Peteducation.com reports that food allergies account for 20 percent of allergies in pets that lead to itching and skin problems. Other causes may be environmental or may even be from natural bacteria that a dog carries on its skin. Many pet owners have been taught that a dog's food will supply all the nutrients it needs to be healthy and live a long life. Unfortunately, many commercial dog foods contain wheat and soy, two of the most common ingredients to which dogs are allergic. Supplementing a dog's diet with the fatty acids found in fish oil relieves allergy symptoms.
-
What are Fatty Acids?
-
Fatty acids are types of polyunsaturated fats, according to PetEducation.com. The two main types important for dogs include omega-6 and omega-3 acids. Dogs produce some of the other necessary fatty acids themselves, but these essential fatty acids must come from their diet. Dogs need a proper ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids for healthy skin and coat. Most commercial pet foods contain a disproportionate amount of omega-6 acids.
Types
-
Two acids in particular, EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexanoic acid) are extremely important and found in marine fish and certain plants. Fish oil---commonly sardine or salmon oil---comes in gel caps and as an oil, which can easily supplement a dog's diet. The oil is easier to add to a dog's food. High-quality fish oil for humans is also suitable for animals, but if your dog is picky, choose a fish oil that is formulated for dogs. Those formulations may have an added flavor that dogs enjoy.
Benefits
-
Supplementing a dog's diet with the fatty acids found in fish oil diminishes its itching and flaking skin, but will take at least six weeks to see a change. Most dogs get relief from symptoms sooner than that. Fatty acids also help with yeast infections of the skin, as well.
Use of Oils
-
Add fish oil to your dog's food every day. Follow the dosage directions on the bottle, but don't be afraid to give your dog more than the recommended dosage if its allergies are very serious. In addition, many dosage recommendations are too low for results, according to PetCareNaturally.com. To cure medical problems, a dog should be consuming 1,500 to 2,000 mg per day of EPA and DHA ,and all dogs should be consuming a daily supplement of 1,000 mg to maintain healthy skin and coat.
Alternatives
-
Many plant-derived sources of fatty acids are equally as potent as fish oil. These include flax meal or oil, pumpkin seed oil, sunflower or safflower oil. It is also okay to feed your dog sardines instead of the oil, which may have benefits over fish oil gel capsules.
-