Fish Oil Info

The right fish oil will be one of the best and consequently cheapest ways to improve your pets (dogs and cats) diets. Same thing applies to us humans.

The benefits and reasons fish oil is so good for our pets is covered elsewhere. This deals with what fish oil to buy. Everybody sells it now. I have found excellent fish oil in Kroger cheap as their store brand. Cost was about $5.99 for 100 gel capsules at 1200 MG per gel capsule.

Here are some important considerations in shopping:

·         A high EPA component of fish oil. Fish oil is part DHA and EPA. While both are important to us, it is the EPA component that fights and helps reverse inflammation caused in the body. In this case we almost always see with out Pets diet is chronic systemic inflammation. With our nutrition, that includes the supplements we give like fish oil, we want to assist the body to combat and reverse long these standing chronic inflammatory state that was very likely caused by the diet. High EPA fish oil is powerful for assisting the new diet to help regain a good state of health. Even when we do not change the diet; the fish oil will help, but be realistic, just fish oil will not cure all the sins of a bad diet.

·         See the labels that follow. I have included what you want to look for and what you will find that you do not want to buy. Don’t get too carried away with the exact numbers as the relationship between the EPA and DHA is the main thing. The EPA needs to be higher than the DHA for combating inflammation.

On right is label showing EPA lower than DHA. On left is label showing EPA higher than DHA.

·         Sources of fish oil are important. A source from lower food chain fish will diminish the potential problems with heavy metals. Even though salmon oil is quite possible and probably a fine source, I recommend fish oil from the small fish like sardines and even smaller as preferred. Never any farm raised fish as there is no telling what they have been fed. We know salmon can be altered by it’s diet. Wild caught, preferably cold water fish, from smaller fish is favored. If the product information does not say this information I would be leery of the sources.

·         Many products say purified. My understanding is the heavy metals are not associated with the fat (oil) as it’s in the meat itself. Consequently it’s safer to use the fish oil. Many say they are purified, so I would go with this as a preference as well. Ideally you will be taking and/or giving this to your pets daily all their lives, so let’s make sure it does not cause harm from its source.

·         The EPA in Omega 3 fatty acids oxidize rapidly. What this means to us is it “leaves” the product. Consequently the fresher the product the better. Just sitting on the shelf or in the box after manufacturing will result in the EPA  diminishing. The fresher the better. This same property is one of the prime reasons that vegetable sources of Omega 3 are not desired. They are very fragile and deteriorate much quicker than marine sources..

·         Because of the oxidation properties of fish oil, it will in the body cause thinning of the blood. With higher doses we should slow this down by giving Vitamin E every day. It is also said to diminish the immune system. For this reason mega doses of fish oil is not recommended. Everything in moderation. The increased value of fish oil through higher doses is beneficial only up to a point.

·         My experience is Great Pyrenees and other large dogs, especially active dogs like sporting dogs, can safely take 1000 MG daily or even twice a day. I have given higher doses for short periods of time to kick start a really bad inflammatory problem, especially in the skin. If you want to give larger doses for more than a few days probably should give 100 to 400 IU of Vitamin E.daily. For human consumption the same applies. If one is not on anything that thins the blood already like aspirin, etc., anything above 1000 MG fish oil twice daily should have Vitamin E added to be safe.