Fish oil dose for Dachshund dry paw pads

Your vet has pointed you in a sensible direction — fish oil is one of the few supplements with decent evidence behind it, and for dry, cracked paw pads it makes real sense, especially in an older dog. The confusion usually comes with dosing, because most products are sized for much larger dogs and the instructions aren't always clear. To make sure I point you to the right product and amount: how much does your Dachshund weigh, and are the paw pads just dry and rough, or are they actually cracking and splitting to the point of causing discomfort?

That's helpful — 9kg gives us a clear target, and the licking suggests she's noticing the discomfort, which means it's worth sorting promptly. For a dog her size and age, you're looking at roughly 1,000mg of EPA and DHA combined per day, which is the active part of fish oil that actually does the work. The challenge with most capsules is they're formulated for humans or large dogs, so you end up either guessing at doses or puncturing capsules — messy and imprecise. For a small senior dog, I'd steer you toward YuMEGA Plus Skin and Coat Oil by Lintbells. It's a liquid you pump onto food, it's specifically dosed for dogs by weight, and at 9kg you'd be giving about 1.5ml per day according to their chart. It also has evening primrose oil alongside the fish oil, which adds omega-6 and works well for skin and coat issues in older dogs. One pump, on food, done. It's widely available on Amazon UK and most pet pharmacies.

Completely reasonable to be cautious, and it's the right instinct with senior dogs. Fish oil at this dose is very well tolerated in older dogs — it's not a drug, and at 1,000mg daily range for a 9kg dog you're not near any level that would cause concern. The main thing to watch in the first week or two is loose stools, which occasionally happens when you introduce any oil. If that happens, halve the dose for a week and build back up. Because your vet has already recommended it, you're not going rogue here — you're just filling in the product gap they left. One thing worth mentioning: fish oil takes four to six weeks to show visible results in skin and coat, so don't expect to see her pads improve in a few days. If after six weeks there's no change, or if the cracking gets worse before then, that's worth a follow-up with your vet in case there's something else contributing.

Yes, good thinking — the fish oil works from the inside out, so a topical balm in the meantime is sensible for comfort. Musher's Secret Paw Protection Wax is a solid option: it's a natural wax blend designed for cracked pads, safe if licked, and just rub a small amount in a couple of times a week. It won't fix the underlying dryness on its own, but it'll protect the cracks, reduce the licking, and keep her more comfortable while the fish oil builds up. Between the two, you've got the short-term and long-term covered.