Cod liver oil

[Midge8290]

Hi all, new to the forum. Looking for advice on cod liver oil for my medium size dog who weights around 30kg. He is over weight and we are working on it. He should be around 26-27 kg. I brought basic cod liver oils from Tesco's which are 500mg each. Was wondering how many should I feed him as I don't want to cause any damage. I have attached pictures of his food ingredients. The second picture that has a cream background, he has half a pouch a dog. The dark brown package he has about 2 cups a day which weights about 100g each. Recommended for him to loose either etc.

Thanks all

 

[JoanneF]

Actually, I wouldn't feed cod liver oil as the vitamin A can build up in the liver. What is it you are aiming for - reducing or avoiding stiffness?

And the first food you linked to is about 46% grain which isn't particularly nutritious. The second one only has 4% of the named meat derivative, the full meat derivative content isn't clear (which is not a good sign).

If you want to change, have a look at www.allaboutdogfood.co.uk It is an independent dog food comparison website which scores all types of foods (dry, raw, wet) out of 100. You can set filters for your dog's breed, weight, age etc. and for your daily budget; then you can add in any specific needs you have such as aiming for weight loss or avoiding specific ingredients. The website will automatically show the foods listed in order of what the assessors believe is best quality, and it also will show daily feeding cost (calculated from your dog's age and weight) so you can see what gives you best value for money. It has its limitations but it's a decent place to start.

That said, if you are happy with your current food and only want your dog to lose weight, just cut it back by about 10 - 15%.

 

[Midge8290]

I was looking for something that helps with mobility, to loosen joints etc and was recommended cod liver oil by my local pet shop. The picture with the dark brown packaging is suppose to be a great dog food called step up to natural and the other is basic winalot dog meat packets. He only gets half a pack in the evening as a variety rather than as a main food. We also feed our dogs with a couple bits of broccoli once a day too

 

[JoanneF]

Like I said, if you are happy with it, don't change - at the end of the day, the best food for your dog is the one that suits his tummy and your budget. And broccoli is fine, as is the other food as a variery or topper - so just cut back a little.

For joints, I use a Bioflo magnetic collar on my dog and a product called Jointsure which contains green lipped mussel, chondroitin and glucosamine.

 

[JudyN]

Step Up to Naturals scores 76% on the website @JoanneF linked to - so not great, but far from the worst. But its total meat content is probably under 30%, and what there is is mostly meat meal which is regarded as lower quality than 'meat': Meat Meal in dog food | All About Dog Food It makes sense to me that dogs are predominantly meat eaters (just look at their teeth), so 30% meat is quite low.

But I'm not a nutritionist, and there is a lot of dogma and 'informed guesswork' when it comes to food - just look at how humans are meant to be eating one thing one day and something else the next!

As far as a joint supplement goes, I'd look for something designed specifically for dogs. I give YouMove which is similar to the supplement Joanne mentioned.

 

[Midge8290]

Ok, I've looked on Amazon and typed in Bioflo magnetic collar and it comes up with just a basic collar. Is there a picture or a link I can see if that's ok?

 

[JoanneF]

Apologies, the spelling is Bioflow.

Magnetic Dog & Cat Collars | Magnetic Wellness & Joint Care For Pets