The benefits of Omega-3s for dog nutrition

A dog's diet must also be balanced. To achieve this balance, the intake of Omega 3, nutrients associated with numerous benefits for our four-legged friends, is also essential. Find out why take care of their health with OMEGOR® PET, the veterinary fish oil supplement!

Every year, August 26 is International Dog Day-a tradition now since 2004, when pet expert Colleen Paige chose the anniversary date of the adoption of her first dog, Sheltie, to celebrate the first National Dog Day.

Since then, the popularity of the event has expanded to such an extent that the celebrations have become international. Today, it is a symbolic occasion to celebrate man's best friend and a reminder of the importance we give, in our lives, to taking care of his well-being from every point of view: respecting him, loving him and ensuring that he has a peaceful family where he is protected and cared for.

Taking care of your four-legged friend's well-being undoubtedly also means ensuring him or her a healthy and balanced diet. As in the case of humans, achieving balanced nutrition for dogs may require extra help, and giving it are complementary feeds such as OMEGOR® PET, the source of fresh, pure, highly concentrated and easily absorbed Omega 3s designed to ensure your dog's healthy heart, strong joints and shiny coat.

Omega-3 for dogs: the benefits

Intake of fish oil, a source of the Omega 3 EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), has been associated with several benefits for dogs struggling with dermatological, cardiovascular, and renal problems. In addition, fish oil has been associated with improvements in canine metabolism, blood lipid levels in dogs, and disorders associated with osteoarthritis that can affect their joints.

For example, the anti-inflammatory and anti-arrhythmic properties of these fats appear to be useful in managing the loss of lean mass and arrhythmias associated with heart failure from which our four-legged friends may suffer.

 Benefiting from an adequate intake of these fats would be dogs of all ages.

Puppies need it for good brain and vision function, and compared with puppies that do not take fish oil, those that do receive it have better development; in particular, puppies fed a diet richer in Omega 3 showed higher visual and brain abilities. And since the ability to produce DHA from its precursors is very limited in puppies, the intake of preformed DHA is particularly important.

In the case of adults, complementary feeds designed to increase Omega 3 intake could be particularly useful for those dogs that cannot synthesize adequate amounts of DHA. Determining which dogs are these is not easy; therefore, experts suggest providing it preformulated at any age.

Omega-3s for dogs: are they effective?

There is no lack of variability in the results of studies conducted to investigate the benefits of Omega 3 for dogs. In all likelihood, it is determined by the different protocols used-for example, the dose of EPA and DHA administered, the duration of treatments, other dietary characteristics, the dog's baseline health status, and the parameters chosen to measure the effects of intake.

From this point of view, calculating the Omega3 Index allows one to understand whether the Omega 3 taken in really increases the levels of these fats in the body. In fact, the Omega 3 Index (also known as the "Omega 3 Index") indicates the amount of EPA and DHA in red blood cell membranes-a parameter that reflects the amount of these Omega 3s in the body, more generally.

In fact, cell membranes (including those of red blood cells) are the natural destination of dietary intake of EPA and DHA. Human studies have revealed that, once inside them, these fats make them more fluid and influence the functioning of their associated proteins; but the properties of Omega 3s do not end there: By regulating gene expression and immune cell activity and serving as starting material for the production of other molecules (such as maresins, resolvins and protectins), EPA and DHA control levels of inflammation in the body, counteracting chronic inflammatory phenomena associated with a great many health problems-cardiovascular disease and joint disorders included.

A study published in the journal Animals in October 2024 showed that EPA and DHA supplementary feeds are effective in increasing the Omega 3 Index in dogs and that the increase in this parameter corresponds to tangible effects on the health of our faithful four-legged friends.

All 29 dogs who made it to the end of the study (15 males and 14 females at least 3 years of age and of all sizes-from Chihuahuas to Beagles to Labradors-who had not taken Omega 3 or fish oil supplements in the previous 6 months) received 70 mg of EPA + DHA per day per kg of weight for 16 weeks, in the form of soft gels each containing 250 mg of EPA and 200 mg of DHA obtained from fish oil (anchovies and sardines). Meanwhile, they continued with their usual diet (and took any other supplements or medications they may have needed).

The Omega 3 Index was assessed through simple blood samples taken by veterinarians at the beginning and end of the study. In contrast, the impact of EPA and DHA on the quality of life and pain experienced by the dogs was assessed by specific questionnaires completed by owners at the beginning and end of the study.

Previously, a study involving Husky's intake of krill oil (another source of EPA and DHA) for 5 weeks found a 19% increase in Omega 3 Index; another study, also conducted on Husky, observed a 60% increase. The protocol used in this new research increased EPA and DHA levels in red blood cells by as much as 135%.

Reasoning in terms of the Omega 3 Index value (which is, itself, a percentage), the results of this study and other data published in the relevant scientific literature suggest that getting to at least 3 percent is sufficient to improve health status.

In terms of health effects, however, this study associated Omega 3 intake with a 19 percent reduction in pain assessment scores. From this perspective, those who benefited the most were small and medium-sized dogs.

According to the authors, "this result is most likely due to the anti-inflammatory properties of EPA and DHA," as "pain and inflammation are closely related." "Pain," the authors continue, "is one of the major symptoms associated with inflammatory diseases in dogs, such as osteoarthritis, and reducing inflammatory products (...) is a common goal [of treatments] to manage signs of pain associated with osteoarthritis in dogs."

A strength of this protocol is undoubtedly the duration of EPA and DHA intake; in fact, it is known that 12 to 16 weeks are required to stabilize Omega 3 levels. Therefore, consistency in intake over long periods is crucial to hope that Omega 3 will be effective.

On the other hand, dosage is also critical. Indeed, as the authors of this same publication write, "higher doses of EPA + DHA induce a dose-dependent increase in Omega 3 Index," and "the absence of an effect on pain scores in large dogs could be explained by a lower dose of EPA + DHA per kg."

Omega-3 for dogs: the dosage

According to the U.S. National Research Council, the dosage of Omega 3 (EPA + DHA) to be given to adult dogs varies depending on the goal in mind:

- 30 mg per kg per day if you want to maintain health status;
- up to 370 mg per kg per day if you want to prevent diseases.

As mentioned, and as pointed out by the authors of the study in Animals, the goal that should be set seems to be to get the Omega 3 Index above 3 percent, but, as stated in the conclusions of the same study, "it is possible that dogs would benefit from higher dosages of EPA + DHA, which would naturally lead to higher Omega 3 Index values."

We at Omegor recommend that you have your dog take OMEGOR® PET following these directions:

- 1 capsule daily up to 5 kg live weight;
- 2 capsules daily up to 15 kg live weight;
- 3 capsules daily up to 30 kg live weight;
- 4 capsules per day over 30 kg live weight.

You can either feed them directly into their mouths or puncture the capsules and add the contents into the feed.

Never exceed the recommended daily dose and do not use OMEGOR® PET if you know your dog is hypersensitive to any of the product's components (fish oil, porcine-derived gelatin, and glycerol) or other closely related substances from a chemical standpoint. 

One final caution: store OMEGOR® PET at room temperature and away from direct sources of heat, light and moisture. It will help you protect its very high quality!

Bibliographic references:

Bauer JE. The essential nature of dietary omega-3 fatty acids in dogs. J Am Vet Med Assoc. 2016 Dec 1;249(11):1267-1272. doi: 10.2460/javma.249.11.1267

Carlisle C, Metzger BT, Tintle NL, Polley K, Jackson KH, Le Brun-Blashka S, Griffiths J, Harris WS. The Effects of Omega-3 Supplementation on the Omega-3 Index and Quality of Life and Pain Scores in Dogs. Animals (Basel). 2024 Oct 29;14(21):3108. doi: 10.3390/ani14213108 

Freeman LM. Beneficial effects of omega-3 fatty acids in cardiovascular disease. J Small Anim Pract. 2010 Sep;51(9):462-70. doi: 10.1111/j.1748-5827.2010.00968.x

Magalhães TR, Lourenço AL, Gregório H, Queiroga FL. Therapeutic Effect of EPA/DHA Supplementation in Neoplastic and Non-neoplastic Companion Animal Diseases: A Systematic Review. In Vivo. 2021 May-Jun;35(3):1419-1436. doi: 10.21873/invivo.12394