Fish oil for dogs, not for humans
This collection is about fish oil and omega-3 for your dog, not about supplements for humans. It is worth stating right away, because most searches for "fish oil omega 3" are about tablets for yourself. The products on this page are liquid oils you pour over your dog's food: The omega 3 oil is a pure omega-3 oil from fish, while the mobility blend combines fish oil with ingredients aimed at the joints.
Omega-3 is a group of fatty acids the dog does not produce itself in sufficient amounts and therefore must get through its diet. The two most important are called EPA and DHA, and these are what fish contain in naturally active form. A dry food covers the dog's basic needs, but a liquid supplement lets you give extra omega-3 during periods when the dog needs it, for example for coat, skin or joints.
Why the dog gets fish oil
EPA and DHA are used in the body for several things at once. DHA is a building block in the brain and in the retina, and that is the reason oily fish is often highlighted in connection with puppy development. EPA is especially involved in the body's regulation of inflammatory conditions, and that is the angle that makes fish oil interesting for dogs with stiff joints or itchy skin.
The most visible results are seen by many owners on coat and skin. A glossy, dense coat and less dry, flaky skin are often the first things to change, because the fatty acids are incorporated directly into the skin's barrier. If you want to target the supplement at the musculoskeletal system, the mobility blend is put together for exactly that, while the omega 3 oil is the broad choice for coat, skin and general omega-3 balance.
How quickly does fish oil work on a dog?
Fish oil is not something that works from day one. The fatty acids need to be built into the body's cells and the skin's barrier before you see a difference, and that takes weeks, not days. Many owners describe the coat beginning to look different after a few weeks of daily dosing, while an effect on stiff joints typically requires a longer period of continuous use.
This means fish oil should be given consistently and not as a one-off treatment. If you skip days, you are in a sense starting over. Count on giving it daily for at least a month before you assess whether it makes a difference for your particular dog.
How much fish oil should the dog have per day?
The dose depends on the dog's weight, which is why the recommended amount is stated on the bottle. Always follow the dosing instructions on the specific product rather than guessing, because a small dog and a large dog need vastly different amounts. Liquid oil makes it easy to hit the right dose, because you can adjust down to the individual millilitre.
Feel free to start at the low end and work up. A sudden large amount of fat can cause loose stools, so the body benefits from getting used to the supplement over a few days. If the dog already has a sensitive stomach, the cautious build-up is extra important, and you may benefit from looking at food for a sensitive stomach as a foundation.
Liquid oil rather than capsules
The products here are liquid oil, not capsules. For dogs, this is a practical advantage: you pour the oil directly over the food, the dog eats it as part of the meal, and you avoid having to get it to swallow a capsule. At the same time, you can dose precisely by weight instead of being tied to the amount a fixed capsule contains.
Liquid oil does, however, place demands on freshness. Fish oil can turn rancid if exposed to air, light and heat over time, and rancid oil loses both flavour and value. Store the bottle cool and closed, and use it within the shelf life stated after opening. If you want to ensure fresh oil over a longer period, the omega 3 oil comes in a smaller 500 ml bottle for the smaller dog and a 1 litre bottle for the large one.
Pure omega-3 or a blend with joint ingredients
The choice between the two products in the collection comes down to what you want to achieve. The omega 3 oil is a pure fish oil and the broad choice when the goal is coat, skin and general omega-3 supply. The Mobility blend is based on the same omega-3 and supplements it with ingredients aimed at the musculoskeletal system, and is intended for dogs where the joints are in focus.
If you need to cover one need, choose the product that matches it. If the dog has both a dry coat and stiff joints, the joint blend goes furthest, because it contains the omega-3 part and the joint ingredients in the same bottle. Both are available in 500 ml and 1 litre, as well as in a three-pack for those who give oil consistently over a long time.
Fish oil as a supplement, not a replacement for the food
An omega-3 supplement does not replace a complete food. The dog's basic nutrition must come from the meal itself, and a well-balanced dry food already contains omega-3 in the amount a healthy dog needs on a daily basis. The supplement is for the situations where you want to give extra for a period, or where the dog has an increased need.
If you are in doubt about the dog's food overall, it may be more effective to start there than to pile on supplements. See the entire range under LIVING, find a food for the older dog under senior collection, or read more about what a good food should actually be able to do in the article what is good dog food. Then you build on a solid foundation instead of compensating for a weak one.
