Health Benefits of Wild-Caught Salmon Oil for Canine Cancer

Wild-caught salmon oil for dogs should rank high on any list of supplements for dogs with cancer, and fresh salmon is possibly the best food for dogs with cancer. In this post, we'll explain two reasons why.

Salmon oil is a premium source of omega-3 fatty acids

You probably have heard about omega-3 essential fatty acids. They provide DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid), which a dog's body uses to make the hormones that regulate and limit inflammation.

The reason that anti-inflammatory hormones are important during cancer is that cancerous tumors use pro-inflammatory hormones to generate their own blood vessels that rob the rest of the body of nourishment, and then use those blood vessels to spread to the rest of the body. For dogs, like people, the DHA and EPA used to make beneficial regulatory hormones have to come from their diet.

For dogs with cancer that eat kibble, or that were eating kibble before being put on a healthier diet, supplemental omega-3 essential fatty acids are especially important. That's because kibble contains grains that are a source of omega-6 essential fatty acids, the building blocks of hormones that increase inflammation and encourage metastasis.

Omega-6 essential fatty acids are also essential. A dog's immune system needs them to fight bacterial infections. The issue in most canine diets is lack of omega-6 essential fatty acids in your dog's food. Dogs get plenty of omega-6 fatty acids for their immune system from a cancer-friendly diet instead of a regular kibble diet.

Salmon oil provides vitamin D for fighting canine cancer

Vitamin D is vital for fighting cancer. Salmon oil can be a great source of Vitamin D in a dog's diet (more about that a little later). And supplemental Vitamin D can make a huge difference in the course of cancer, especially in dogs that have cancer of the bones or that has spread to the bones.

Bone cancer (osteosarcoma) liberates calcium to the bloodstream. Vitamin D affects how cells all over the body can absorb calcium. When calcium levels go up, research tells us, the amount of Vitamin D that gets to where it is needed, declines. You don't have to give your dogs increased quantities of Vitamin D. Other scientific research tells us that even giving dogs five times the usual dose of Vitamin D doesn't make a big difference in the amount of Vitamin D in their bloodstreams. But giving your dog salmon oil with its preformed Vitamin D helps to balance absorption with supply for maximum cancer-fighting effect.

The brand of salmon oil you choose makes a difference

Veterinary researchers studied changes in vitamin D concentrations in the bloodstreams of dogs given salmon oil supplements. These researchers at Tufts University, the University of Missouri, and the Veterinary Diagnostics Institute of Simi Valley found convincing evidence that dogs given salmon oil had higher Vitamin D levels than dogs that weren't.

But just how much canine Vitamin D levels increased after giving Vitamin D varied drastically from brand to brand. Some brands provided up to 700% more Vitamin D than others.

The key to getting Vitamin D in your dog's diet is choosing the right type of salmon oil produced from wild-caught vs. farmed salmon. Wild-caught salmon feed off a natural diet of small fish and krill, rich in vitamins and minerals, whereas farmed salmon are fed a diet that often contains corn and grain.

Canine Biologics is the world's only company 100% dedicated to fighting canine cancer. Let us help you give your dog the nutrition that maximizes their health and quality of life.