Labrador Retriever Dogs Blog

Have you read about this?  Research conducted at Texas A&M University indicates that suggestion omega 3 for puppies is a good idea.  As with human infants, the fatty acids support the puppies’ neurological development.

Docosahexaenoic acid or DHA is one of the polyunsaturated omega-3 fatty acids.  The only dietary sources in our world today are seafood and fish.  When we ate wild game and fowl, those may have been sources.  But, our livestock and poultry do not provide the necessary omega-3s.

In the wild, dogs would eat raw food and bones.  There are some veterinary scientists who believe that bones and raw foods are the best diets for dogs.  They call it the “barf” diet.

From another point of view, protein is what the animals would mostly eat.  They might eat fish, too.  While it is true that nothing they ate would be cooked, they would also be more likely to get diseases from eating the raw foods.  That’s one of the reasons that we cook our food.  It kills bacteria, worms, parasites and viruses.

There are many points of view to consider, when it comes to doggie diets, but there is little doubt that suggesting omega 3 for puppies is a good idea, once they are weaned.  Until they are weaned, as long as their mother’s are well-nourished, they get everything that they need from her.

Another study at Texas A&M concerned puppies fish oil omega 3 fatty acids and retinal or visual development.  That study compared the retinal development of puppies born to dogs fed diets containing different kinds of omega-3s.

In vegetable oils, the omega-3 present is alpha-linolenic acid or ALA.  No DHA is present.  The findings of the study supported the importance of DHA omega 3 for puppies.  The researchers found that the visual development of the ones born to dogs fed DHA was superior to those fed ALA, only.

These findings are similar to those seen in human infants.  When the mother’s get enough DHA during pregnancy and while breast-feeding, their visual acuity develops faster.

So, while mammals are different in many ways, in some ways they are the same.  Their nutritional requirements for normal brain and nervous system development are similar.  For normal healthy development good nutrition is a requirement.

What’s the best kind of DHA omega 3 for puppies?  Dosage is the main concern.  A dog weighing 40 pounds would need only about 500mg per day.  A 20 pound dog would only need about 250mg.  So, a pup might need only 100mg.

Most human supplements contain about 1000mg, which would be appropriate for a dog weighing 40-60 pounds.  Dogs over 60 pounds might need more.

It is important not to go overboard with this kind of supplement.  Too much can interfere with normal blood clotting, which would be a problem if there were an injury or the dog needed surgery.

Now that you know this, talk to your vet concerning a dosage of omega 3 for puppies that are very small.  And, be sure to choose a good brand.

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