Fish oil supplements like omega-3 fatty acids, fish oil capsules, cod liver oil, and Alaskan salmon oil, are a great addition to your dog’s diet, whether they’re given as a pill, in capsule form, or as a liquid. The same way fish oil, omega oil and essential fatty acids benefit humans, it also keeps a dog’s body and mind in excellent condition. Studies over the years show nations with high consumptions of fish oil (and fish) are some of the healthiest, with the lowest rates of inflammation and obesity and they have excellent cardiac health.
Dogs benefit much in the same way and, in addition to overall health improvement, fish oil plays an important role in shedding. But, as is always the case with supplements or special diets, it’s important you check with your vet first.
Once you have the go ahead, you can then choose the fish oil for dogs to suit your pet’s needs and your budget.
At a Glance: Our Choices for the Fish Oil For Dogs
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*Note: The links in the table above, as well as several links in the remainder of the article below, will take you to over to Chewy.com where you can find out more information about the products, such as current prices and customer reviews.
What You Need to Know
Giving your dog a fish oil supplement can be done in a number of ways, with capsules and chewable tablets being the most popular. If you use liquid fish oil you need to make sure you aren’t giving more than the recommended dosage.
Fish oil is a geat addition to a dog’s diet and there are so many health benefits when it comes to this rather humble ingredient, including:
Anti-inflammatory properties
The fatty acids can help with arthritis and reduce inflammation of the kidneys, heart, and joints.
Less shedding
It’s common knowledge your dog’s coat needs nutrition and fish oil provides the necessary fats that’ll get his coat shiny and even reduce the amount of shedding.
Development of the brain and eyes
DHA, one of the fatty acids found in fish oil, is an important component for the healthy development of a puppy’s eyes and brain. Giving a pregnant or nursing dog, a fish oil supplement will be good for her pups as they grow.
Allergy reduction
Dogs, like humans, suffer from seasonal, environmental, and skin allergies, and a good fish oil supplement will reduce this and even help with hot spots.
Slowing down malignant growth
While the results aren’t conclusive, there seems to be a link between fish oil slowing down the growth and helping ease symptoms linked to the disease’s progression.
Top 5 Reviews
Zesty Paws Pure Salmon Oil is exactly that – 100% salmon oil with a taste dogs and cats enjoy. The oil comes in a handy bottle with a pump dispenser and it’s recommended you refrigerate it after opening.
It’s easy to use and can be added to your dog’s food like any other liquid supplement. We like that it’s suitable for dogs of all sizes, from small to x-large, and everything in between.
One of the best salmon oil for dogs is easily Grizzly. It’s loaded with all the goodness you’d find in fresh, wild Alaskan salmon. The product is high in DHA and EPA as well as natural antioxidants and vitamins to help your pup maintain a shiny coat and healthy skin.
The oil is also good for your pet’s vision, his immune system, his reproductive health, and his brain, and it’s available in various sizes, from 8-ounce bottles all the way to 64-ounce bottles.
Nordic Naturals is a well-known company and their supplement is a quality product with wild sardines and anchovies. It’s rich in DHA and EPA which help with the overall well-being of your dog.
It’s the best omega-3 for dogs and is prepared in the same way as oil supplements for humans, but it has all the essential minerals and vitamins animals need. It’s available in two, eight and 16-ounce bottles and because of its high omega-3 content, it’s suitable for larger breeds that need more than what their daily diet provides.
This is a great review from Biggles, the perfect tail-wagging candidate for fish oil supplements:
Finest for Pets is 100% pure omega-3, 6 and 9 fish oil, offering your dog a wider range of nutrients than some of the other products.Omega-9 lowers cholesterol levels, fights inflammation, and eases allergic reactions.
Made with sardines, anchovies, herrings and mackerel, this human-grade fish oil supplement is the perfect choice for your furry friend.
Unlike the other oils on our list, this is a chewable tablet that won’t have you, and everything else, smelling of fish. The tablets are formulated to keep all the goodness from the oil while getting rid of the fishy smell. The chewable tablets have calcium along with other essential oils to optimize your dog’s well-being.
If you have a particularly picky pooch it might be easier getting him to take a tablet with a treat rather then pouring a very fishy smelling liquid on their food.
The tablets have been tested by a third-party for effectiveness and safety so there isn’t any concern there; however, it doesn’t say where the fish oil is sourced.
Conclusion
By supplementing your pet’s diet with fish oil it will improve their overall health in many ways, including the condition of the skin and coat and their digestive system.
The products we’ve listed are only a handful of the different types of fish oil supplements available but we hope we’ve given you some food for thought to help you make an informed decision.
Whichever one you choose, make sure your dog likes it and that you’ve checked it with your vet.
