combined the product provides. 'A good target for mental well-being and performance is 1000mg per day,' she says. And to get this amount, you may well need to take more than the manufacturer's suggested dose. My capsules say they are 1000mg fish oil but contain 150mg EPA and 100mg DHA per capsule. (Human ones) And an article relating to dogs (but I don't know whether this is a good info source) http://www.whole-dog-journal.com/issues/15_9/features/Fish-Oil-Supplements-For-Dogs_20600-1.html The possibly useful info here being.. Healthy dogs can be given 100 to 150 mg EPA and DHA per 10 pounds of body weight daily; dogs who have health problems can be given up to 300 mg per 10 pounds of body weight. One ounce of canned fish with bones (sardines, jack mackerel, pink salmon) averages about 300 mg EPA and DHA combined. I'm not sure I am going to change anything I do at the moment - I always take a while to absorb and cogitate info like this. And it will take me a while to read the linked studies in Pippa's article! jac
Re: Fish Oil for dogs Cheers Jac, off to the vet again with Hattie tomorrow so will ask her too. Thank you so much that was a lightening response ;D. Helen x
Re: Fish Oil for dogs Asked about Fish Oil for dogs today at the Vets and she said "there's no proof whether there are any benefits, but it can't do any halm". Helen x
Re: Fish Oil for dogs My vet recommended Green Lipped Mussel extract which is also a rich source of Omega 3 for Lady because of her elbow dysplasia (now cured). The specialist vet who operated on her elbows said the same thing and carry on after the op for the rest of her life. I would take that as a yes to omega 3 as being beneficial.
Re: Fish Oil for dogs Thanks for that David. Maybe our Vet couldn't be bothered to explain in depth or she doesn't really know Helen x
Re: Fish Oil for dogs I know this (only ) relates to humans, but you might find it interesting. Pretty much, if there is INFLAMMATION causing joint pain, then fish oils can help. If its established wear and tear, then probably not...... http://www.arthritisresearchuk.org/...cines-for-rheumatoid-arthritis/fish-oils.aspx jac
Re: Fish Oil for dogs Jac, that's what my vet said - that it helps to reduce inflammation. We haven't bought any fish oil capsules yet. Might do some more reading about it first as well
Re: Fish Oil for dogs Thanks Jac, I read somewhere can't remember where, that too much fish oil can affect the liver, is that why they have DOG fish oils? I have looked on Amazon and they have a number of brands, the Healthy Hound Scottish Salmon Oil for Dogs looks good and easy to dispense. Helen x
Re: Fish Oil for dogs I can't speak as to whether too much fish oil affects a dog's liver but as a Nutritional Therapist to humans I ALWAYS recommended whole body fish oils rather than cod liver oil as the oil made from the liver contains vitamin A which can be overdosed on unlike the Omegas which are very difficult to overdo. I would imagine this is where the the problem was you read about came from. Not all oil supplements are equal 1000mg capsule can have radically different EPA and DHA levels and what they do in the body can range from nothing to highly effective. As a demonstration I used to put little pieces of a polystyrene cup in with the oil from a couple of cheap capsules (such as seven seas) and another pot with a quality brand. The quality brand will break down the toxic polystyrene, where nothing will happen with the cheap one. Also as a guide to humans if you take a capsule and it repeats on you then it indicates that the oil in the capsule is rancid. (I had a double money back guarantee if anyone burped fishy taste on the stuff I recommended) I give my dogs a high strength capsule each when I take mine, it certainly helps give their coats a nice gleam. ;D I've also used the salmon oil from fish4dogs which I thought was excellent and easy to pour over food. Fish oil has many uses in humans besides joints including memory improvement who know it might help dogs remember their commands ;D
Re: Fish Oil for dogs Now your talking Carole if it helps dogs remember commands I have seen a salmon oil in Pets at Home called Addicare - £8.99 for 500ml bottle, might give this a go. Thanks Carole lovely to see you back on the forum Helen x
