# Adding fish oil/olive oil



## LilTuffGirl (Sep 22, 2009)

Also.. since I already started a thread and don't want to start another...

I read hypothyroid problems normally happen between ages 2-4.. We have no idea how old Hayden really is but she sure has grown a lot since we got her.
She does scratch a lot and has a dull coat. She doesn't have any bald spots but she looses fur in clumps as well as normal sheding.

Should I go get her tested? Unfortunatly my freakin' vet is going to charge me a "first time" fee on her which sucks.. but it's either pay that now or when I get her rabies again.


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## jwemt81 (Aug 20, 2008)

I would pass on the olive oil and just use fish oil for the omega 3 benefits. All of our dogs get human grade fish oil tablets every day. We use the Spring Valley brand, which are 1000 mg each. We put them in with their food. We don't need to poke holes in it to squirt it onto the food since our dogs chew them. We have never had any problems with dry skin since starting the fish oil, plus we always have humidifiers going in our house all winter.


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## RedDogs (Jan 30, 2010)

If you do the fulll thryoid panel, it would run about $100... you probably should have it done....but it's your call.

Fish oil: If you're useing capsules..just feed the whole thing. You can also buy fish oil in squirtable containers...like soap comes in. 

Fish oil has more benefits than the olive oil (or at least that I'm aware of) for dogs.


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## rappwizard (May 27, 2009)

I agree with the fish oil; I buy human grade capsules, 1000 mg and feed one daily right before the am meal. I don't cut the capsule open. I actually put it in a piece of cheese or hotdog or soft treat or meat and Mac gobbles it right up.

I have no experience with a dog having thyroid problems, but it sounds like you should have your golden checked. Sorry I can't be of more help. Good luck.


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## nixietink (Apr 3, 2008)

RedDogs said:


> If you do the fulll thryoid panel, it would run about $100... you probably should have it done....but it's your call.


My vet wanted to charge us $160. :uhoh:


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## IowaGold (Nov 3, 2009)

Just feed the capsules whole! My dogs are pretty sure they are candy. I'd also drop the olive oil, your dog will get sooo much more from the fish oil.

Even if she turns out to be a mix, she shouldn't have dull hair or have it fall out in clumps. Any breed with medium coat (as long as it isn't wirehaired), should have smooth, if not shiny at least not dull, hair. Sometimes when you bathe frequently, it causes the dog to need bathing more often. If you were bathing with a flea tick shampoo, it was probably a pretty harsh shampoo (most are). It may be part of the reason she is dull and dry. See if you can lengthen out the interval between baths. Instead of weekly, try every 10 days, then every couple of weeks.

I'd do the thyroid panel too, if you can afford it. Good info to have!


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## CarolinaCasey (Jun 1, 2007)

Our vet suggested keeping the fish oil caps in the freezer. She said that sometimes the dog will burp and it spells horrendous b/c of the fish oil. If you freeze them, you don't have that problem. 

If it is an issue of getting Hayden to eat the food, I would buy the liquid fish oil. You can finish up the capsules that you have by either feeding them whole or popping with a toothpick. (Be careful, you still might get squirted!)


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## LilTuffGirl (Sep 22, 2009)

IowaGold said:


> Just feed the capsules whole! My dogs are pretty sure they are candy. I'd also drop the olive oil, your dog will get sooo much more from the fish oil.
> 
> Even if she turns out to be a mix, she shouldn't have dull hair or have it fall out in clumps. Any breed with medium coat (as long as it isn't wirehaired), should have smooth, if not shiny at least not dull, hair. Sometimes when you bathe frequently, it causes the dog to need bathing more often. If you were bathing with a flea tick shampoo, it was probably a pretty harsh shampoo (most are). It may be part of the reason she is dull and dry. See if you can lengthen out the interval between baths. Instead of weekly, try every 10 days, then every couple of weeks.
> 
> I'd do the thyroid panel too, if you can afford it. Good info to have!


I normally just bathe her every other week or longer between baths but this go around I for one wanted to try out the new shampoo... and we got a new detachable shower head that had some cool settings that I wanted to try out on her  She seemed to LOVE the massaging setting. Maybe she'll walk into the bathroom now instead of me having to pick her up and put her in the tub?

I'll look for the fish oil pump then. She seems to like it on her food 

I'll call my vet tomorrow too and see how much he's going to charge me for the test. I have a few doctors apointments to go to on the 11th so she can go to the vet then too since i'll be off anyways. 
Even if it isn't thyroid maybe he can suggest something about the clumps of hair. Never had a dog lose clumps..


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## lgnutah (Feb 26, 2007)

I had the same problem with trying to cut open the capsules. I tried feeding it to Brooks like a "treat" and he just dropped it on the ground and left it. So I drop a capsule in his food dish at each meal and he eats it without noticing.


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## Dallas Gold (Dec 22, 2007)

A good rule of thumb on the fish oil--300 mgs for every 10 pounds of weight, added slowly to prevent GI distress. For Omega 3s add the DHA and EPA figures together--don't rely on the total mgs of "fish oil" because not all of those mgs are omega 3s.
Also, if using human grade capsules make sure they don't contain added supplements like Vitamin A, which can be toxic in large amounts.
I learned this from a consult last month with a sports medicine veterinarian who examined Barkley.


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## Florabora22 (Nov 30, 2008)

Carmella refused to eat her oil capsules, so we would poke the bottom of one with a... I don't know what it is, a long skinny pointy thing we use to poke potatoes, and squirt it all over her food. Once you get the hang of it I promise you won't squirt yourself in the face.


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## HiTideGoldens (Dec 29, 2009)

Jack didn't initially eat his fish oil capsules but I started calling it a "cookie" when I gave it to him - his universal word for any treat - and he started eating them. I think he likes them now....or maybe just likes "cookies," not sure


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## scottbldr (Aug 29, 2009)

I keep a pair of kitchen scissors handy and just clip the corner of the capsule and add it to my dogs food. Now this may indeed be an urban legend but I heard the the canine digestive system is too short to break down the casing on some fish oils. I've not done my own scientific study (nor care too  ). Anyone with a veterinary background care to chime in?

Robert


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## IowaGold (Nov 3, 2009)

I don't know how quickly they break down. I would guess that the super acidic stomach of a dog would do a number on them pretty quickly. Personally I don't worry about it because my dogs don't swallow them whole-they love to crunch them! They didn't like it when I got the enteric coated ones those, they were to thick to crunch easily.


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## Taz Monkey (Feb 25, 2007)

what kind of food are you feeding?


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