Effect of dietary fish oil and vitamin E supplementation on hematologic and serum biochemical analytes and oxidative status in young dogs.

Fifteen healthy dogs received a basal diet supplemented with either 12.4 g of sunflower oil, 0.6 g of sunflower oil and 7 g of menhaden fish oil, or 0.6 g of sunflower oil and 7 g of menhaden fish oil plus 0.18 g of alpha-tocopherol acetate for twelve weeks. There was no significant diet effect on platelet aggregation, lipid peroxidation, or standard hematologic and biochemical parameters, with the exception of decreased triglycerides in dogs supplemented with fish oil. These data demonstrate that this level of fish oil supplementation in dogs does not require vitamin E supplementation above recommended dosage and may prove beneficial in the treatment of hyperlipidemia in the dog.