December 8th, 2011
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A little olive oil added, uncooked, to your dog’s daily food helps with winter itchies and flaky skin. For small dogs, start with a quarter to a half teaspoon twice daily. (Not too much. You don’t want to cause tummy troubles.)
Give the oil supplement for a couple of weeks, and you should see marked improvement in skin texture and greatly reduced scratching, if the scratching was initially caused by dry skin. If it doesn’t clear up, talk to your vet. Helen Fazio and her dog, Raja, are world travelers. Visit their blog and follow them on Twitter. |
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How much oil for a 90 lb. and a 115 lb dog?
If one Google’s oils for dogs one would find that fish oils are more suitable and beneficial for our canine friends.
I live in Northern Alberta and our winters are very very cold and extremely dry, I have been adding Olive Oil into my dogs dinner for over a year now and we have had no issues with dry skin since i started this, there is also an added bonus beautiful soft shiny coats.
I already give my dog salmon oil. Does olive oil do something that salmon oil doesn’t? Do you recommend using both?
Thanks for the tip! From what I have read fish oils can cause deficiencies in other nutrients and decreased blood clotting function. Salmon must be cooked to avoid parasites. Olive oil can act as a laxative if too much is given causing diarrhea. The amount of olive oil added depends upon the size of your dog, with maximum amounts equaling 1 teaspoon to 3 teaspoons daily. If you have a smaller dog, I would start at 1 teaspoon and see if that helps the skin. If not try two teaspoons. Ask your local veterinarian. If you don’t know one, pet sitters in your area will.
To Sharon: It’s really best to discuss this with a veterinarian as there can be health consequences for you dog of supplementing your dog’s diet with both oils. Canned salmon should be fine, but too much of these oils can be a problem if your dog already has certain medical issues.