SALMON OIL IN RECIPES - alternative options

Depending on the recipe, if there is just a small amount of salmon oil, you can use salmon oil gel caps sold in drug stores. Gel caps generally contain 1000mg (1g) of salmon oil. So if the recipe calls for 1-10g of salmon oil, you can cut open 1-10 gel caps.

If the recipe calls for more than 10g, it become impractical to use caps, in which case, I recommend a liquid fish oil product called "DermaPet EicosaDerm" which is available from your veterinarian. (This product is distributed in Canada by Aventix Animal Health). 1 pump of EicosaDerm is equivalent to approximately 1.8 grams of salmon oil. EicosaDerm is very similar to salmon oil and like salmon oil, it is very rich in the two most important omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA.

Depending on the dog, you may also choose to substitute safflower oil, flaxseed oil or hemp oil for salmon oil. Flaxseed oil and hemp oil are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, but primarily as ALA, not as EPA and DHA. So while flaxseed and hemp are good sources of omega-3s, they're not as beneficial as salmon oil or EicosaDerm.

Omega-3 fatty acids are not considered essential nutrients for the dog, just beneficial. So you can partially or entirely substitute the salmon oil with safflower, flaxseed or hemp oils and the only effect on the recipe will be to increase the omega-6 to 3 ratio. If you have a healthy dog, this will not cause any problems. I recommend NOT substituting if your dog has allergies, inflammatory bowel disease, skin disease, joint disease, kidney disease or heart disease.