Olive oil for dogs
Some dog owners are feeding their dogs olive oil, regarding it as a food supplement. Olive oil is undoubtedly valuable for humans, and is essential for a healthy and sustainable human diet, but dogs have different processes in their bodies and might not benefit from the same things their owners would.
Olive oil contains a lot of various nutrients that contribute to better dog’s health. Omega 3 fatty acids are among those nutrients, however they are not too effective since dogs are not absorbing fatty acids of plant origin very well. Just the same way as one should not be using flaxseed oil for dogs’ diet, since flaxseed contains only precursor to the essential fatty acids and dogs are unable to obtain omega 3 from them, unlike humans. Moreover and most importantly, there are more omega 6 in olive oil than omega 3.
You need to keep in mid that vegetable oils are primary sources of omega 6, not omega 3 fatty acids. For instance, 100 grams of olive oil contains less then 2 grams of omega 3, while at the same time 6 grams of omega 6!
On the other hand, one can use olive oil for dogs because of its’ effect digestive system. If your dog is constipated, adding a tablespoon of olive oil to its’ next meal will help loosen its’ feces.
Considering all said above, olive oil can be added to dogs’ meals as a one-time additive for various purposes, but the best way to proceed would be to consult a veterinarian about olive oil use.
