Salmon oil for dogs (10 facts for his health)

You want to know more about the properties of salmon oil for dogs? Then you are in the right place. We show you the 10 most important facts and what salmon oil is best suited for. In addition, we have for this article Advice from the veterinarian Mag.med.vet. Emin Jasarevic caught up.

Salmon
Table of Contents

Salmon oil has a variety of beneficial properties. However, only for internal use.

Why salmon oil?

Every dog owner wants to have a healthy and active dog. In this regard, the diet plays an important role.

With the wrong diet, difficulties can arise, which will be reflected in the state of health of your four-legged friend.

The first signs may be excessive hair loss or dull coat. 

The addition of salmon oil prevents possible health problems. Because, as a rule, they arise due to poor nutrition.

It is very beneficial for the health of your pelt nose if you give him fish oil. You can also feed a sufficient amount of high quality fish oil. Pay attention to fatty acids.

Salmon oil and omega 3

Especially people who consciously eat healthy know that omega-3 fatty acids are important for the organism. This is not only the case for humans, but also for our four-legged friends. 

A proper combination of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids is even essential for life. However, these fatty acids cannot be formed independently. They must be ingested with food. 

That is why it is important to pay attention to the fatty acids in the ingredients. It doesn't matter whether your pet is fed according to the BARF principle or a mixture of wet and dry food: 

In all diets must contain fatty acids. Ideal for this purpose is the salmon oil.

Advantages & effect of salmon oil

Adding salmon oil can have some crucial effects that will ensure a long and healthy life for your pet.

Positive effects include:

  • shiny, soft and dense coat
  • no dandruff on the skin
  • Promoting brain power
  • faster healing of skin diseases
  • reduced risk of cardiovascular diseases
  • better wound healing
  • Anti-inflammatory

Where can I get the right salmon oil?

In principle, all oils derived from salmon can be sold as salmon oil. However, you should not use any arbitrary for your darling. 

When buying, always make sure that it is a pure natural product. The high-quality fatty acids are especially still contained if the oil was cold pressed during production. 

Salmon oil is available not only in pet stores, but now also in retail stores. However, the oil from the supermarket is more for human use. 

My recommendation is a special preparation for dogs. Below I show you my favorite product.

What are the ingredients of salmon oil?

The main ingredient is omega-3 fatty acids. These are unsaturated fatty acids, which consist of various elements:

  • EPA eicosapentaenoic acid
    The unsaturated EPA is perfect for blood clotting. The immune system is positively influenced and inflammations can heal better. In addition, the EPA is also said to help against depression and provide a good mood.
  • DHA docosahexaenoic acid
    This acid deals with the metabolic function and is well for the brain. It supports the development of the brain in puppyhood and helps maintain performance in senior years. In addition, the acid is well for eyes and the structure of nervous tissue.
  • ALA alpha-linolenic acid
    It is broken down in the body to EPA and DHA.

How should I administer salmon oil?

The best thing is to mix the salmon oil with the food. As a rule, the quadrupeds are not so enthusiastic about salmon oil. It has a somewhat tart odor. 

The smell and taste of the usual food can disguise the salmon oil from your protégé.

How high should I dose?

Even though your pet's health comes first, don't overdo it with the administration of salmon oil. 

As a guideline, a dog with a body weight of 10 kg may get about one tablespoon of salmon oil daily. 

When should I avoid salmon oil?

In principle, any furry nose can be fed with salmon oil. But there are also some exceptions: 

If your faithful companion suffers from allergies, then you should try the salmon oil with the utmost caution. 

Just add a few drops to the daily feed and watch him. It may happen that he gets diarrhea in case of intolerance. But this possibility is rather rare. 

Even older quadrupeds can take salmon oil without any problems.

Salmon oil for external use

Salmon oil is not the optimal choice for external use. Here I prefer to recommend coconut oil. 

The strong smell can disturb not only your protégé, but also people in the vicinity. 

In the case of skin irritation, a special Evening primrose oil an. This is more suitable for external use than salmon oil. 

Salmon oil also for puppies?

Salmon oil is perfect for puppies. It has a good influence on the brain. Visual acuity and brain development are positively influenced by salmon oil in puppies. It is also good for their social behavior. That is why puppies should be regularly supplied with salmon oil. 

When buying a suitable puppy food, pay attention to the ingredients. It should contain salmon oil or another high-quality oil. If it doesn't, you can buy it at a pet store and add it to the food.

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Side Effects & Disadvantages

Salmon oil is a feed additive. Thus, it depends on the correct dosage. If the dosage is too high, side effects may occur.

The best known side effects are:

  • Soft stool
  • Diarrhea
  • Flatulence
  • Abdominal pain
  • Nausea
  • Bad breath

Some users of salmon oil have found that a too high dosage to softer paws leads. The pads are thus said to be more sensitive, which increases the risk of injury.

Basically, salmon oil (as a natural product) is healthy and does not cause any side effects when properly dosed.

Fish oil capsules for dogs?

There is also fish oil in capsule form. Here, too, it is important to administer the right dose. If your pet is too small to swallow a whole capsule, you can cut it open and add only half to the food.

So better safe than sorry.

Frequently Asked Questions

Salmon oil has valuable omega-3 fatty acids, which are vital for your dog. He can not form them himself, but must take them in through food. Therefore, it is very healthy to provide your dog with salmon oil.

The recommended dose for a dog of 10 kg body weight is one tablespoon of salmon oil daily. For small dogs of about 5 kg body weight is accordingly half a tablespoon. In the same way you should convert it to the weight of your dog.

In principle, salmon oil may be given to any dog. If your dog is susceptible to allergies, you should give him a few drops of oil on a trial basis and look for an intolerance. This can be manifested, for example, by diarrhea.

As long as your dog doesn't have an intolerance to salmon oil and you stick to the recommended dosage, salmon oil has few side effects.

Salmon oil brings your dog many health benefits such as:

  • shiny, soft and dense coat
  • Promoting brain power
  • faster healing of skin diseases
  • reduced risk of cardiovascular diseases
  • better wound healing
  • Anti-inflammatory
Picture of Geprüft vom Tierarzt Mag.med.vet. Emin Jasarevic
Veterinarian Mag.med.vet. Emin Jasarevic

I am a veterinarian and writer on animal health topics. Animals are my passion, and it is my personal goal to create medically accurate articles and videos to educate pet owners as much as possible.

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