Liquid Fish Oil for Dogs

You probably know that fish oil is good for you because it's chock-full of beneficial omega-3 fatty acids, which are thought to help in everything from preventing heart disease and cancer to treating diabetes and depression. Fish oil isn't just good for you, though. It's also good for Fido.

  1. Definition

    • Commercially available fish oil products come from a variety of fish, including mackerel, trout, halibut, herring, sea bass, tuna and salmon, according to the Organic Facts website. It's the essential fatty acids such as docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA).

    Function

    • Fish oil has been used to treat a wide variety of ailments in dogs, including allergies, kidney disease and arthritis. It's also widely thought to relieve itching resulting from atopic dermatitis, notes Dr. Andrew Weil on his website. Dogs with diets rich in fish may not need a supplement, but those who eat fish rarely or never can benefit from the addition of fish oil to their diets.

    Availability

    • Many companies, including Nordic Naturals and Animal Essentials, make fish oil supplements for dogs. However, you can also use fish oil meant for human consumption. Because the fish from which oil is obtained can come from a variety of sources, some may be contaminated with illness-causing chemicals such as mercury and arsenic. Thus, it's best to ensure that whatever fish oil you choose has been refined or distilled thoroughly.

    Usage

    • Fish oil can be mixed in directly with your pooch's food. He will probably not even notice the difference, yet you may see the difference in increased mobility if your dog is older, or a shiny coat if he suffers from a dull coat. Fish oil often comes in capsules. To use, you can simply prick the capsule with a needle, then squirt the oil onto your dog's food.

    Dosage

    • Nordic Naturals recommends using one 1,500mg capsule of fish oil for dogs weighing 20 lbs. or more or 1/4 tsp. if using the nonencapsulated oil. Dr. R.M. Clemmons of the University of Florida recommends that all dogs receive about 1,000mg of fish oil daily.

    Considerations

    • Fish oil is oil, which means that adding fish oil to your dog's diet also adds calories. Thus, you may need to give your dog fewer treats or switch to a food with lower calories to prevent weight gain. Additionally, very high doses of fish oil have been known, on rare occasions, to cause pancreatitis.