5 Benefits of Fish Oil for Dogs & Cats

Most animal lovers probably believe they are doing everything they can to provide their beloved pets with the best nutrition possible. However, some commercial pet food is sadly lacking, with many manufacturers offering products that are low quality and inferior. Even with a high quality food, your pet may require additional supplements. Extensive research into the benefits of Omega-3 fish oil in humans has found that it offers a multitude of benefits, most of which are exactly the same in dogs and cats.

Here are 5 Benefits of Omega-3 Fish Oil for Dogs & Cats:

1. Improves the health of your pet’s skin and coat and reduces shedding. Omega-3 can help improve the condition of your pet’s fur, transforming a dull or brittle coat into a mane of glossy hair. It even seems to have a positive effect on the amount of fur that is shed, so you’ll spend less time cleaning pet hair off of clothing, furniture and floors.

2. Relieves arthritis pain and improves mobility, gait and posture. Fish oil reduces inflammation and improves joint health, so you no longer have to cringe every time you see your pet struggle to get up. Tests have shown that both cats and dogs with osteoarthritis see a remarkable improvement in their gait, posture and activity after being given food rich in omega-3 fatty acids derived from fish.

 3. Reduces the symptoms of allergies. Allergic reactions are the number one skin problem for both cats and dogs, and can cause untold discomfort, often resulting in your pet yanking our tufts of hair, or scratching their skin until it bleeds. The omega-3 works to reduce the histamine and its effects, subsequently minimizing allergy symptoms. 


4. Protects the heart, kidneys and brain. Many cats and dogs face problems that are linked to inflammatory conditions, such as kidney disease, heart problems, brain disease, bowel disease, and colitis. Inflammation is closely linked to the animal’s auto-immune system, and receiving omega-3 helps to reduce the auto-immune responses.


5. Boosts the immune system. Omega-3 is also known to help boost the immune systems of cats and dogs, subsequently decreasing the likelihood of them becoming ill. This is especially pertinent with older pets, who are naturally more prone to succumbing to illness.

These are the top 5 benefits of giving your beloved cat or dog Omega-3 fish oil. However, the general benefits of Omega-3 are endless, and and overall, if they are included in your pet’s diet, can dramatically improve their health. For example, the progress of certain kinds of cancers has been recorded as slowing down when Omega-3 is being given; yeast infections are less prolific; and early research also indicates that behaviour and moods are affected by an Omega-3 deficiency, and that aggression in dogs can be reduced by supplementation.