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I don't mean to overwhelm you with verbage. It's hard to condense science-speak sometimes, especially into lay terms.
I guess simply put:
1) Both omega 6 and omega 3 fatty acids (found in these oils) are important and beneficial to health. But equally important is their relative balance/ratio. Omega 6 fatty acids can be found in a lot of food sources, while omega 3 is harder to find. So supplementing for omega 3 fatty acids is probably more important for most diets.
2) Of the various types of fatty acids, the types found in fish oil are more efficiently used by the body because they don't have to be converted to a different form prior to use. The type commonly found in flaxseed oil does need to be converted, but the body isn't all that great or efficient in doing so.
3) We all (Viralmd, woof woof woof, and myself included) agree NOT to use cod liver oil. It doesn't provide the same level of fatty acids, and it has higher levels of certain vitamins that can accumulate and become toxic if there's too much. Can you return yours to the store? Maybe exchage it for salmon oil?
4) Salmon oil can be found in many pet stores sold in a liquid pump, as well as numerous online sources. I've even seen it at PetSmart (although I don't know how their prices compare). It shouldn't be too hard to find. It helps with dry itchy skin, among a myriad other health benefits.
Continue with the sensitive skin food if it's helping (provided it's actually a good food. Unfortunately few vets are actually trained in pet nutrition, so don't necessarily take their word on a product they're selling). Supplementing with salmon oil can be done at the same time. You'll have to give 2-3 months before really seeing the effects of the salmon oil, though you may start seeing some improvements right away.
p.s. I'm no pharmacist. I'm a research scientist in physiology (a biomedical science). Dog training and care are one of my passions/hobbies.
I'm with the others who say do not give cod liver oil. Fish body oil (such as salmon oil) is what I give to my dog. It's good for the skin, coat, joints, and even helps the kidneys. I give him the human capsules from the health food store. He loves them.
If you give fish oil long term, it can deplete the body of Vitamin E, so it's a good idea to give a Vitamin E supplement too. Some fish oils supplements already have Vitamin E added to them, and some don't.
What is the dosage? She is 12 lbs, 14 mos old. I have noticed she isnt itchin g quite as much since I started on the sensitive skin food from eukanuba, no chicken, wheat, or corn, but has ocean fish.
I would seriously consider switching to a better quality food. Yours only rates a 2, because of all the fillers. Eukanuba and Science Diet fool people into thinking they are quality foods, because of their higher price, but they are both very poor quality.
Try brands like Orijen, Taste of the Wild, Wellness, Evo, Innova, Solid Gold and many others that can be found at speciality pet stores. Basically, stay away from the mass stores. You will see a difference within a week.
We use Kronch Salmon oil for our puppy, but I think the food has more to do with his overall health/healthy appearance than the oil does. We buy the oil at our local pet store, where we get his food.
I would seriously consider switching to a better quality food. Yours only rates a 2, because of all the fillers. Eukanuba and Science Diet fool people into thinking they are quality foods, because of their higher price, but they are both very poor quality.
Try brands like Orijen, Taste of the Wild, Wellness, Evo, Innova, Solid Gold and many others that can be found at speciality pet stores. Basically, stay away from the mass stores. You will see a difference within a week.
We use Kronch Salmon oil for our puppy, but I think the food has more to do with his overall health/healthy appearance than the oil does. We buy the oil at our local pet store, where we get his food.
A really good quality food will, in the long run, improve the health of your dog and keep vet costs down compared to any "perscription diet" given by your vet. It will help minimize health issues.
The foods mentioned above are all very good quality. Others include Fromm, Eagle Pack Holistic (regular line contains corn), Canidae, California Naturals, etc. Even with premium food, there's a bunch you can choose from so see which ones are available in your area and which fit your budget. And think long term costs (health and vet bills), not just monthly food expenses.
Could it just be that with our furnaces running the dogs get drier skin? I know mine are scratching since the heat went on, we keep it pretty hot sometimes and they get worse.
Yeah, mine is scratching big time lately (it's cold and dry here the last few weeks and we humans are like scaly monsters).
I thought it might be the dog food...my girl is starting to smell weird, too. Very houndy/'corny'.
I think it's back to the feed store for us, too, for better food (though I read Canadae is no good now..any other suggestions?)
Not sure what you're feeding now, but try a grain free food. That usually clears up all allergies. It worked wonders on our puppy. We use Taste of the Wild, but there are plenty of others around. See what you can get in your area at a price you're happy with and go from there. Good luck!
Hello, new here... I just bought a bottle of liquid Cod Liver Oil and a bottle of capsule Fish Oil (1000mg per capsule) that says it contains Sardines, Anchovies, Sprat, Clupea, Salmon, Soy. THEN I googled whether or not I should use these for my 48lb dog's skin itchies, and landed here. It appears the Cod Liver Oil is out, but until I can find pure salmon oil at a pet store, does anyone know if the Fish Oil capsules should be okay? I've noticed in the past her itchies respond to even the tiniest dollop of plain old vegetable oil on her food, but wanted to try the fish route. She eats Nutro Max kibble in the "Lite" version because her doggie roommate is a little pudgy and there's no separating them at mealtime. The itching appears to be seasonal, and I'm in the Bay Area where lately it's been 65, sunny and mild. Thank you for any input you might have!
Our house is also dry this time of year so we are going to get a humidifier installed in the system and see if that helps her. She's not as bad as she was, she is now on Natural Balance fish and potato allergy food. She likes it so I will stick with it and get rid of the eukanuba stuff.
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