Supplementing Salmon Oil for Dogs
‘Review’
I’ve spent the last few months researching how to improve the skin of my dogs, which for a long time have been dry, cracked and itchy. Today, I decided to write up my journey to save others having to re-invent the wheel, as of people I know researching these products takes a lot of time.
In the end, I found something that worked for both of my dogs – which, being different breeds, have sometimes required different remedies for the same problem (much to my pain!) So this has been a great experience for me. I found salmon oil for dogs was THE solution that worked for both of my dogs’ skin troubles – Peanut and Vincent.
I’m extremely picky and suspicious when it comes to finding products to give to my dogs – no matter what. If you have dogs which you have raised since they were puppies, you will know exactly where I’m coming from. My friends with newborn and young children make fun of me because I apparently take more pains to soothe my dog than their child, and I am sort of proud of this. I know I secretly share this trait with many other dog owners.
Anyone who has read about salmon oil before has probably read something like this: it provides essential nutrients for dogs because they can’t produce them internally. Dogs and cats need a dietary intake of two of essential fatty acids: Omega 3 and 6 – both of which are happily found in salmon. We need to provide our dogs with these on a regular basis. I’d like to think of these omega oils as mother’s milk for babies. A dog that regularly receives omega 3 and 6 from salmon oil automatically receives the prerequisite substances require for proper cell function, a strong immune system that kicks away unwanted illnesses, and a great circulatory system (that would then mean longevity and a happier pet!)
I wanted to do a bit more digging on the accuracy of this. I went to read numerous papers (via Google Scholar) to see if what was often said online held up with data. I won’t bore you with the details, but I was satisfied enough with what looked like a possible causal link. I also did some anecdotal research, speaking to friends who had tried it, breeders, and pet owners on forums that I often go on. That really marked the “yes” stage, I will give supplementation a try.
The second stage of the decision was, strangely, more difficult. Which brand do I go for? Nowadays, with so many products claiming the most natural and the best ingredients, I found testing this part harder than reading the science papers – it is positively overwhelming, with lots of vague marketing language being thrown about.
After carefully reading reviews on Amazon and other websites, and again talking to people I trust, I learnt that a product that deserve the accolades is AniForte’s Salmon Oil for Dogs. This company is apparently well-known in Germany, but I had never heard of it in the UK. What I did have was a great customer support experience on all my questions relating to the ingredients. I learnt that they actually hand bottle their products, rather than using mass production. I don’t know about you, but this makes me feel safer about what I’m feeding my dogs, in case there is a machine error and no human is there to safeguard against that.
If you carefully look at the labels of their other products, you’ll see that AniForte is unique in that they really use homemade ingredients, rather than just lazily claiming to be natural. They even invited me to their warehouse so I could take a look at them first-hand making the products.
I have since used some of their other products and I feel the ingredients really make the difference. For me it is good value for money because, even though they are expensive, I am not ‘wasting’ money on cheaper products which I buy and only use once because my dog doesn’t like it. The only thing I don’t like is how the AniForte salmon oil bottle looks like – or most of their products actually – they can be quite sterile white, like what you’d expect a dentist to give you. But, hey, not everything can be perfect.
After using the AniForte Salmon Oil for two weeks, I was surprised to see that both Vincent and Peanut stopped itching, had glowing fur, and we had no problems of them not eating their food. Previously, I had issues with some cheaper supplements where they stopped eating their food.
Before I conclude my story, some pet owners I spoke to thought that omega 3 needs to be more prominent in a pet’s diet than omega 6. This is because omega 3 is anti-inflammatory and omega 6 causes inflammation. AniForte have another product that just focuses on omega 3 (which Peanut actually drools for – she loves crunching them up – see their Omega 3 Salmon Oil Capsules).
– Stacy
AniForte is a family run natural pet brand based in Germany. We believe nature has all the answers to our pets’ health problems. Our range consists of supplements and foods that are 100% natural. We produce products for dogs, cats and horses with ingredients that are free from additives, chemicals and artificial flavourings.
