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Is it OK to give my dog Fish Oil to help with his dry skin?

My dog is 8 yrs old and during this yr he has been doing a lot of scratching and biting at himself. NO fleas, changed food and giving him Apoquel and he is still biting and scratching himself. HELP

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I give my 72 pound Greyhound Service Dog one 1000 mg. Fish oil capsule twice daily and people always comment on how soft his fur Is. He never scratches and is very shiny, so I think the fish oil works very well.

Hey there,... I have a MinPin that gets itchy skin on his feet and dry skin on his body. We learned we must address this on a few different fronts. 1) every 4-6 weeks he gets a “cady” injection for allergies. This is a must and fish oil won’t fix the itchy bity problems there. - 1 of 4

2) we switched to real food from just Food for dogs and his breath got fixed, his bowels are great and his bad breath went away and he felt better. Read up on them and consider options. 2 of 4

3) we started giving a joint support supplement from just food for dogs, plus their allergy supplement and fish oil supplement. This has helps a lot with his skin and is part of his maintenance we do. 3 of 4

4) we also occasionally give coconut oil in his food or make yogurt coconut oil treats (frozen) with blueberries and strawberries. Lastly we had to switch his shampoo - and use “Unwashed” it’s great. Just don’t put it in his eyes. After the dry we will spot coconut oil in dryer areas.

The dosage of fish oil is 1/4 -1/2 teaspoon . Coconut oil for eating is the same dosage - but only 1 time a week. Too much oils will mess up their health - so read up on your breed and recommend dosages. My dog is 17-19 lbs.

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According to PetMed, fish oil is good for the skin and other issues, But to much can have an adverse affect..."Now treatment for cancer, joint, heart, kidney, skin and intestinal problems, as well as geriatric dementia, often include generous amounts of fish oil and its abundant DHA and EPA omega-3 fatty acids. The positive effect on skin and coat quality has moved large numbers of pet owners to add fish oil to the diets of their young and normal pets. Overall, the trend to supplement with fish oil is positive for pet health, but there is a flip side to that coin. Too much of a good thing may have adverse effects on health..." * Always talk to your veterinarian to rule out other causes for your dog scratching.*
https://www.petmd.com/blogs/thedailyv...

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My vet has recommended fish oil for my pup, he has allergies and also takes apoquil.

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The primary components of fish oil are the Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids. These fatty acids are highly beneficial to your dog’s system in a variety of ways. Fish oil also contains Vitamins A and D, both contributing to the health and durability of your dog’s skin. Using fish oil as a dietary supplement can help to bring your dog’s skin back to a healthy state and provide additional health benefits as well.

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Too much can be harmful to the dog, and even a recommended amount could be hazardous to some dogs! I will try to give your dog a very small amount for few days and check physical reactions, if your dog well adjust to the fish oil, then go ahead and feed him the right amount!

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It’s a good thing for his skin when it’s bad but you’ll know when his skin is bad. It usually has dandruff and gets very dry. It honestly sounds like he has allergies. Before depending on fish oil tablets, I would give him baths in shampoo with oatmeal in it and give him an antihistamine. My spaniel gets a full benedryl. But talk to your vet if that doesn’t help. There’s other skin problems out there. You can also give your dog dried fish skin as a treat that I find is a much better source than the tablets as one is made for the quanity the dog is supposed to be given and the other is the quantity a human is supposed to be given.

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I give my 20lb pug about 3000mg of fish oil per week (a 1000mg pill approx 3 days/week). I originally did this for his joints, but it also had the added benefit of reducing shedding and eye boogers. He has had nothing but positive results.