Best Omega Oil For Dog Buyer’s Guide
Omega-3 can help boost your dog’s health in a lot of ways. Learn more about Omega oils in this short buyer’s guide.
What Are “Omega Oils”?
Omega oils, or fish oils as they’re normally called, are oils extracted from various types of fish. The most common fishes used to make fish oil include tuna, salmon, and even mackerel, among others. Fish oils are often sold in soft gel supplements for humans, but when it comes to dogs, they’re often sold by the bottle instead.
The reason why fish oils are so popular among humans and are even fed to dogs is that they contain Omega-3 fatty acids, incredibly healthy acids that help keep your body in good condition. There’s plenty of research that went into the study of Omega-3 on humans, but let’s take a look at what it can do for dogs.
The Benefits Of Omega-3 Fatty Acids
While we’ve briefly touched upon the benefits of Omega-3 fatty acids, let’s dig deeper to really give you a good idea of just how helpful they can be in keeping your pup healthy.
They keep your dog’s skin and coat healthy
As your dog’s outermost layers of protection, both the skin and the coat of your dog are very important to maintain. They help ward off your dog’s body from bacteria and viruses, and they’re also vital in keeping your pet’s body temperature regulated. A good coat also makes your dog look cute if nothing else.
There are reasons why you want to keep your dog’s skin and coat healthy. For one, if your dog’s skin isn’t in good condition, it can easily bruise or get infected, which can lead to more problems down the line. A bad coat also makes it harder to groom your pet, and besides, what pet owner wouldn’t like to keep their dog’s coat nice and shiny?
They help support your dog’s joints
Dogs move around a lot, and we mean a lot. They’re very active, and depending on your dog’s nature, they probably want to go for walks every day. This means that they rely a lot on the joints of their body, and it’s in your best interest to make sure their joints remain in tip-top shape.
The joints of dogs function in the same way that our joints do as humans. They contain cartilage, a tissue that surrounds the bones and helps control the movement of your muscles and bones. This is crucial as without cartilage, moving your joints would be painful and difficult. Unfortunately, joints can often become weaker or strained over time due to age or health issues.
With the help of Omega-3, however, you can maintain the condition of those joints. That way, your dog can move around more often if they wanted to, and they won’t feel any pain or discomfort as they run about.
How To Feed Your Dog Fish Oil
Feeding your pet some fish oil can be a pretty difficult task depending on how picky your dog can be. Many fish oil brands claim that the oil is preferred by dogs or is very tasty to dogs. Not only is this very difficult to confirm (as you can’t just ask a dog about a fish oil’s flavor), but it’s also highly dependent on the personal preferences of the dog.
Some dogs can be incredibly picky with what they eat. They may like eating food only at room temperature, or maybe they prefer only real meat instead of meat-flavored dog food. Some dogs may also have different moods, preferring a certain type of food one day and then not wanting to eat it at all the day after.
If you have a dog that sounds as picky as the ones we’ve described, then don’t fret – there are ways to make them eat. First off, try feeding them the oil directly. They may be a picky eater, but who knows – maybe they’ll enjoy the flavor! If not, then you’ll have to move on to Plan B – topping.
A great way to trick your dog into consuming the oil is by adding it on top of their favorite food. Add it evenly on top of their meal, and if you can, try mixing the oil with the food so that it’ll blend with the flavor of the dish. They may be apprehensive at first, but at least they’ll be more willing to eat it than last time.
Alternatives To Fish Oil
If you think that fish oil won’t cut it for your pet, don’t worry – there are alternatives to this. One popular choice among dog owners is supplement chews – these chewable snacks are packed with nutrients, and they are available in many different flavors. You may even be able to find a flavor that matches your dog’s favorite meal – that way, they’ll almost certainly eat the supplement.
Aside from chews, regular dog food can be packed with nutrients. Though they won’t be as concentrated, this is a great way to give your dogs their much-needed vitamins and minerals every day. They’re also often cheaper than chews, which is great if you can’t afford chews but want to feed something healthy to your pet.
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