Expert: Dr. Louis N. Gotthelf - 1/23/2010

Question
My lab mix has allergies, she chews on feet, and so far I've been able to feed her cooked beef and cooked carrots with some positive results.  White rice seemed to make itching worse. Would an Omega 6 and 3 supplement help her and B-complex?  Also-she seems constipated at times-I was told to put a little vaseline on her nose and she'll lick it off and it will help.  Is this a good idea?  Thank you.

Answer
Omega 3 fatty acids are helpful in allergic diseases in dogs. They help in reducing the inflammatory mediators that are released in allergic skin disease. However, you need to understand that to use them it takes 30-45 days to see any effect and you have to use a high dose while the dog is on a low fat diet.