Salmon oil is a product that in recent years has become very fashionable in both human and canine food. Its featured ingredient is the famous omega 3 fatty acid.
It is true that its consumption offers benefits for our dog, but it is important to take care of the proportion in which it is administered. Let’s see everything that Salmon oil can do for your dog. Ready @?
Index of contents
- 1 What is salmon oil?
- 2 Properties and benefits of salmon oil
- 3 Does salmon oil have contraindications?
- 4 What is the proper dosage of salmon oil?
What is salmon oil?
Salmon oil is an oil obtained from the tissues of this fish or. Therefore, it can be consumed directly when ingesting salmon or as a food supplement in liquid or capsule form. Some dog foods include salmon oil among their ingredients.
The most outstanding component of salmon oil is the essential fatty acid known as omega 3. Specifically, eicosapentaenoic acid or EPA and docosahexaenoic acid or DHA are found in concentrated form. It is polyunsaturated fats.
They are called essential because the body is not capable of producing them on its own, so it is essential that they be consumed through the diet. The essential fatty acids that salmon oil contains provide numerous benefits to the dog’s body.
Properties and benefits of salmon oil
These are the main benefits that Salmon oil can offer us:
- Salmon oil contributes to heart and kidney health by influencing the fluidity of the blood.
- It has an anti-inflammatory action because it inhibits the synthesis of certain chemical mediators that participate in inflammatory processes. This is the property that is related to the treatment of dermatological problems.
- It also produces an anticoagulant effect.
- Reduces the risk of the appearance of tumors.
- It favors cerebral oxygenation, which is especially useful in older dogs that can present difficulties in this area.
- It improves the learning ability of puppies and the results of dogs engaged in sports.
Does salmon oil have contraindications?
The problem with consuming salmon oil is that there is an imbalance between the intake of omega-3 and omega-6. If the amount of omega-6 exceeds that of omega-3, the dog can suffer inflammatory processes and arteriosclerosis.
For this reason we insist on the importance of not administer salmon oil to our dog on our own. No complement is innocuous and its use must be justified. Therefore, to avoid taking risks, you should always consult the vet.
What is the proper dosage of salmon oil?
Despite the benefits of salmon oil, if we exceed the dose appropriate to the size and characteristics of our dog, adverse effects such as diarrhea, nausea, gastrointestinal disorders or obesity may occur. On the other hand, There is no fixed dose, since it depends on multiple factors related to the dog and the supplement itself..
The dose will also depend on the format of the supplement that our vet indicates, since we can choose it in capsules or in liquid. This latter, more common format may be easier to supply because it is easy to sprinkle over regular dog food.
The dose also depends on the quality of the product we purchase. Normally, each manufacturer will indicate on the packaging the dosage they recommend for their product. Even so, it is the veterinaryn who must prescribe the most appropriate amount, taking into account the characteristics and peculiarities of our dog.