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Rodrigo has itchy paws. I followed the advice of our veterinarian and started giving him Benedryl (1mg x his weight), but it can’t be good to feed him this on a daily basis. I have hay fever and I'm not a fan of how Benedryl makes me feel; why would I subject our dog to those feelings. So I started researching alternatives.
I found a fantastic video by Dr. Karen Becker that helped provide him with some relief.
Today, we wash off Rodrigo’s paws daily, wiping them with a mixture of apple cider vinegar and water, and they don’t seem to bother him anymore. Another thing I read was that salmon oil for dogs is great for itchy skin and it’s also great for our dogs’ coats. What I wasn't prepared for were the pros and cons of Salmon oil.
Types of Oils for a Dog's Diet
When researching the health benefits of salmon oil for dogs, I was surprised to find out that salmon oil isn’t the only options. Our options include
- Fish Oil
- Salmon Oil
- Olive Oil
- Coconut Oil
- Krill Oil
Bonnie & Clyde Fish Oil for Dogs
I add Bonnie & Clyde fish oil to our dogs' diet. Many people believe fish oil is inferior to salmon oil, but this isn't the case. When comparing Bonnie & Clyde fish oil (made with herring, mackerel, anchovies, and sardines) to salmon oil for dogs, you'll find these differences in the EPA and DHA Omega-3 fatty acids (something many people don't realize):
- EPA and DHA in a teaspoon of Bonnie & Clyde Fish Oil: 690mg EPA and 460mg DHA
- EPA and DHA in a teaspoon of Salmon Oil: 480mg EPA 500mg DHA
Bonnie & Clyde fish oil is the best omega-3 oil on the market for dogs. It's concentrated (so a little goes a long way), it doesn't have a fishy smell, and it has vitamin E that is naturally sourced from sunflowers (so we don't have to worry about deficiencies).
Benefits of Bonnie & Clyde Fish Oil for Dogs
- Improves skin and coat health
- Improves joint health
- Improves digestive health
- Improves cognitive functions
Downsides of Bonnie & Clyde Fish Oil for Dogs
If you feed too much, your dog might get diarrhea. Otherwise, there are no downsides to this product that I've experienced with my dogs.
- CLICK HERE to order Bonnie & Clyde fish oil
Salmon Oil for Dogs
Salmon oil is touted to be great for our dogs' coats, skin allergies, and joint problems. Sounds great!
Joe Craven, a fellow writer (EssayWritingServices.com), raises show dogs and took the time to enlighten me about the pros and cons of salmon oil. He regularly gives his dogs salmon oil, because there are so many health benefits. Together, we were able to find the benefits and downsides to salmon oil and being new to the product, I was pretty surprised by the downsides.
Benefits of Salmon Oil for Dogs
- Improve the coat and skin condition of the dog, make it soft and shiny.
- It helps in producing more collagen
- It helps to prevent skin allergies
- Dosage of about 1000 mg per 10 lbs of dog weight can prevent arthritis
- Fish oil is useful in the treatment of kidney problems (frequent urination, loss of appetite)
- Appearance of joint problems, like arthritis, is lessened.
- Salmon oil helps alleviate inflammation, fights heart disease, and prevents renal disease.
- It’s preventative against cancer.
Downsides of Salmon Oil for Dogs
After more than a year adding salmon oil to our dogs' food, our dogs haven't experienced any of these “downsides.”
- Weight gain; this can be managed with a healthy diet and regular exercise
- Bad breath (it is salmon oil); this can be resolved by regularly cleaning their teeth
- Stomach pain, dizziness, and nausea; not all dogs have this reaction, but you should watch your dog to be sure that s/he is compatible with salmon oil
- Loose stool and diarrhea; it’s not clear if this is lasting, but it could be a sign that your dog isn’t taking to the salmon oil well
Salmon oil can go bad and you want to pay attention to a use by date on the bottle to make sure that you’re not feeding your dog expired oil. I store our salmon oil in the fridge.
Salmon Oil I Recommend
- Lifeline Salmon Oil
- Lifeline Wild Alaskan Fish Oil (a great alternative to salmon oil when salmon oil is low)
I'm very careful about the salmon oil that I give to my dogs because of the toxins in the oceans. I only trust a couple of brands.
Olive Oil for Dogs
Carol Firenze is the author of the book – The Passionate Olive – 101 Thing to do with Olive Oil. She wrote a chapter for pet owners and shared the following benefits of drizzling olive oil on their food:
On the Inside…Internal
- Shine your Pet’s Coat & Keep your Pet Healthy
- To Slow Down the Shedding Process
- Prevent “Hairballs” in Cats
On the Outside…External
- Massage your Pet
- Remove Ticks
- Soothe Ears
- Lubricate the Skin on Your Pet’s Nose
- Lubricate your Dog’s Paws
- Give your Pet a Pedicure
- Remove “Ice Balls” from an Animal‘s Hair or Paws
I've read that some dog owners give their dogs sardines in olive oil as a treat. I've also read that olive oil can be harmful to dogs, but this was on a site that promoted krill oil so I'm uncertain of the validity of the statement. See what I mean about the pros and cons?
The only common warning that I found is that if a dog has a health issue that is prompting dog owners to use olive oil, be sure to check with your vet first because olive oil doesn't cure everything and the issue may be something that does require medical attention.
Olive oil is also high in calories so it's not something I'm comfortable giving our dogs on a regular basis.
Coconut Oil for Dogs
Jennifer Kehres was kind enough to enlighten me about Coconut Oil, which she gives regularly to her dog and I would not have considered as an option. “Our gluten-free, dairy-free, coconut oil loving Shih Tzu loves it! Coconut oil helps prevent and reduce itchiness and is good for her overall health too.” ~ Jennifer Kehres
Coconut oil isn't an alternative to fish oil.
Benefits of Coconut Oil for Dogs
- Reduces pet allergies and clears up skin conditions
- Improves digestion and reduces “doggie breath”
- Aids in arthritis or ligament problems
I've also learned that coconut oil,
- If applied topically, treats and aids faster healing of wounds
- Prevents and treats yeast and fungal infections
- Helps prevent or control diabetes
- Helps to reduce weight and increase energy
But is coconut oil healthy? Coconut oil gets a bad rap, “because its main component is saturated fat,” which seems to contradict the claim that it helps to reduce weight. Holistic veterinarian Dr. Karen Becker says “I recommend 1/4 teaspoon of coconut oil for every 10 pounds of body weight twice daily.”
Before you run to the store to get coconut oil, please read this post that I wrote about coconut oil: Stop Feeding Your Dog Coconut Oil.
Coconut Oil I Recommend
Krill Oil for Dogs
Krill oil is derived from shellfish and contains the Omega-3 fatty acids DHA and EPA along antioxidants. I read that some feel that Krill Oil is superior to salmon oil partly because it’s easy for our bodies to absorb it allowing it to do more good. In fact, there is a site devoted to promoting krill oil.
Benefits of Krill Oil for Dogs
- Effective in weight loss
- No fishy after taste
- Longer shelf life than salmon oil
- More easily aborbed into the body, so you don’t need as much
Downsides of Krill Oil for Dogs
- More expensive
- Not for animals (or people) who are allergic to shell fish. I have no idea if our dogs have shell fish allergies either.
You can read more about the Difference Between Krill Oil and Salmon Oil HERE: Krill Oil vs Fish Oil: Which Is Better for You? | Healthline.com. And like with the other oil options mentioned here, double check with your veterinarian, before adding krill oil to your dog's diet.
Krill Oil I Recommend
Whether your dog is on a raw or kibble diet, I think a quality Omega-3 oil is beneficial. I recommend products that are specifically made for dogs so that you can know that the serving amount is correct.
It’s so very sad that we have to always stay one step ahead of what is being done to our oceans. 🙁 Thanks for sharing. I’m looking into phytoplankton for my dogs now.
You need to be careful with future fish oil purchases. Does the oil come from the Pacific? That is now being affected by Fukushima radiation. The media and the fed. govt. are keeping this quiet as to prevent a financial crisis of major proportions. But you can research the effects that it is having on marine life and it’s already on the West coast beaches.
I add Bonnie & Clyde fish oil to my dogs’ diet (https://www.keepthetailwagging.com/bncpet). I also believe that it’s important for our dogs to eat a quality digestive enzyme – FullBucket is a great option, so is In Clover OptaGest.
FullBucket: https://keepthetailwagging.com/FullBucketProbioticPowder (this has been a miracle worker for Rodrigo, who also used to have a lot of itching and licked his paws like crazy.
In Clover OptaGest: http://amzn.to/29JRkJI
Getting the gut healthy makes a big difference for dogs because the digestive tract is closely linked to the immune system; why strengthening the immune system, it enables a dog to deal with environmental allergies which may be causing the itching.
Hi There, I have a 5 month old rescue Lab/Great Pyr mix who is itching all the time, I feed her GF Acana but I am switching to TOTW salmon, I recently started her on Nutri-Vet salmon oil and I was wondering if you can recommend something else too, The other day I took some Coconut oil and liquified it and rubbed it in her fur. I have had Newfoundlands for over 20 years and never had an issue like this, my vet doesn’t seem too concerned with it he thinks maybe its a puppy thing. What are your thoughts?
Thank You,
Glory
It’s so funny that you left this comment today, because I have a page of notes I wrote up 2 hours ago on Omega 6s. I’m going to be writing up a post this weekend (fingers crossed) with what I’ve learned.
As I understand it, dogs fed a commercial diet of dry dog food are consuming too many Omega 6 fatty acids, which leads to inflammation and allergies. Having the right balance between Omega 6 and Omega 3 is important to keep everything in check. When feed animals are fed a grain diet, it increases the 6:3 ratio from 4 to 1 (for example) to 20 to 1.
Safflower oil is very high in Omega 6s, so if you’re feeding your dog dry dog food, you want to avoid vegetable oils. Instead, I recommend a high quality fish oil (I use Bonnie & Clyde).
This is the same if you’re feeding a raw diet; the animals need to be grass fed, grass finished or we risk a high 6:3 ratio.
I also learned that this extends to milk (I feed our dogs raw goats milk) and eggs. Grocery store eggs have an extremely high 6:3 ratio when compared to pasture raised, from-the-farm eggs.
Hope that made sense. I’m working on the post and gaining information from people who know more than me to make sure I deliver it correctly.
What about safflower oil? Our vet said that the oils in it are more what dogs can use than those in olive oil. (They need more omega-6, and we need to add more omega-3’s, if I remember correctly. ? )
Have you researched safflower oil for dogs? If so, does it also help with shedding like olive oil does?
Also, is olive oil the only one you’ve looked into that seems to help with shedding?
Thanks for your site. It’s a nice “find.”
It depends on the salmon oil that you’re giving your dog. When I switched to a quality product, I saw a difference in less than two weeks with my dogs.
I’ve had the best experience with Bonnie & Clyde fish oil and Camelina oil for dogs.
I started giving our dog Salmon oil, how long does it take to work? He has dry itchy skin.
Hi Brendan
I just learned of a natural supplement that is working wonders for dogs. I add it to my dogs food the morning before an afternoon vet appointment. They also have dog treats that work too.
Here is the site: http://ewegurt.com/
Hi, would you have any recommendation regarding a homeopathic product for a very very anxious dog. She has separation issues. She is a cross breed, Boxer & Ridgeback. Thank you. Kind regards. At wits end.
I like how you weighed the pros and cons of salmon oil for dogs. It can get very complicated because you hear so much different advice. After checking with your vet, one suggestion would be to see how your dog reacts to a supplement. If he’s more energetic and seems more alert and responsive (I’m talking about an elderly dog) then the addition is probably a good thing.
I wouldn’t say that you’re doing anything wrong. My only concern with my dogs would be giving them too much and causing diarrhea or, with the salmon oil, a vitamin E imbalance if the salmon oil isn’t properly balanced itself. I use Bonnie & Clyde, which has the right amount of vitamin E plus it comes from a natural source so our dogs are able to better process the oil. I give them coconut oil 2x a week, but usually I skip the salmon oil on those days, but that’s my personal choice.
I give salmon in am and coconut in pm. wrong?
I don’t have any experience with pancreatitis, but I follow Whole Dog Journal and found this article that states “Fish body oil, such as salmon oil (not cod liver oil), and antioxidants, including vitamins C and E, beta carotene, and selenium, may help reduce the risk of acute pancreatitis.”
You can read the entire article here: http://www.whole-dog-journal.com/issues/11_12/features/Healthy-Low-Fat-Dog-Foods_16088-1.html
I have miniature Schnauzer’s which are, of course, more predisposed to pancreatitis. I quit feeding them Hill’s CD Prescription Diet after becoming so tired of constant UTI’s and removal of an oxalate crystal about an inch long. I was extremely concerned about the amount of fat in the diet. After much research and changing diets….I love my vet, but not Hills…..BAAAD food…and after reading of cat owners whose cars had repeated UT problems because of high mineral content in the water…..I now give my dogs nothing but distilled water. We have now been UTI free for one year and a recent ultrasound showed no sign of any crystals!! This after 5 years of at least tri monthly UTIs. Long explanation-so sorry. Before I switched diets, my Schnauzer’s had so much fat in their blood that our animal hospital…(very large and well known, and I know they are good vets…..just too much funding from Hills) had to send the dogs blood to one of our hospital labs to get the blood work analyzed !!!! Before I changed from Hills, to help bring the fat in their bloodstream down, the vet prescribed Welactin Canine Natural Omega 3 Supplement. My dogs don’t like it. I got some Grizzly Salmon Oil which they love. I just started and am not giving the full amount yet. My dogs are losing weight on the new QUALITY food but I am still concerned about the fat in their blood. I lost my last little Schnauzer to diabetes and ultimately pancreatitis….eating Hills WD for years upon vet advice…..:(. I am desperately trying to avoid this again….is the salmon oil safe for dogs more prone to pancreatitis???
Fantastic Article! Coconut oils is amazing for dogs!
Thanks for asking, Randy
I don’t know if there is a study. I chose Grizzly on the recommendation of many friends and other raw feeders. That’s the one salmon oil that is often mentioned and I’ve been giving it to our dogs for almost a year and they have had no trouble with it. I’ve only heard one complaint and that was that someone didn’t realize that it was best to refrigerate it and it went bad fast.
Most of the things I add to our dogs food are based on the recommendations of other raw feeders and our vet, who is holistic and pro-raw. If you trust your vet, then I recommend going with their recommendation. I don’t hold much faith in studies, especially ones done by the veterinarian community, because there is so much misinformation regarding diet, nutrition, vaccinations, and spay/neuter surgeries. I try to keep an open mind, because I respect that they have the education, but with cancer rates in dogs increasing, I have to wonder if it’s because we’ve gone overboard with vaccinations, poor nutrition, and spay/neutering dogs too early – all of which is ordained by the veterinarian community.
Don’t mean to go on a conspiracy theory rift, but just wanted to explain why I get suspicious when I hear of “studies.” I think veterinarians mean well, but too many support old school thoughts about raising dogs.
Kimberly, I’ve been unable to find the results of any scientific study of Grizzly Salmon Oil (dog food supplement) that would assure me of its quality. Am I missing something or do such studies just not exist. Our vet has recommended Pronutra’s professional strength canine fish oil on the basis that there is research that supports its quality, but I’m exploring the Grizzly product. Can you help?
Fantastic!!!
Thank you. I just finished reading some of your other blogs on here and found my answers as well. Just started my girl on coconut oil tonight. She loved it. Ordered my Grizzly salmon oil today as well. Going to try the schedule you use and see how it goes for my girl !
Great question! You can either give it to your dog as a solid dollup, it’s soft enough for them to enjoy that way as long as it’s not refrigerated and even then, they can lick it.
Or you can soften it up in the microwave. Take are not to get it too hot.
Kimberly thanks for the reply. Just wondering the coconut oil is a solid type (paste)it appears. How do you suggest preparing it for my dog?
Hi Keith
I recommend Grizzly salmon oil (you can also alternate this with pollock oil from the same brand). I buy Nutiva extra virgin coconut oil. Your dogs will love you for this addition.
I am intersted in starting my dog on salmon oil as well as coconut oil. Where is the best place to purchase these? Do we get any type or brand or what do you suggest?
Thanks
Keith
Hi, I recommend Omega-3 supplements and Salmon fish oil for preventing and treating a canine diseases. It works quickly and fast.
Thanks
There are many sources for Omega 3s, but I’ve learned that Salmon Oil is the best. Of course, I could be wrong, but that’s what we give our dogs (actually, it’s fish oil).
Thanks for stopping by! It’ll be fun checking into the oils you listed.
I was wondering about the Omega 3 acids if that is the key ingredient. There are a huge amount of oils with Omega 3 they include Rapeseed oil,Cod liver oil,
Flaxseed oil, Mustard oil,Soybean oil,and Walnut oil
Great tip, Tina! Thank you! We use fish oil; it contains salmon oil, but mackeral and other fish too. We’ve also tried Krill oil. It’s amazing how quickly it works.
I had an 8 year old Lab that sucked her feet, all four paws equally, from the time we brought her home at 10 weeks of age. She would slobber all over the floor, the blanket…yuck. Of course, the vets said it was allergies….blah, blah, blah…and they wanted to run a battery of tests that may or may not provide any answers. We tried Benadryl and other remedies, but nothing helped. Well, I began researching Grizzly Salmon Oil last year and decided to give it a try. Within 2 weeks, she completely stopped sucking her feet. I highly recommend the oil.
Great tip. Thanks for sharing. I love coconut oil, I’ll try that next.
Hello! We recommend rotating through all the oils. All the oils offer something a little different in their rations of omegas. Whatever we’re using the Goldens get!
I’ve used fish oil in the past but don’t any more because it was expensive and I didn’t notice any real benefit. Perhaps we are just lucky and our dog is allergy-free. Her coat has a lot of natural oils and other than the first year she was with us, I haven’t noticed any itchiness.
Thanks for all this great information. I’ll have to keep this in mind for our next vet visit.
Some days it’s a little challenging but I just love them so much and they are so entertaining (and a little rotten). They just make me happy every day. I have them from 3 lbs to 80 lbs. I also got invloved in rescue and just love it. Right now I’m not fostering but do other stuff to stay involved. Don’t have human children so all my time is dedicated to them (and work.)
Thanks so much, Debbie
I’m really excited to add coconut oil to their diet now. Wow! 6 dogs. HOW DO YOU DO IT???
I have 6 dogs, they all get Coconut oil twice a day. Other than a lttle soft stool now and then I have only seen good results. They LOVE it, helps with the doggie breath and all their coats/skin has become less dry, my Yorkie and my Bernese have beautiful shiny coats. Would definately recommend it.We even have coconut oil chips as a treat once in while. We like it so much that Sassy has decided will be carrying it at Sassy’s Pet Paradise soon.
I didn’t read about cod liver oil – thanks for sharing that one, Jen. I’ll check it out!
Thanks for stopping by, Jana
I love reading about what you’re doing, because I love how much homework you’ve done; I’m just getting started. A friend of mine chose coconut oil over fish oil for her dogs and she’s really happy with it. I haven’t added coconut oil to our dog’s diet, because I like the benefits of fish and olive oil. But I have started taking coconut oil supplements – don’t know if I feel a change or not.
What I find fascinating is how complicated it can all get. I’m now interested in speaking with the folks at our natural vitamin store to get a better grade of fish oil than what I picked up at Costco. It was also not very easy to understand how much to give them at first – everyone has a different experience and I have no idea which of our dogs will benefit and which will not have a great reaction. But so far, no side effects and they’re doing great.
Kimberly
I have have experimented with oils for the Newfs and salmon oil has always been one of my top choices. I’ve also tried cod liver oil supplements and those work great for them too!
Yes, Jasmine has number of oils in her diet:
– safflower oil (but considering switching to evening primrose oil instead)
– olive oil
– fish oil (couple different ones, in capsules, both pharmaceutical grade)
– wheat germ oil
– coconut oil
Never had an issue with any of the downsides listed for fish (salmon) oil, except the occasional fishy breath. Some of the things would depend on dosage, proper dosage and proper ratios between omega 6 and omega 3 is important.
The only thing I’d really worry about with fish oil would be contamination, that’s why we’re using pharmaceutical grade.
I think that coconut oil is great but I can’t see how it would be substitute for fish oil – coconut oil doesn’t contain any omega 3 fatty acids.
http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/fats-and-oils/508/2