Exactly right: The dog's system uses E in processing the oil supplement (any oil supplement).

Hope this isn't too off topic -- but I am curious.

What are the signs/implications of Vitamin E depletion?

First, from what I have read, it would take months of a very deficient diet for symptoms to be displayed.

I think that with a serious deficiency, first might be nerve damage and some loss of fat-processing ability, resulting in fatty deposits, and then diminished function of the pituitary gland, collagen depletion, problems with the pancreas, kidneys, etc.

Cardiomyopathy is a possibility with some animals, but I don't specifically know about dogs.

P.S. I am NOT a health professional, so this answer is nothing more authoritative than repeating what I've read.

Connie, according to your research what is the appropriate ratio of fish oil to vitamin E?


I've seen some different recommendations on how much vit E is considered "safe". (Heck, I've seen some pretty heated debates on how much is considered safe for humans too!)

Also, what does a "pump" equate to in milligrams? (I use capsules... )

 Quote: yuko blum

....what is the appropriate ratio of fish oil to vitamin E?


I've seen some different recommendations on how much vit E is considered "safe". (Heck, I've seen some pretty heated debates on how much is considered safe for humans too!)

Also, what does a "pump" equate to in milligrams? (I use capsules... )

Vitamin E has not been shown to be toxic even with high lab-test doses. It is an oil-soluble vitamin, though, and I guess that at some level it must overaccumulate in the liver and tissues.

The minimum daily requirement often bandied about for dogs is a low 50 IU per kg of food.

Since there's been no toxicity demonstrated, and since more than the minimum has been seen as beneficial with some health problems, and since the requirement depends on the makeup of the diet, and since dogs use it in processing the Omega 3 oil supplements, etc., I now go along with what a vet instructor in a canine nutrition class I took said HE used as a rough guideline: I use 100-200 IU for small dogs and 200-400 IU for big ones. There ya go -- super-scientific and detailed per-pound dosages.

I don't really see it as a ratio between E and fish oil, so much, since E comes in only a few dosage sizes.

My personal preference for fish oil is a gram (1000 mg) per 10 pounds of dog weight. Several vet med web sites I have seen mention a gram per 20 pounds of dog weight.

I use a liquid without a pump, and I translate grams into teaspoons. A teaspoon is about 4-3/4 grams.

The Grizzly pumps are different for the sizes of bottle, as below:

The 4-ounce and 8-ounce bottles: 1 pump = .42 teaspoon (about 1.99 grams)

The 16- and 32-ounce bottles: 1 pump = .72 teaspoons (about 3.4 grams)

 Quote:

Connie, according to your research what is the appropriate ratio of fish oil to vitamin E?


I've seen some different recommendations on how much vit E is considered "safe". (Heck, I've seen some pretty heated debates on how much is considered safe for humans too!)

Also, what does a "pump" equate to in milligrams? (I use capsules... )

Connie,

All of a sudden I am paranoid. I have been feeding a fish capsule with the following ingredient list and I am no longer sure what it means:

triple wild fish oil concentrate (anchovy, sardines and mackerel)
%18 EPA 12%DHA 1000 mg
Total Omega-3 fatty acids 340grams
EPA 180 mg
DHA 120 mg
In a base of natural Vitamin E

So does this mean there is vitamin E already in my capsule? Does this mean that my big fish pill does not have as much fish oil in it as I thought? Do all human grade fish oil caps come in a base of vitamin e so you don't have to take both?

All of a sudden I am very confused about what I am presently giving my dog in this capsule

What do you think?

 Quote: jennifer coulter

In a base of natural Vitamin E

So does this mean there is vitamin E already in my capsule? Does this mean that my big fish pill does not have as much fish oil in it as I thought? Do all human grade fish oil caps come in a base of vitamin e so you don't have to take both?

I also noticed this in the fish oil pills I recently started giving my dogs (formerly used a pump). According to the "Supplement Facts" listed on the the pill bottle, there is only 1 IU of Vitamin E contained in the pill. The rest of the ingredients listed on my bottle are the same as what you listed above, so you might want to check your bottle. I still supplement Vitamin E since 1 IU is not enough.

It means that your fish oil contains a certain amount of Omega 3 EFAs, and the amounts you post are not unusual.

A typical 1 gram softgel capsule of fish oil contains 180 milligrams of EPA and 120 milligrams of DHA.

There are also concentrated forms, for people who want the DHA and EPA but not all the oil. It's very expensive, and even though oil is oil and has 120 calories to a tablespoon, the amount in a therapeutic dose of fish oil doesn't seem to me to be much to worry about. A whole teaspoon is only 40 calories.

EPA and DHA are the goals when we buy and take (and give to our dogs) expensive fish oil rather than, or in addition to, less expensive flax or canola.

And they are almost all (that I know of) "in a base of vitamin E." There would be a few IU of Vitamin E present in a gram, used to stabilize the polyunsaturated oil, which is delicate and unstable on its own. Tocopherols protect against oxidation.

 Quote: konnie hein

 Quote: jennifer coulter

In a base of natural Vitamin E

So does this mean there is vitamin E already in my capsule? Does this mean that my big fish pill does not have as much fish oil in it as I thought? Do all human grade fish oil caps come in a base of vitamin e so you don't have to take both?

I also noticed this in the fish oil pills I recently started giving my dogs (formerly used a pump). According to the "Supplement Facts" listed on the the pill bottle, there is only 1 IU of Vitamin E contained in the pill. The rest of the ingredients listed on my bottle are the same as what you listed above, so you might want to check your bottle. I still supplement Vitamin E since 1 IU is not enough.

Exactly. It's there as oxidation protection for the fish oil, rather than as a reasonable supplement amount for the dog.

Thanks so much for clearing that up!

I will now refer myself to the above post for how much e I should be giving! I had been giving some vit e but not enough by the sounds of it. I thought there was more in the fish pill, now i understand it is just enough to stabalize the fish oil.

Silly me