How much oil should you feed your dog?

What are the best Omega 6 oils to use?

Sunflower oil is actually the best source of Omega 6 for our dogs as it has the highest linoleic acid content (compared to olive oil), so your dog can safely be fed 1 tsp a day in their food for a 10kg dog. Other good sources of Omega 6’s are linseed (flaxseed) oil or rapeseed oil. We also like using sesame oil in our homemade recipes as dogs seem to really like the taste of sesame and tahini, so they tend to love sesame oil (and it leaves a lovely smell in your kitchen!)

The dose of Omega 6 oil is 0.5g per kg of dog ie a 5kg dog will need 2.5g oil a day in the food and a 10kg dog will need 5g a day in the food which is 1 tsp a day of oil. If your dog is very lean and you want to increase their weight, they can have up to 1g/kg body weight of oils a day.

What are the best Omega 3 oils to use?

Norsan Algae Oil has the highest amount of EPA and DHA

These Omega 3 capsules complement our JUST BE KIND supplement perfectly and are highly recommended. They contain a very high level of EPA & DHA compared to other Algae oils so benefitting our dogs even more. They also contain plant-based Vit D3 from lichen which is ideal for a healthy immune system in our dogs.

As a company, Norsan are very reasonably priced and the oil works out to be very cost-effective.

The dose of Norsan Algae oil to give to your dog is 5mls or 1 tsp a day for a 25kg – 35kg dog. Use 1/4 – 1/2 tsp a day for a 10 -15kg dog and for very small dogs under 5kgs, you will need a small syringe to be able to measure 0.1 – 0.2ml daily (just a few drops if have a dropper).

If you prefer to give capsules to your pet, we advise buying Vegetology Opti3 Algae oil capsules and the dose is 1 capsule daily for an average 25kg dog. If arthritis or skin allergies are an issue, it is best to give the capsules separate to the main meal for maximum absorption of the Omega 3’s without them having to compete with the Omega 6’s from the oil in the main food.

We recommend Vegetology Algae oil capsules – buy here

A little bit more about Omega 3’s in your dog’s diet……

The human and dog body can make most of the types of fats it needs from other fats or raw materials. That isn’t the case for Omega-3 fatty acids . These are essential fats—the body can’t make them from scratch but must get them from food. Most of us know the benefits of Omega 3 acids in our diet. These important acids are DHA, EPA and DPA, carrying a host of benefits, mostly centred around their anti inflammatory nature.

There is a third Omega-3 called alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), the most common omega-3 fatty acid in most of our diets. It is found in vegetable oils and nuts (especially walnuts), flax seeds, leafy vegetables, and some animal fat, especially in grass-fed animals. These particular plant based forms of Omega 3 are not as reliable for humans and certainly not for dogs, due to ALA needing to be converted into DHA/EPA/DPA, and this does not happen effectively in dogs. Although both plant based, seeds/nuts and algae are NOT the same when it comes to Omega 3 bioavailability – algae contains DHA, EPA, DPA not ALA.

Are there any dangers with feeding too much oil in our dog’s diet?

Plant-based diets tend to be very healthy and fibre-rich, so it is difficult to overfeed high saturated oils as found in a high raw meat diet, as plant-based oils are unsaturated and much healthier for us than animal fats. If your dog however, has suffered from the very painful condition called pancreatitis in the past, then you will have to watch the amounts of fat fed to your dog. It is rare for plant-based dogs to suffer from pancreatitis; especially those getting enough of the soothing anti-inflammatory Omega 3’s from Algae oil.

Another concern, is dogs who are being fed a homemade diet with the addition of the healthy oils, plus the addition of peanut butter in their snacks, as well as the daily addition of Golden Paste as happened with gorgeous boy Billy and his devoted owner.