Does anyone supplement with fish oil?

[fritz'mom]

Just wondering,

My fawn boy has dry, flaky skin along topline. I have started supplementing with fish oil capsules as I have seen recommended on several websites dealing with this issue in blue's and fawn's. I asked my vet about this and he said it would be good to give but didn't give specifics on how much per day. I bought Omega 3 Fish oil 1000mg. I had seen recommended to give 1 per 20lb of body weight.

Any ideas or suggestions?

[Slaboflab]

Just wondering,

My fawn boy has dry, flaky skin along topline. I have started supplementing with fish oil capsules as I have seen recommended on several websites dealing with this issue in blue's and fawn's. I asked my vet about this and he said it would be good to give but didn't give specifics on how much per day. I bought Omega 3 Fish oil 1000mg. I had seen recommended to give 1 per 20lb of body weight.

Any ideas or suggestions?

my guys get sardines every supper time

[jelly8bean]

Sardines also are a great source of omega 3.. but so smelly! I bet they love it though.
I have had fish oil recommended by vets as well and they said that human product would be fine, though there is vet sold products. I am supplementing my Rottie with Synovia 3 for her joints.

[tld]

We're doing 2 1000mg capsules a day, but still have yeasty flakes. Vet recently put Friday on 25mg Benadryl daily and 100 mg of an antifungal Fluconazole. Thinks some is congenital (which we were expecting) but that it's much worse than it has to be. It's been almost a week on the pills, but i'm not seeing much of an improvement yet.

[jelly8bean]

Another thing to think of when you have a reaction, is possibly changing the food rather than trying to add supplements? It could easily be a small alergic reaction. What are you feeding now?

[jelly8bean]

Some concerns about fish oil side effects

Side Effects and Warnings The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) classifies omega-3 fatty acids from fish as GRAS (Generally Regarded as Safe). Caution may be warranted, however, in diabetic patients due to potential (albeit unlikely) increases in blood sugar levels, patients at risk of bleeding, or in those with high levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL). Fish meat may contain methylmercury and caution is warranted in young children and pregnant/breastfeeding women.

Omega-3 fatty acids may increase the risk of bleeding, although there is little evidence of significant bleeding risk at lower doses. Very large intakes of fish oil/omega-3 fatty acids ("Eskimo" amounts) may increase the risk of hemorrhagic (bleeding) stroke. High doses have also been associated with nosebleed and blood in the urine. Fish oils appear to decrease platelet aggregation and prolong bleeding time, increase fibrinolysis (breaking down of blood clots), and may reduce von Willebrand factor. Fish oil should be used cautiously in patients with abnormal heart rhythms (ventricular tachycardia).

Potentially harmful contaminants such as dioxins, methylmercury, and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are found in some species of fish. Methylmercury accumulates in fish meat more than in fish oil, and fish oil supplements appear to contain almost no mercury. Therefore, safety concerns apply to eating fish but likely not to ingesting fish oil supplements. Heavy metals are most harmful in young children and pregnant/nursing women.

Gastrointestinal upset is common with the use of fish oil supplements. Diarrhea may also occur, with potentially severe diarrhea at very high doses. There are also reports of increased burping, acid reflux/heartburn/indigestion, abdominal bloating, and abdominal pain. Fishy aftertaste is a common effect. Gastrointestinal side effects can be minimized if fish oils are taken with meals and if doses are started low and gradually increased.

Multiple human trials report small reductions in blood pressure with intake of omega-3 fatty acids. Reductions of 2-5 millimeters of mercury have been observed, and effects appear to be dose-responsive (higher doses have greater effects). DHA may have greater effects than EPA. Caution is warranted in patients with low blood pressure or in those taking blood-pressure lowering medications.

Fish oil has caused swelling of the nasal passages and the upper part of the pharynx (called nasopharyngitis) in some patients. Some patients taking fish oil developed upper respiratory tract infections.
Although slight increases in fasting blood glucose levels have been noted in patients with type 2 ("adult-onset") diabetes, the available scientific evidence suggests that there are no significant long-term effects of fish oil in patients with diabetes, including no changes in hemoglobin A 1c levels. Limited reports in the 1980s of increased insulin needs in diabetic patients taking long-term fish oils may be related to other dietary changes or weight gain.

Fish oil taken for many months may cause a deficiency of vitamin E, and therefore vitamin E is added to many commercial fish oil products. As a result, regular use of vitamin E-enriched products may lead to elevated levels of this fat-soluble vitamin. Fish liver oil contains the fat-soluble vitamins A and D, and therefore fish liver oil products (such as cod liver oil) may increase the risk of vitamin A or D toxicity.

Increases (worsening) in low-density lipoprotein levels ("bad cholesterol") by 5-10% are observed with intake of omega-3 fatty acids. Effects are dose-dependent.

Mild elevations in liver function tests (alanine aminotransferase) and skin rashes have been reported rarely. There are also rare reports of mania in patients with bipolar disorder or major depression. Restlessness and formication (the sensation of ants crawling on the skin) have also been reported.

Omega-3 fatty acids, fish oil, alpha-linolenic acid - MayoClinic.com

[ScreamNdemon]

If an adult (Human) dosages is 1 tablet 3 time a day, is it necessary to give a dog the same dosages?

[ScreamNdemon]

My dogs range for 4lbs, 10lbs to 60lbs. How many mg. of fish oil to give each dog?