Salmon Oil, Fish Oil & Our Pets: Are You Feeding the Right Fish Oil?
Salmon and fish oil is held in high regard for its valuable polyunsaturated fatty acids: Omega-3s EPA and DHA that are critical for our pets health; dogs, cats and ferrets alike. This supplement is linked to aiding in skin and coat health, better overall cell structure and membrane, and much more. These critical nutrients can be found in whole foods, but this oil provides us with a more convenient way of giving our pets this necessary nutrient. I am an advocate for using whole food when you can for a pets diet; but fish oil is a very useful treat or food supplement to have. Despite its great attributes, salmon/fish oil comes with its downfalls. As mentioned, this oil is a polyunsaturated fatty acid meaning it is a fat that is not solid at room temperature (example of a saturated fat: butter) making it unstable to the environment; like light, heat, and oxygen. Any fish oil is susceptible to oxidation and going rancid; rancid fish oil is linked to organ damage and other health issues and should not be fed to pets like ferrets, dogs, cats, etc., and even humans. Having fish oil that is closest to its natural state and as fresh as possible is always key to find the most bioavailability and to garner the least amount of side effects.
Don’t worry though! Many companies who produce salmon oil, fish oil and salmon/fish oil products have their oil go through a process that eliminates any oxidation in the oil so the oil comes to you as fresh as possible! Some companies even have care instructions and warnings as well as special containers that are made to help keep the oil from going rancid; but, are many companies using the right container, processing method, care instructions, and sourcing fish that are good for our pets? You would be surprised to find that many may not meet all of these requirements.
What is Salmon/Fish Oil?
Salmon oil is made from healthy fats (Omega-3 fatty acids) in salmon fish; fish oil is a way to meet nutrient requirements from fish if fish is missing or lacking in a diet and/or supplementation is needed. Fish Oil can be made from anchovies, pollock, sardines, etc.. Consuming fish oils has shown to reduce inflammation, especially those caused by excess inflammatory omega-6s. A balance of Omega-3s and Omega-6s is crucial to prevent inflammation in the body and have optimal health. The proper ratio of Omega-6s to Omega-3s is 4:1 Having a bad salmon or fish oil can actually cause inflammation rather than help it as it should. The two key omega-3 fatty acids in salmon oil are docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA); these two fatty acids are rich in fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, sardines and anchovies. It should be noted that the bigger the fish generally means it has a higher mercury content due to:
longer life span in contaminated waters,
consumption of smaller fish which hold their own mercury content that is smaller than larger predatory fish thus resulting in the larger fish obtaining a higher mercury content,
and species.
I like to follow the rule of the smaller the fish, the less mercury it will contain: ie. Sardines, anchovies, Minnows, Atlantic Herring, etc. Personally, I prefer to feed smaller fish and fish oils derived from smaller fish as these fish are less contaminated by the ocean; for example, a sardine fish oil. I like to switch between different fish oils, ie. having salmon oil until the bottle runs out, then using sardine oil, etc.; variety is key and I believe it should be shown with fish oils if it is the only source of omega-3’s in the diet.
EPA and DHA are anti-inflammatory agents and are key for aiding in the treatment of atopic dermatitis and skin allergies, arthritis, kidney disease, heart disease, IBD (inflammatory bowel disease), diabetes, some types of cancer and even epilepsy; it also aids in the development of the brain and eyes in juvenile animals; as well as maintain the integrity of these organs. These fatty acids are essential in a diet for ferrets, dogs, cats, and even humans and must be fed either from whole foods or supplementation like fish oils as they cannot be produced in the body alone. Kibble generally has an excess amount of omega-6s throwing off the omega-6 to omega-3 ratio; fish is absolutely necessary when feeding a food that is high in omega-6s for long periods.
Salmon oil is readily available in almost all pet stores now making access to this supplement easy… Maybe. Just like with meats, poultry products and dairy, sourcing and processing is key in making sure salmon oil is bioavailable, fresh, and healthy. Fish oil, although beneficial, is not natural. The only way to get natural, healthy, fatty acids is through feeding healthy, fresh fish. Fish oil is processed and broken down before being reformed again making it unnatural. Ferrets, dogs, and cats would not get their omega-3s from fish oil in the wild; they would receive it from foods that are rich in natural forms of theses nutrients likes fatty fish. Now, feeding fish oil is not horrible if you source it well and take care of the fish oil; it is just always better to use real fish as a main form of omega-3s in a diet. But, How do we find a salmon/fish oil that is not only fresh, but is also bioavailable and closest we can get to the natural whole food source of fish?
The Two “Types” of FIsh Oil and SOurcing
Salmon/fish oil needs to be cared for during its manufacturing, many companies take measures to ensure the product is not oxidized and rancid during the manufacturing and hopefully the shipment of the product. Ensuring the fish oil is as fresh as possible is very important; but what type of process and fish oil is better? There are two forms of fish oil, triglyceride and ethyl ester. These forms are the fatty acids molecular structure—this molecular structure is what is crucial in making sure the fish oil is bioavailable; especially at a cellular level. Fish oil needs to be bioavailable for your ferret, dog, and cat or else you’re just feeding an expensive supplement for no reason; the supplement will do nothing to aid with any health problems or to meet nutrient requirements if it cannot be properly broken down and utilized in the body. If you have noticed, I have emphasized the fact that fish oil goes rancid and oxidizes rapidly—did you know that the molecular structure of the fish oil will effect its oxidation rate? In other terms, the form of salmon or fish oil (triglyceride or ethyl ester) effects how easily the oil oxidizes and goes rancid or bad. But, which form of salmon/fish oil is the best?
The two main forms of salmon oil or fish oil is triglyceride form and ethyl ester form; the triglyceride form (TG form) is the form that is the closest to the natural form of these fatty acids found in the fish, and the ethyl ester form (EE form) is a form used to save costs. Based off of what what just stated, I’m sure you know which is more bioavailable… (Answer: The Trygliceride form is the better, more biologically appropriate and bioavailable form of fish oil.). The fish oil industry is the creator of ethyl esters (and fish oil since this is not naturally found in the wild) because of how malleable they are and how cheap it is to use ethanol to flush contaminants. The EE form of fish oil is much easier to work with during processing and distribution; the reason ethanol is used to make ethyl esters and some triglyceride forms is because it removes any contaminants from the fish oil during manufacturing (aka. oxidation). This is absolutely necessary to make sure the fish oil stays fresh; but this is not the only way to get rid of oxidation and contaminants in fish oil. The company Nordic Naturals uses nitrogen in their process of manufacturing because nitrogen is heavier than oxygen, thus flushing out the oxidized contaminants from the fish oil keeping it as fresh as possible and keeping it in its purest TG form without converting the fish oil from TG to EE to rTG.
Now, there is a triglyceride version of ethyl ester, meaning that the company broke down the molecular structure, used ethanol to flush out toxins (a cheap way of doing so but is still effective) and instead of keeping it in its ethyl ester form, they change the molecular structure back to a triglyceride making a rTG form (TG=Triglyceride form) allowing more bioavailability, but is still not as close as TG natural fatty acids in fish. Some claim the only way to make fish oil is to use ethanol, and they would be mistaken as explained with the company nordic naturals method; but these methods are quite costly and as I explained ethanol is a cheaper form of purification.
Some people think that the ethyl ester form is just as bioavailable as TG; Research shows that ethyl ester forms of fish oil are less bioavailable, even to humans! Fun Fact: 98% of all fats ingested from foods are in triglyceride form. Despite this, ethyl esters can still be used in the body, just not as well as triglycerides; and considering you’re paying for an oil that will hopefully work, why buy the one that is less bioavailable? You get more for your dollar purchasing a TG or rTG form over a EE form.
Why exactly is EE form less bioavailable than TG form?
The image above is not created, owned or made by CreepieCutieCritters; all credit goes to the creator. The image was found on: therahealth.com in their article Triglyceride vs Ethyl Ester — Which Omega 3 Form is Right For You?
Ethyl Ester form is less bioavailable than TG form due to its molecular structure. EE form has no backbone to connect the three chains of fatty acids together—these acids being connected is the only way for the body to synthesize the fatty acids. When the fish oil is in EE form during manufacturing, The company has to either a) spend the money to convert the oil back to a form that is closest to natural TG form creating a rTG form before packaging and sale, or b) save cash and not convert the form from EE to TG and sell the product in EE form.
So, if EE form doesn’t have a backbone, how is the form somewhat bioavailable as I mentioned earlier? Here is an excerpt from the article Fish Oil Tryglicerides versus Ethyl Esters:
“…in … EE form the glycerol backbone is missing. … the fatty acids will find an available triglyceride backbone or … take one from an existing molecule. If the latter occurs the molecule missing the backbone will look for another backbone and so on creating a domino effect. The free fatty acids are taken up by the enterocytes (gut epithelium) and must be reconverted to TGs … to be transported in the blood.
Fats are stored and transported in the body in triglyceride form. Research shows that after ingestion of an omega-3 fatty acid molecule in triglyceride form the fatty acids are cut from the glycerol backbone then the backbone and fatty acids are absorbed via the gut epithelial cells and immediately reattached to form the natural triglyceride. […] when ethyl esters are consumed they are processed in the liver where the ethanol is drawn off and the body must … rebuild the resulting free fatty acids back into a triglyceride. The EEs that get digested produce free fatty acids plus ethanol. This is a less efficient absorption process compared with the direct intake of a natural form triglyceride because the EE form must be reconverted back to a TG form in the body. The delay in TG re-synthesis suggests that transport to the blood is more efficient in natural TG fish oils as compared to EE. Furthermore this delay of TG re-synthesis in EE fish oils causes a release of ethyl alcohol and may subsequently produce oxidative stress by releasing free radicals in addition to releasing the ethanol…” (Michael Gross MD Susan Klein ND , ‘Metabolism’ , “Fish Oil Triglycerides Versus Ethyl Esters” )
Based off of what was stated so far, to save some money EE form might still not sound so bad; but before you make up your mind, lets discuss the other differences both forms pose.
The TG form of fish oil is not only more bioavailable, but also much more stable than the EE form of fish oil. You read that right, despite how unstable fish oil is, EE forms of fish oil are much more unstable and unnatural than TG forms; meaning ethyl ester form fish oils are more susceptible to going rancid and oxidizing than triglyceride form fish oils. Rancid fish oil is linked to organ damage and other health related issues and should never be fed. As soon as a bottle of fish oil opens it is exposed to oxygen and begins to go bad; bad fish oil contains free radicals which are harmful for the body.
Considering EE forms lack of bioavailability and how unstable it is, its no wonder that EE forms of fish oil have potential side effects such as infection, burping, flu-like symptoms, upset stomach, skin rash, etc. whereas TG forms have almost no side effects.
SOurcing Fish: Wild or Farmed?
Sourcing fish is very important! As I had prefaced earlier, wild caught Atlantic fish is always best to be safe (keep in mind, in the US catching wild Atlantic salmon is illegal!) Most people opt to get their salmon from wild caught Alaskan salmon as this has studies showing it is low in toxicity, but since this fish is still in the Pacific I prefer to get my fish or fish oils sourced elsewhere; my preference is Nordic Waters. With the concern as to what type of fish oil you should feed, one should also consider where the fish oil is harvested from. Ensuring that the fish oil is harvested from a healthy source with minimal environmental contamination is key; Atlantic fish are better than Pacific fish considering the Pacific Oceans pollution compared to the Atlantic. Sourcing the right kind of fish is important for a healthy fish oil. The bigger the fish, the bigger the mercury content and other toxic chemicals. Pacific fish have been tested and shown to hold a higher toxicity than fish from the Atlantic or other less contaminated bodies of water. There have been tests showing that Alaskan salmon are less toxic despite being in the Pacific, but Salmon are migrating fish, this means they travel and conidering this means they travel in the pacific, I prefer to avoid it. Despite my dislike for wild Alaskan fish, I do have a favorite source which is Nordic Waters and the Norwegian Sea. Why?
Fishing is a part of Nordic Culture, they have perfected the craft for thousands of years as well as have very high standards for their fish. Their coast is large and holds a plethora of hearty, good salmon. Norway also has one of the best fish farming regulations and existing fish farms. Now, I am against unethical, unhealthy and cheaply raised fish farms; but Norway has great measures in place to meet certain standards for their fish. Many insult the farmed fish from Norway, and they’re right in a sense. Farmed fish are generally never as good as wild fish, but Nordic Farmed Fish is of great quality and should be standards that all fish farms follow. Wild fish pose the risk for higher exposures to toxic chemicals in the ocean, whereas a healthy, high standard farmed fish do not and has more control over the environment. How do we know if the Nordic fish we get is farmed sustainably or wild? Generally, the company will tell you which and if not, emailing them is always an option. If the particular company you are looking at has no way to contact them and/or doesn’t answer your questions as you asked or answer them at all; generally this means it’s a company you shouldn’t support as they are showing no regard for their customers and their questions/concerns. To touch on the subject of farmed fish again, it should be noted that farmed fish should be avoided despite Norways high standard of fish farming. Norway’s fish farming standards prevents sickness, contamination, unhealthy living conditions, and gives the fish a good life.
Nordic Farmed fish have strict standards and regulations for the raising of the fish, the fish must be in an environment that imitates a wild habitat with large space and limited fish; meaning there aren’t crowds of fish leading to the higher risk of toxicity, sickness, and unethical raising. Picture Lake George in New York having 50 Salmon living in it at most; that’s it. The fish have a large amount of space for adequate living; but this still is not migration. Salmon will travel large distances, something a lake or a river for a fish farm would not be able to emulate as well (unless the salmon is naturally from said river or lake). The fish in Norwegian Fish Farms also must be fed non-GMO high quality feed to provide adequate nutrition and no added toxins. Norwegian farmed fish are also the only farmed fish to use almost no antibiotics in their fish ever; which is rare. The controlled environment of a ethical high standard fish farm prevents the accumulation of toxicity like mercury and sickness. Many do not like fish farms because of how unethical the raising of the fish is in certain countries like the United States and how unhealthy the fish are, which is completely valid and they should be; but this does not go for every country. Many countries have high standards in place for food products unlike the USA, which means their food overall is better for you because it is raised better. Despite this, I still prefer and think wild Nordic fish should be used rather than farmed; but the higher farming standards in Norway should still be noted and acknowledged for other countries. Fun fact: Nordic farmed fish is so sustainable that it is one of the only fish certified to be okay to eat raw by any species that eat fish! Even pregnant people! It was from Norways healthy fish that sushi was created and introduced to the Japanese.
Now that I have praised Norway, let’s discuss why sardine, anchovy and krill fish oils are much better than salmon oils. The reason I say sardine, anchovy and krill fish oils are better than salmon is because although salmon is a great fish, many salmon oils are derived from either Wild Alaskan Salmon or fish farming which is not the best way to source fish if not from a ethical and high standard fish farm or sourced from wild Atlantic fish. Salmon is also a larger fish with a higher mercury content than sardines and anchovies as well as other toxins, but compared to other large fish their mercury content is small; just not as small as sardines. This is not to say don’t feed salmon oil, but as a sole fish oil it is personally not my favorite and it also must be sourced properly which can be harder to do; but I do use it in my fish oil rotation! When sourcing a fish oil, especially salmon, one must be sure it is GMP certified (Good Manufacturing Practices), ensure it is 3rd party purity tested, it is pharmaceutical grade or up to high standards that are similar to pharmaceutical grade or better, and the fish are sourced properly. I prefer fish from Nordic waters versus Alaskan or other Atlantic sourced fish.
I had discussed briefly earlier that I believe variety is key in a healthy diet, and I think the same goes for fish oil. So, switching between different oils (if your pet is tolerable to different fish) is very important in my pets diet and is something I would recommend. For raw feeders variety is important in making sure the diet is balanced and nutritionally complete; why wouldn’t fish oil be the same?
How to Care for your Salmon/FIsh Oil
Salmon/fish oil is a polyunsaturated fatty acid making it unstable, allowing it to be easily oxidized and go rancid. To properly care for fish oils, you must read the directions the company of the fish oil provides; but sometimes that isn’t always best. We know that fish oil easily oxidizes, is sensitive to heat and light; so, the ideal storage for fish oil is a dark container that is air tight and stays in a cool dark spot—what place is perfect for this? The refrigerator! Some companies use proper packages to contain their oil that are specially made to keep light and heat out as well as air! To be cautious, if a company has the perfect packaging that does keep light and heat out, I would still put that fish oil in a dark, cool spot; fish oil is extremely unstable. Lockable pump tops are okay, but only if they lock and are air tight! If it is just a pump it will allow the salmon oil/fish oil to oxidize! As I mentioned, as soon as that bottle of fish oil opens it begins to soil. Dropper screw on tops are also an okay option or even just simple screw tops, the only flaw is the amount of oxygen allowed into the bottle when it is opened to serve. Dark, glass containers are best; but I personally prefer a container that is metal (to prevent breaking) but has a inner resin coating that does not allow toxins from any materials to seep into the oil—the inner resin coating and dark glass containers won’t affect the purity of the oil like plastics and metals alone. Plastic bottles hold toxic chemicals that can break down into the oil; these types of containers should be avoided. Sourcing a good company should leave you with a great oil and a great container for storage, so all that will be needed is a refrigerator or a dark cool storage spot.
Since fish oil goes rancid fast, buying a small amount at a time ensures that you feed your ferret, dog or cat a good quality oil that doesn’t risk doing more harm than good. My dogs, cats, and ferrets currently use a fish oil in their diet as they are not switched to whole fish yet; I have 2 dogs, 2 cats and 2 ferrets in my care all of which require a different amount of fish oil. I like to get rid of my salmon oil or fish oil within 2weeks, 30 days at most; with the amount of pets I need to supplement in mind I try to find a size that will best suit the amount I need for that time frame, or a little more to give myself time to replace the oil with a new bottle (2weeks to 30 days MAX). If you only have one ferret, a very small container of fish oil would be needed versus what I would need as a person with 6 animals who require it. A dog will need a larger amount of salmon oil depending on the breed, as well as cats. Reading the dosing required for your particular pet and breed is important in not only making sure they aren’t being over fed fish oil, but also so you know how much fish oil to buy at a time. Buying in bulk is cheaper, but making sure your pets fish oil is fresh is very important and should always be priority; purchasing a size that is suitable for a shorter time frame is one of the best ways to do that.
How Much Salmon/FIsh Oil Should I Feed My Ferret, Dog, Or Cat?
Every ferret, dog and cat is different, but over feeding salmon/fish oil is a very real thing! Please do not over feed your pet fish oil! A maximum of 1tsp a week per ferret is around the correct dosage of fish oil (about 1-3 drops a day from a dropper) for a ferret; it would also depend on their diet and supplemental needs (health reasons) for this consult with a trusted veterinarian and nutritionist. As for dogs, this would depend on their breed, size and their health. The bigger the dog the more oil they’ll need, but if they require more supplementation or less for any medical reasons a trusted veterinarian and nutritionist should be consulted. In terms of amount, each brand will provide a guide for how much to feed based on your pets size; follow these guides as well as your vets to properly feed the fish oil. My 13 Lb Chihuahua mix requires 1 pump every day from the brand I use (about 1/2 tsp). My 40 Lb medium mutt mix requires 3 pumps every day (for health and supplementation). As for a cats requirements, those that are 15lbs and under require 1/2-2 tsp a day as recommended. This scale is very large so personally I go by supplemental needs of the cat, season, and weight. I personally give my two smaller cats 1/2 tsp a day and my past larger cat 1 tsp a day. To add more details, my two smaller cats are 10-12 LBs whereas my past larger cat was 16LBs.
Brands I Use For My Ferrets, Dogs & Cats
Nordic Naturals is an amazing brand! Although, this company does not have a salmon oil, rather a fish oil made from other fatty fish that is just as effective as salmon oil; and as I had mentioned rotating a fish oil is something I personally do since variety is key in a diet. I use the Omega-3 Pet Cats and Small Breed Dogs Pure Omega-3 Oil Supplement: Wild Anchovy and Sardine Oil and Omega-3 Cat Pure Fish Oil for Cats Omega-3 Supplement: Wild Anchovy and Sardine Oil from Nordic Naturals. I also use Unscented Icelandic Salmon Oil and Unscented Sardine and Anchovy Oil from the company Icelandic Pure found under nutritional supplements on Hare Today. These are the only two company’s and four fish oils I feel comfortable recommending and using; this is not to say there are not other good fish oils out there or that your fish oil is not good. Every owner must do their own research and feed what they feel is best for their pet. These 2 brands and 4 types of fish oil are what I personally feel comfortable feeding my pets.
Brands ranked
In this section, I will be ranking some salmon/fish oil brands, some that I recommend and others that I don’t. Each will be ranked with on a 1-5 scale of fish 🐟. As I had mentioned, if your fish oil is not on this list or ranked lower it does not mean it is bad; it is just something I personally don’t like for my own pets. This section is opinionated only and will be judged on: whether it is TG or EE form, if it is GMP certified, if it is 3rd party tested, where it is sourced, if it is pharmaceutical grade, and if it is packaged correctly. If the fish oil is based or sold in another country they will be rated on their packaging, testing, process, fish sourcing, and whether it is TG or EE form. This section is not intended to bash, berate, or insult any company or person, it is just my own opinion on certain brands I see on the regular that I would like to rank based on my requirements for fish oil. Please look into your pets supplements, do your own research, ask questions, and feed what you feel is best. Without further ado, here is my personal ranked list:
Unscented Icelandic Sardine and Anchovy Oil
Ranking: 🐟 🐟 🐟 🐟 🐟 (5 fish)
This fish oil meets almost all of my requirements. Although, I wished they used Nordic naturals method of purifying the oil, their container, testing, and the fact that it is pharmaceutical grade gives it a 5 fish ranking. The fish is sourced from wild Nordic sardines and anchovies. It is TG form and from the company Icelandic Pure; it’s sold at online pet food company Hare Today and some other online stores.
Unscented Icelandic Salmon Oil
Ranking: 🐟🐟🐟🐟 (4 fish)
This fish oil is the same as the last, my only dislike is the use of ethanol and the use of farmed Nordic fish during the off season. It is pharmaceutical grade, has lots of testing, is sourced form Nordic wild fish (sustainable healthy farmed fish are used during the off season for salmon oil only), and has the best container in my opinion. It is TG form and from the company Icelandic Pure; it is sold on online pet food company Hare Today. I personally do not buy the oil around the time of year when the fish is farmed; but this is my own preference.
Nordic Naturals Omega-3 Cats and Small Breed Dogs Pure Omega-3 Oil Supplement: Wild Anchovy and Sardine Oil
Ranking: 🐟🐟🐟🐟🐟 (5 fish)
This company gets 5 fish for their lack of ethanol use to detoxify the oil, their container is also good. The fish is wild caught in Nordic waters and the oil is 90% TG form (the closest to natural fatty acids in fish). This company does not have a salmon oil. Nordic naturals fish oil is 3rd party tested and follows stricter and better standards than those that are pharmaceutical grade as there are no pharmaceutical grade standards in the US, Nordic Naturals is evaluated up to Norwegian Medicinal Standards and European Pharmacopoeia Standards. You can find this oil on Nordic Naturals Website.
Thrive Salmon Oil
Ranking: 🐟🐟🐟🐟 (4 fish)
Honestly, if there was half a fish I would give this oil 4 1/2 fish because the only reason it is getting 4 instead of 5 is because of it’s packaging. Fish oil easily breaks down plastics and absorbs the toxins emitted from them; and thrive is unfortunately in plastic packaging. Considering how short of a time the fish oil should be in use (2 weeks - 30 days) it is not as severe that it’s in plastic; but considering how unstable fish oil is I would rather go the route of glass or metal for the container (as long as the metal has a safe, resin lining) just to be safe (also I judged the other brands heavily on packaging and sourcing as well as whether it is a TG or EE form, so it wouldn’t be fair if I gave Thrive a pass). Thrive is in TG form and sold on Big Country Raws website as well as many others; it is primarily available in Canada. It’s sourced from wild caught Nordic salmon and undergoes a “cold-pressing” process to extract the fish oil; which in my opinion is a very good method. Cold-pressed uses minimal heat and mechanical force to extract the oil from the fish. I have not personally used this oil, but I would if it were readily available to me. The testing they have for their oil is also very sufficient in my opinion and would make me, as a pet parent, feel safe feeding their oil.
Zesty Paws Salmon Oil
Ranking: 🐟🐟 (2 fish)
I am giving this salmon oil 2 fish because:
1) there is no third party testing, the company says that they test multiple times through their own laboratories, but not a testing center that they don’t own
2) it is wild Alaskan salmon, which although is thought to be better than just pacific fish, it is still not my favorite sourcing spot as it is still the pacific
3) It is not pharmaceutical grade
4) it is in poor packaging aka it’s stored in plastic.
Not to hate on salmon oils that are sold in stores, but this is a very common brand in many chains like target, PetSmart, Petco, Walmart, etc. and frankly I refrain from buying salmon oil that is on store shelves due to the unknown of how long that salmon oil has been out on the store shelves, exposed to the elements without proper cooling or storage from the light. I feel ordering the oil straight from the manufacturer or online seller is always best and freshest; or at least as fresh as you can get for fish oil. I also generally try to order fish oils with raw food orders if I can as this will keep it cool during shipment (not going to lie, it’s hard to do that since I buy in bulk and need fish oil more frequently than raw meat).
Grizzly Omega Health Liquid Omega-3 Supplement for Dogs & Cats
Ranking: 🐟 (1 fish)
This fish oil gets a 1 fish ranking because:
1) it is not pharmaceutical grade
2) it is sourced in Alaska (I explained before why I don’t prefer this)
3) it’s in plastic packaging
4) it is not 3rd party tested
5) it has pollock and salmon, both of which are higher in mercury than sardines. I would rather not feed a fish oil with not only one but two big fish.
This fish oil is also sold in stores, which as I mentioned earlier is not my favorite way to get fish oil. Even if the fish oils I use are sold in stores I will order it online versus getting from the store shelf.
ConClusion
Fish oil is much more complex than one might think! This amazing supplement is also very fragile and needs to be harvested, made and used with care. I hope this post helped you pet parents understand fish and salmon oil a bit more. This supplement can be both risky and amazing, which one it is depends on the manufacturer and the buyer. Researching a fish oil you trust is the best way to feed your pet the best food you can; I have gone through a long Journey of fish oil! I originally used Zesty Paws before switching to other salmon oil companies, and then finally to where I am now! Please leave a comment below letting us know what salmon oil you use! How much oil do you go through? & any questions you may have!
I have also listed links to podcast episodes that talk about this subject, instagram posts, and youtube videos. I also have a list of articles and references for this post in a link here: Salmon Oil, Fish Oil, & Our Pets References
I highly recommend giving the articles a read, as well as listening to the podcasts, watching the videos, and reading the instagram posts. The videos, podcasts, and instagram posts linked are not my own and all credit and praise goes to the amazing people who put the information together for us pet parents to reference.
Podcasts
Your Natural Dog with Angela Ardolino: How to Choose a Fish Oil and Omega Supplement
Angela Ardolino is the leading pet expert in cannabis and is the founder of (in my opinion) the best CBD pet company on the market. Her company CBD Dog Health produces full spectrum hemp products for dogs, cats, and horses. These oils are aimed to treat various health conditions like cancer, allergies, arthritis, seizures, and various other health ailments. Her Instagram is @yournaturaldogstore , her website is angelaardolino.com, her personal stores website is yournaturaldog.com, and her CBD Company’s website is cbddoghealth.com the company’s Instagram is @cbddoghealth .
Instagram Posts
@dook_crew on instagram’s post discussing salmon oil.
Click Here to View Post on Instagram
@dook_crew on instagram’s post discussing supplements, which briefly touches the subject of salmon oil.
Click Here to View Post on Instagram
@dook_crew is an experienced and current ferret owner hailing from Canada! She is experienced with raw feeding ferrets and provides amazing information on their care and diet. She has help many ferret parents in the community with various problems that range from caring for certain health conditions ferrets may have to switching a ferrets diet to raw. Her Instagram is @dook_crew , her tiktok is @dook_crew .
Youtube Videos
PazuandFriends YouTube Video: Top 20 Ferret Products to AVOID!
PazuandFriends on YouTube is a ferret, holistic care, and raw diet educator. She has been creating content, both blog posts and YouTube videos, on the subject of raw feeding ferrets for years, has successfully helped transition a plethora of ferrets to a raw diet, is certified in feline and canine nutrition, as well as provides a raw feeding meal plan service. Her Instagram is @thepupandpolecat , her YouTube is PazuandFriends , her website is thepupandpolecat.com .
Paws of Prey YouTube Video: 2 Nutrients You Should ALWAYS Add Together When Raw Feeding Your Pet
Paws of Prey is an amazing content creator who posts YouTube videos about raw feeding dogs, cats, and ferrets as well as a few videos discussing the care and diet of hedgehogs. She is experienced and has worked in various vet offices, is certified in canine nutrition, offers a meal plan service, a raw feeding transition aid service, as well as raw feeding calculators and cheat sheets for dogs, cats and ferrets to formulate your own raw diet for your pets! Her contributions to the community are amazing and extremely helpful, informative, and insightful. Her YouTube is Paws of Prey , her Instagram is @PawsofPrey_ , and her website is pawsofprey.com .
