Omega-3-fatty acid supplementation has been shown to be an effective anti-inflammatory systemically. This means that it will decrease inflammation in your pet’s joints, skin, pancreas, liver, kidneys, and anywhere else there is inflammation. This anti-inflammatory effect is only achieved at a specific dose of Eicosapentaenoic Acid (EPA), specifically 18 mg of EPA per pound.
There are 3 different ways to achieve this level of EPA in your pet:
- Food – Joint Diet – j/D or Metabolic and Mobility diet – these are diets made by Hill’s that have very high levels of omega-3-fatty acids. There is no supplementation needed.
- Over the Counter Fish Oil Supplements – There are veterinary and human versions of these supplements. The veterinary versions may recommend lower doses than we commonly recommend (ensure your pet is receiving 18mg per pound per day). The human capsules or tablets are usually 1000mg capsules that have 180mg of EPA per capsule. This means you need to give 1 capsule for every 10 pounds of body weight. If your pet will not take it as a capsule, then you can poke a hole in it and add it to your pet’s food or something else they will eat (like a small piece of bread or canned food). This is also available in pumps, which can be more cost-effective compared to capsules.
- Concentrated Omega-3-Fatty Acids Supplements – These have much higher concentrations of EPA. For example, the product PharmEPA restore has 500mg of EPA per capsule and the capsule size is smaller than the typical generic omega-3-fatty acid capsule. This would be 1 capsule for every 28 pounds per day.