Fish Oil

Fish Oil is a rich source of Omega 3

Why is Omega 3 required?

Polyunsaturated fats (PUFA's) are a combination of Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids that are important to the diet, but in a certain ratio. Omega 3's offer anti inflammatory and platelet inhibiting effects while Omega 6's do the opposite. With the advent of grain based farming, this ratio has shifted in humans from 1:1 (omega 3:omega 6) to 1:10 (see Michael Pollan). Omega 3, in short is missing from the diet.

Why fish oil as a source of omega 3 and not flaxseed oil?
Omega 3 is a combination of EPA and DHA. Although plant based oils like flaxseed oil are a source, they contain ALA (alpha linoleic acid), which requires desaturation in the body to form EPA and DHA in order to be utilized. At best, only around 15-20% of ALA is converted to EPA and DHA, (one source estimates that less than 10% of ALA becomes EPA and DHA) which means you would have to use 5 to 6 times as much flax seed oil to get an equivalent amount of omega-3 fatty acids as is found in fish oil.

Why Fish oil capsules and not from a bottle or already added to food/kibble?
Omega 3 is also highly perishable once exposed to the atmosphere- so its addition as an ingredient to kibble has limited value shortly after the bag is open. Similarly, it's retention is less reliable from pouring bottles and even pump bottles. The ideal source is from a capsule where the oil is sealed in until it is consumed.

Is fish oil safe?
Because the source of fish oil can be subject to issues of toxic contamination (mercury) it is best to seek out fish oil from wild caught small fish. Small fish on the low end of the food chain are at substantially lower risk for mercury contamination. Or look for indications on the label- if the source is farmed salmon that it has been tested or filtered.

So Omega 3's require supplementation and they require to be in the most bioavailable form to be useful or effective and safety should be a consideration. We recommend Spectrum which is easily available, in capsules and from wild caught small fish.


What is the dosage for fish oil?
Make sure to check the EPH/DHA amounts as it can get confusing with different capsule sizes and serving sizes. Recommended amounts for dietary purposes are one 1000mg fish oil capsule (containing 300mg combined EPA/DHA) per 30 pounds of body weight per day. For dogs dealing with skin issues a high dosage is necessary- so double that every day (you can go as high as 3 times a day). Maximum dosage is  300mg combined EPA/DHA per 10lbs. Higher amounts have been suggested for arthritis- but that should be done under vet supervision as fish oil does have blood thinning properties. 


Typically an average frenchie around 24 lbs would get one capsule per day every other day. Any more would require supplementing with an additional 200IU of vitamin E and slow easing into as it can cause loose stools.


Articles:
Fatty Acid Facts Narda Robinson DVM, DO, MS 
How fatty Acids fight Inflammation Narda Robinson DVM, DO, MSn
Studies detail possible benefits of omega-3 fatty acids for dogs with arthritis AVMA

Probiotics

Therapeutic Probiotics:
If your dog has recently been on antibiotics which destroys the good bacteria along with the bad (stress can also contribute to this) - then you need to provide probiotics/good Bacteria in amounts that can recolonize the gut which is in the millions. Live yogurt / kefir does not have enough bacteria to do this- you need a product that can provide these amounts like Benebac or B Naturals Probiotics. These are also formulated specially for dogs with a more species appropriate bacteria - Enterococcus faecium. Provide this supplement a few hours before or after antibiotics and continue for a few weeks after the drug therapy has ended.


Dietary Probiotics
Live yogurt and kefir are probiotics you can add as a daily part of your dog's diet as a general supplement. Kefir has a broader range of bacteria and the lactose is more predigested so it is recommended as dogs can have lactose intolerances.


General Strategy
Although there is an increasing amount of research regarding probiotics for canines, there's no exact science, as with most nutrition issues, that feeding x amount of a specific range of bacteria will successfully populate the gut with the right kind of flora or healthy bacteria which is what probiotics are supposed to do. One reason is we don't know if they all survive the acidic environment of the stomach, or which specific bacteria strains are capable of doing this. There are people who think that you can't process and bottle live bacteria- and there are some who think there isn't enough of a range of bacteria in naturally occuring foods like kefir. So its generally reccomended that you provide a broad range of these bacteria by feeding a range of kefir, green tripe, yogurt and a probiotic product and at different times- its thought that feeding probiotics between meals helps avoid the acidic environment.


The ABC's of probiotics Narda Robinson DVM
The difference between probiotics and digestive enzymes. Lew Olsen Ph.D


Probiotics and Diarrhea
Some studies showing benefits of probiotics for diarrhea:
Clinical benefits of probiotic canine-derived Bifidobacterium animalis strain AHC7 in dogs with acute idiopathic diarrhea.
Effects of a probiotic intervention in acute canine gastroenteritis--a controlled clinical trial.