My dog sheds a lot. Can fish oil or omega-3s help, and is it safe?

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Fish oil is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which help keep the coat shiny. I recommend using a product labeled for dogs, which are available in pet stores. These are typically dosed based on weight (larger dogs may require multiple capsules), and are given daily. There are many options available, from liquids to capsules, so you can choose whatever suits you and Marley! I hope this helps and that all is well!

Hi, thanks for using PetCoach! I love Omega 3 fish oils is a great supplement for all dogs. It helps with the joints, skin and almost every bodily function. I prefer Nordic Naturals or VRS Omega Benefits but this product looks fine. https://www.vrshealth.com/canine-products/omegadog/

Hi and thanks for your post this afternoon. The Tomlyn Nutri Supplement is okay, but the salmon oil with the added D3 and Potassium vitamins can be toxic to dogs. Unless your veterinarian has specifically told you to give the D3 and Potassium Supplement, I would advise against it. Regular Salmon Oil without the added D3 and Potassium (just regular plain Salmon or Fish Oil) would be better then the added extra D3 and Potassium. It is okay to give Salmon Oil (or other Fish Oil) with the Tomyln Nutri, just avoid the D3 and Potassium. I hope this helps and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Hi Sammie! Yes, it's safe to give to Josie. If she was prone to pancreatitis, I would say no because too much fat causes bouts of it, but if she doesn't have that problem, it's ok to give to her. It's reported to help with joint pain as well as skin and fur issues. I hope this helps!

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I would recommend using Krillex Shed Free chews. I have seen some amazing results with this product, which can be found online quite easily. I've seen shedding and dandruff drastically reduce in dogs on this supplement. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any further questions!

Fish oil does tend to make the coat shinier and nicer looking, which will likely be the most obvious benefit you get from supplementing. Fish oil does have antiinflamatory properties that may be helpful with the itching, but I wouldn't expect a drastic change. There has been a great deal of debate about ratios of Omega 6 vs 3, but honestly, the debate is not over, so the 4:1 ratio should be fine. I would just make sure that the omega 3 fatty acids do not get above 1mg per kg of body weight, or you could be giving above the safe upper limit. Probiotics are another supplement that are not bad to give, but is not necessary for a healthy animal. I usually only advise probiotic supplementation for intestinal conditions where there has been some good evidence for its use. Probiotics are also an unregulated product, so depending on the product, it may or may not be have what it claims; or may not have the bacteria that are known to be beneficial. For this reason, I only recommend getting probiotics as directed by your veterinarian. I hope that helps and all is well with Chloe.

If Allie has dry skin, it may be causing her to itch more. Sometimes when dogs itch more often, they can shed more hair than normal. Make sure she does not have any red/pink skin discoloration or scabby lesions on her skin. If you see these, she may need antibiotics from a veterinarian to help her from being itchy. If she does not have skin lesions but does have dry/flaky skin, an omega 3 fatty acid/fish oil supplement taken orally should help resolve her dry skin issue. You can find several different brands for dogs online or at pet stores/vet clinics. There are several dog food brands that are high in omega 3 fatty acids. Look for a dog food that contains salmon. Another option to decrease the amount of dog hair in your house would be to have a groomer give Allie a "lion cut". This means that the groomer would trim the hair on Allie's body but leave the hair on her neck, head/face, tail, and legs. I hope this has helped. Thank you for using pet coach.