Salmon Oil for Dogs - Uses and Benefits

Salmon oil is a product that in recent years has become quite trendy in both human and canine nutrition. Its standout ingredient is the famous omega-3 fatty acid.

It's true its consumption offers benefits for our dog, but it's important to watch the proportion in which it's given. Let's look at everything salmon oil can do for your dog. Ready?

What Is Salmon Oil?

Salmon oil is an oil obtained from this fish's tissues. So, it can be consumed directly by eating salmon or as a food supplement in liquid or capsule form. Some dog foods include salmon oil among their ingredients.

Salmon oil's most notable component is the essential fatty acid known as omega-3. Specifically, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) are found in concentrated form. These are polyunsaturated fats.

They're called essential because the body isn't able to produce them on its own, so they must be consumed through the diet. The essential fatty acids in salmon oil provide numerous benefits to a dog's body.

Properties and Benefits of Salmon Oil

These are the main benefits salmon oil can offer us:

• Salmon oil supports heart and kidney health by affecting blood fluidity.
• It has an anti-inflammatory action, since it inhibits the synthesis of certain chemical mediators involved in inflammatory processes. This is the property linked to treating dermatological problems.
• It also produces an anticoagulant effect.
• It reduces the risk of tumors developing.
• It supports brain oxygenation, which is especially useful in older dogs that may have difficulties in this area.
• It improves puppies' learning ability and results in dogs used for sports.

Does Salmon Oil Have Contraindications?

The problem with consuming salmon oil is that it can cause an imbalance between omega-3 and omega-6 intake. If the amount of omega-6 exceeds omega-3, the dog can suffer inflammatory processes and arteriosclerosis.

That's why we stress the importance of not giving our dog salmon oil on our own. No supplement is harmless, and its use needs to be justified. So, to avoid risks, always check with the vet.

What Is the Right Dose of Salmon Oil?

Despite salmon oil's benefits, if we exceed the dose appropriate for our dog's size and characteristics, adverse effects can occur such as diarrhea, nausea, gastrointestinal disorders, or obesity. On the other hand, there's no fixed dose, since it depends on multiple factors related to the dog and to the supplement itself.

The dose will also depend on the format of the supplement our vet indicates, since we can choose it in capsules or liquid. This latter format, more common, can be easier to give since it's easy to sprinkle over the dog's regular food.

The dose also depends on the quality of the product we buy. Normally, each manufacturer will indicate the recommended dosage for their product on the packaging. Even so, it's the vet who should prescribe the most suitable amount, taking into account our dog's characteristics and particularities.

Bibliography Rodríguez, Carlos. ¿Qué son los ácidos grasos omega-3? Revista Ateuves nº 10. pp. 22-26. Villagrasa, María. Los complementos nutricionales. Revista Ateuves nº 13. pp. 24-28.