What is Krill Oil?

It is a supplement alongside many others which provides additional Omega3 to a dog’s diet. The oil is derived from shrimp-like crustaceans which are eaten by whales.

Krill oil is usually more expensive. It can be absorbed in a higher rate so canines are fed in smaller amounts. Also, it is free from heavier metals. Did you know that fish oils have to be tested for any containing mercury? Moreover, its high cost is justified with lots of fatty acids which the dogs need.

One of the best things about the krill oil is that they don’t taste and smell like fish which can be a little intriguing to us as well as the dogs. There is a common belief that pet foods have more omega-6 fats in them than the omega-3 fats.Naturally, your dog might benefit from supplementary omega-3 in the diet. Dr.karen Becker is a veterinarian as well as the the-human naturopathic medical doctor. The main source of the omega-3 fats are marine biological oils and the most available one is the krill oil.

Moreover, krill oil also has vitamins like E, A, D as well as astaxanthin. Astaxanthin is a really powerful anti-oxidant. According to various researchers, the krill oil is 48times more powerful than the fish oil in terms of antioxidant potency which is measured in ORAC’s terms. ORAC stands for Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity.

Moreover, krill harvesting is a big issue and is being carefully assessed and observed. It is much sustainable compared to other common sources of fish oil supplies.

Source of the Krill oil

It is extracted from small shrimp-like crustaceans that are found mainly in the water of North Pacific Ocean and the Antarctic Oceans. Several sea creatures such as whale sharks, baleen whales, and mantas mainly devour krill. It is their main diet. Researchers found out that krill oil contains omega-3 and has similar benefits like fish oil which contain fatty acids. Krill oil can really be helpful to humans as well as animals with a more low level of cholesterol. It also decreases swelling plus helps in better blood flow for avoiding blood clots.

Things to know about krill oil

It is the most sustainable source of omega-3s as it is extracted from the crustaceans which are at the very bottom of the food chain.

• Many scientists consider Krill as the leading biomass throughout the planet.
• Krill oil contains EPA plus DHA which is more absorbed than many available sources.
• Krill oil can increase HDL which is good cholesterol.
• Krill oil helps decrease triglycerides which are the major form of fats present in the living body.

Most sustainable omega supply

The krill oil extracted from tiny crustaceans contains a large volume of nutrition which is the reason why ocean whales devour it. It is the most sustainable source of omega-3s as it is extracted from the crustaceans which are at the very bottom of the food chain. Now the krill oil extraction has become a major thing in commercial fishing. From these facts, we know that krill oil for dogs is mostly free from all toxins, PCBs as well as metals.

All these years, many analysis has proved that the omega-3 fatty acids help lower the dog’s risk for stroke, depression, heart attack, certain cancers as well as common inflammation. However, it is not very obvious that krill oil contains Omega-3s kind which can be collapsed into three major elements. They are ALA, DHA plus EPA. The marine sources mainly contain EPA plus DHA and are mostly absorbed omega-3 types.

ALA is also found in foods that are plant based like algae, soybeans as well as algae. Vegetarians can rely on these sources but are not quite good as fish oils. Now if we talk about better choice than fish oil, it is the krill oil for dogs.

The oils contained in fatty fishes like tuna or salmon is considered widely as famous ‘fish oil’. These fishes are taken wholly or maybe separately. However, people are especially concerned about several other toxins found in the oils of these commercially farmed fishes. Therefore, krill oil for dogs is the definite oil in charge in the omega -3’s world for these reasons alone.

Krill oil is very similar to the fish oil and contains polyunsaturated fats from the family of omega-3 which includes EPA plus DHA. Like any fish oil, these two fats from the krill oil contain phospholipids, largely phosphatidylcholine.It’s specific structural distinction outputs much-improved absorption as well as delivery of the DHA to the dog’s brain. Moreover, krill oil contains a powerful carotenoid antioxidant known as astaxanthin which can really avoid the oxidation of EPA as well as DHA.

There was a study done in 2007 which was published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition. The study showed that daily supplementation of 300mg krill oil in humans gave the result to greater decreased inflammation as well as a decrease in symptoms of arthritis among the suffering patients with cardiac or arthritis problems. Other several studies showed that krill oil is good as other sources that contain omega-3s without many significant doses. Moreover, krill oil triggers HDL cholesterol and also decreases triglycerides.

However, it’s important to know the krill oil isn’t much discovered like many fish oils. However, krill oil is among the safest choices for omega supply at present. The worst considered for the dogs are the fish oil and the coconut oil.

Now you know that krill oil for dogs is similar to fish oil except without harmful effects. It may have similar benefits but there are more. Here are the benefits.

• Contains less amount of mercury

The krill oil extracted from tiny crustaceans contains  a large volume of nutrition which is the reason why ocean whales devour it. It is at the very bottom of the food chain – lower than salmon. Therefore, it has a very low possibility of absorbing mercury or other heavy metals, pollutants, or toxins.

• Greater absorption rate compared to fish oil

It contains phospholipids. They are small packets which store fatty acids and are the base of the dog’s cellular membranes which helps fatty acids pass effortlessly through the cell membrane of your dog’s intestine wall. All of this results in a greater absorption rate.

• Better skin and fur coat

Generally, the fat supplements and the krill oil for dogs help reduce dander along with shedding supporting healthy skin as well as coats. It also reduces the itching, hot spots along with redness due to chronic allergies.

• DHA helps older dogs remain sharp

It has Docosahexaenoic acid and several studies state that it helps the older dogs remain sharp, be more alert, and remember things. Mother dogs provided with DHA during the gestation and the lactation period has positive effects on the neurological development in puppies.

• Sustainable food source

It is one of the species that has the largest whole biomass. Krill tend to reproduce quickly and often are at lower risk in regard to overfishing, unlike other fishes. It is also more sustainable compared to other seafood.

• More concentrated

Krill oil for dogs is much concentrated and also easily absorbed compared to many fish oils. So your dog will only need one fifth of the amount.

• Reduces joint pain

It contains Gamma linolenic acid which is a potent anti-inflammatory. It might help reduce pain in the joints, mainly in dogs suffering from arthritis. Moreover, krill oil for dogs also effectively prevents dry skin along with nose and cracked skin on the dog’s feet pads.

• Helps in proper function of brain and liver

It helps with better carnitine absorption which is released from the dog’s digestive tract. For proper function of mitochondria, Carnitine is essential as it supplies energy to the brain and the liver.

• Antioxidants

There is a natural antioxidant defense in the krill oil which helps protect against the omega-3s oxidation as well as from damage from the free radicals.

• Better cardiovascular health

It is yet to prove the role of krill oil for dogs in reducing the risks related to heart attack or stroke. However, it sure does help decrease cholesterol, blood pressure along with triglycerides ensure the good health of your dog’s heart.

General Information on dose

If you just purchased krill you may be thinking about how many doses you need to give your dog. According to Dr. Becker and Dr.Jodie, the dosing guide really depends on your dog’s stool. Start slowly with any supplement and reach the recommended instruction on the label. However, if your dog develops loose stool, decrease the amount to the earlier tolerated amount.

Besides the many benefits of krill oil for dogs, some controversy has erupted between the two fatty acids – omega-3 and omega-6 and regarding their benefits.

When deciding on giving krill oil to your dog, it is recommended to remember the two major principles of giving omega-3 fatty acids:

You must know that fatty acids provide caloric value and not over feed your dogs because it can lead to further problems.

Generally, the owner adds omega-3 fatty acids to the dog’s diet to balance the omega-6 fatty acids which are the main purpose.

Keeping these things in mind, you got to feed the krill oil to your dog with just the right amount. Omega-3s aren’t provided regarding a dog’s size and age but by the amount of Omega-6s included in its daily diet. It’s important to remember that the ratio of these fatty acids should be balanced. If the diet contains more amounts of omega-6s than omega-3s, your dog might get affected negatively. The effects include chronic inflammation along with other side effects of over feeding omega-6 fatty acids. The recommended ratio guide of omega-6 to omega-3 is 4:1.

Generally, the recommended amount of omega-3 dosage for a healthy dog would be 150 mg krill oil in a day along with a balanced diet. If your dog’s diet has a heavy amount of Omega-6s, then you should increase the krill oil dosage accordingly. The typical dog food products contain lots of omega-6 fatty acids as well as other foods such as chicken meat or chicken-based canine food, processed foods and dog treats, bread and durum wheat food products and vegetable oils. Therefore, krill oil for dogs needs to be added to their diet as they contain lots of omega-3s. As a result, the ratio evens out.

Moreover, if your dog is in pain due to inflammation processes, muscle or joint pain and arthritis, the dosage of krill oil for dogs should be increased. If a dog has problems related to omega-6s, the krill oil dosage should be increased up to about 1000mg or any other omega-3 supplies.

Feeding your dog

Usually, it is okay to give your dog the entire capsule. There are no issues regarding the capsule, particularly as you know for a fact that the krill oil is also a supplement for a human. If you give the entire capsule, it’s fine.

If your dog refuses to take in the entire capsule, you can use a needle to pinch it, and then squeeze the contents into your dog’s diet.

However, you need to ensure the entire capsule is used in single serving so the krill oil won’t lose its value. It is because omega-3 fatty acids tend to be very fragile in open air. For this problem, you can spread one capsule to few dogs or just provide the double dose in a day and skip the dose for the next day.

If your dog is suffering from the auto-immune disorder, arthritis, heart disease, impaired vision, kidney disease, cancer, atopic dermatitis, allergies, ligament injuries, low immune system, stroke or other various medical conditions, the remedy can be the krill oil for dogs. Just add it to your dog’s diet. It also improves your dog’s nails, hair, skin, and teeth of your pooch.

The addition of the krill for dogs in you pooch’s diet is essential.