Can fish oil make my dog sick? A Comprehensive Guide

Omega 3 Dosing (for dogs under 50 lbs)

Body weight (lbs) Body weight (Kg) Recommended Daily Dose (100 mg/kg) Maximum Daily Dose
5 2.3 230 mg 574 mg
10 4.5 450 mg 965 mg
15 6.8 680 mg 1308 mg
20 9.1 910 mg 1623 mg
25 11.4 1140 mg 1919 mg
30 13.6 1360 mg 2200 mg
35 15.9 1590 mg 2469 mg
40 18.2 1820 mg 2730 mg
45 20.5 2050 mg 2982 mg
50 22.7 2270 mg 3227
Bodyweight (lbs) Bodyweight (Kg) Recommended Daily Dose (100 mg/kg) Maximum Daily Dose
50 lbs 22.7 2270 mg 3227 mg
55 25 2500 mg 3466 mg
60 27.3 2730 mg 3700 mg
65 29.5 2950 mg 3924 mg
70 31.8 3180 mg 4153 mg
75 34.1 3410 mg 4374 mg
80 36.4 3640 mg 4590 mg
85 38.6 3860 mg 4804 mg
90 41 4100 mg 5014 mg
95 43.2 4320 mg 5222 mg
100 45.5 4550 mg 5427 mg
Bodyweight (lbs) Bodyweight (Kg) Recommended Daily Dose (100 mg/kg) Maximum Daily Dose
100 lbs 45.5 4550 mg 5427 mg
105 47.7 4770 mg 5629 mg
110 50 5000 mg 5829 mg
115 52.3 5230 mg 6027 mg
120 54.5 5450 mg 6222 mg
125 56.8 5680 mg 6415 mg
130 59.1 5910 mg 6607 mg
135 61.3 6130 mg 6797 mg
140 63.6 6360 mg 6985 mg
145 65.9 6590 mg 7171 mg
150 68.2 6820 mg 7356 mg

EPA and DHA can be found naturally in salmon, sardines, and anchovies, and your dog will probably find this to be a tasty treat!

In a 6 oz serving, this is how much Omega 3s your dog would get from each source:

  • Anchovies, 3400 mg of EPA/DHA
  • Sardines, 2800 mg of EPA/DHA (about 100 mg per small sardine)
  • Salmon, between 2200- 3800 mg of EPA/DHA
    • NOTE: CARE does not recommend using salmon or salmon oil as a daily source of Omega 3s in dogs as it is not the most environmentally sustainable source.
  • Side Effects of Fish Oil Supplements for Pets

  • The anti-inflammatory effect of EPA and DHA increases the production of certain chemicals that alter platelet function. Platelets or thrombocytes are cells produced in the bone marrow that aid in the formation of blood clots. This is an important first line of defense to prevent blood loss from trauma or other events or conditions causing hemorrhage. The chemicals produced by EPA and DHA decrease platelet activity and aggregation to form clots. Animals fed excessive amounts of fish oil would have a tendency to suffer higher blood loss when injured or afflicted by conditions that cause bleeding. This would also be an important consideration for pets needing surgery, especially procedures on body organs or parts of the body with heavy blood flow.
  • The anti-inflammatory properties of EPA and DHA also interfere with wound healing. Inflammation at the site of a wound promotes the migration of white blood cells to the site to begin early wound healing processes. EPA and DHA decreases this necessary wound healing step and slows the body’s ability to repair the skin and promote new skin production. This is especially pronounced in the first five days of the wound healing process. Such an effect could be serious for an animal undergoing an extensive surgical procedure that was also fed high levels of dietary fish oil.
  • The inflammatory response of immune system and white blood cells is important to effectively control threats from infection, cancer, and other abnormalities. This results in the production of a host of chemicals that promote the inflammatory response. The anti-inflammatory effects of EPA and DHA interfere with this important function. That is why fish oil is so helpful for treating conditions with an excessive inflammatory response like allergies and the skin problems associated with them. However a necessary level of inflammatory response must be maintained to protect the body and excessive amounts of EPA and DHA can interfere with that process.
  • What happens if you take fish oil everyday?

    There are some safety concerns when fish oil is taken in high doses. Taking more than 3 grams per day might keep blood from clotting and can increase the chance of bleeding. High doses of fish oil might also reduce the immune system’s activity, reducing the body’s ability to fight infection.

    5 Fish Oil For Dogs Side Effects To AVOID (And The Simple Solution)

    Gelatin, Glycerine, Water, Methacrylic, Acid Copolymer, Polysorbate 80, Glyceryl Monostearate, Triethyl Citrate, Tocopherols, and last but not least: Propylene Glyclol

    Are you kidding me? Scour the internet for case studies and material safety data sheets and no way are these chemicals going into my dog. He has enough problems!

    Bottom line when it comes to dog’s having an Allergic Reaction to Fish Oil, you have to consider all ingredients swirling around in that fish oil bottle or fish oil pill, not just the oil. .

    So we’ve talked about allergic reactions and overdosing but what about just your normal average side effects of giving your dog fish oil. While many side effects are simply waterered down overdosing symptoms, there are a couple worth mentioning.

    Like most supplements and dietary issues with senior dog’s the conclusions will be very individual. But let’s try to address the most common side effects reported when giving a dog fish oil.

    So, I’ve tried several varieties of omega-3 including fish oil, cod liver oil and my number one choice is Krill Oil. I should note that I always try a product first before I give it to my dog. I like to know how it tastes (freshness) and I like to know how it goes down and being that I take omega-3 supplements too for my own inflammation, it only makes sense that I try it on myself first.

    And I don’t use just any Krill Oil, I use Captain’s Krill – I use this krill oil sold on amazon for me and my dog because my extensive research in the Krill harvesting and oil extruding process led me to them. Here is a picture of my bottle and you can see the size of the pill is far smaller because there aren’t added ingredients and it’s DARK to protect it from oxidation.

    Captains Krill is a true small batch artisan of Krill oil and they don’t soak their krill in chemicals like many manufactures do. The only thing in their krill oil is the result of them pressing, fresh caught krill in American waters.

    They test their product for everything, including peroxide levels and post results to the public. Love it! It is a little more expensive than some products and a lot more expensive that others, but I think it would have to be when the product is not cut with cheap additives and flavors.

    Unfortunately, all dietary supplements have the potential for adverse effects and you are left to weigh the benefits. But in order to weigh the benefits, it helps to educate yourself on where the risks are highest and how and when they become risks to begin with.

    I know this article was really long so if you’ve gotten this far, thanks for sticking with it. I do hope that it has helped expose where, why, how and when risks appear as you give your dog omega-3 supplements and what you can do to combat the problems and only reap the benefits.

    Thank you to all the dog owners who continue to share success stories and especially those who share their frightening complications of supplementing a dog with omega-3’s. I hope omega-3 supplements for dogs can turn into a success story for all. If you want to read more about Captain’s Krill, here is another article: Krill Oil for Dogs.

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