Best Fish Oil Supplements for Dogs: For Heart Health and More

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I know fish oil doesn’t sound like the most appeasing supplement to add to your or your dog’s daily meal plan. After all, why not just eat fish straight?

The simple fact is that fish oil is a much more concentrated (and thus effective) source of many of the great benefits that eating fish can give us

There’s a myriad of ways that fish oil can improve our human bodies, but it can also help your dog!

That’s right:

if you want to improve the joints, brain function, skin condition and overall health of your dog, it’s well worth exploring if fish oils could work for you and your pup.

High-quality fish oil supplements offer many benefits, but there are hundreds, if not thousands, of products on the market and not all are created equal. We’ve compiled this guide to help you make the best decision for your dog’s needs.​

At a Glance: Our Top 6 Best Fish Oil Supplements for Dogs

• Omegease Omega-Rich Fish Oil
• Grizzly Salmon Oil All-Natural Dog Food Supplement
• Zesty Paws Pure Wild Alaskan Salmon Oil for Dogs
• Amazing Nutritionals Omega 3 Chews
• Nordic Naturals Omega 3 Pet Soft Gels
• Pure Paw Pure Alaskan Salmon Oil

Note: Some of the links above take you to more information, current prices and customer reviews on Chewy.

​

What are Fish Oil Supplements?

Fish oils are Omega-3 fatty acids, which are found in certain cold-water fishes, including salmon, mackerel, herring and cod liver. These oils are extracted from the fish, then packaged and sold as supplements in either tablet or liquid form, occasionally mixed in with some added vitamins and minerals.

Two of the omega-3 fatty acids in fish oils is especially beneficial to health:

• EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid)
• DHA (docosahexaenoic acid).

These are anti-inflammatory and provide various benefits to weight management, brain health and heart health.

Humans, dogs and cats can take fish oil supplements. Of course, you can also take in these fatty acids by going straight to the source and eating the fish themselves. Supplements are simply an easier way to guarantee a regular dose and are often more concentrated and purified.

What are the Different Types of Fish Oil Supplements?

Fish oil supplements for dogs are either in liquid form, whereby you pour a small dosage onto their daily kibble, or in tablet form, which can either be given to your pup to chew or punctured and squeezed over their food.

There are a huge number of different fish oil supplements on the market and these can usually be divided into two camps: regular fish oil and salmon oil. As you might expect, salmon oil contains the omega-3 fatty acids extracted solely from salmon, whereas fish oil comes from any array of different cold-water fish.

Whether you choose fish or salmon oil is up to you: high-quality products of either option will contain high levels of EPA and DHA. Salmon oil may be preferable if your dog has allergies or sensitivities to any other fish.

Benefits of Fish Oils

One of the reasons why fish oil supplementation is so popular with both humans and dogs is because it’s truly very beneficial for your health.The benefits of EPA and DHA fatty acids include:

• arrow-right Anti-inflammatory properties that are great for tackling allergies, arthritis and inflammation in the bowel
• arrow-right Restoring shine to the coat and skin, and reducing shedding
• arrow-right Aiding weight management
• arrow-right Lowering blood pressure
• arrow-right Reducing triglyceride levels (cholesterol)
• arrow-right Strengthening the immune system
• arrow-right Improving cognitive function
• arrow-right Developing cognitive function and eye health of fetuses (it’s a great supplement for pregnant dams)
• arrow-right Supports heart health by thinning the blood and therefore boosting circulation

Which Dogs Can Benefit?

While dogs of all ages, size and breeds can benefit from regular supplementation with fish oils, there are a clear few groups that can seriously benefit.

Older Dogs

Older dogs, especially those suffering from arthritis, will be able to move a lot more painlessly and easily as the fish oils will help to halt and reduce any swelling and inflammation around their joints.

Their blood pressure will be lowered, heart boosted and cholesterol levels lowered too.

Puppies

At the other end of the spectrum, puppies can also hugely benefit from fish oils. Various studies have shown that puppies with an optimal level of DHA are easier to train than those without it, thanks to the fatty acid’s effect on cognitive function.

It also helps to boost their immune system to help them fight any disease or infection they may be vulnerable to while they’re young.

Pregnant Dams

In that same vein, pregnant dams are also a prime candidate for fish oil supplementation. Not only will it greatly aid the development of the fetus, but it will also protect the dam from disease by strengthening their immune system, while keeping down their blood pressure.

Dogs With Specific Health Conditions

Dogs that are suffering from omega-3 deficiency will obviously very much benefit from fish oil supplements too. Symptoms of this include dry skin and coat, pain in their joints, and being quick to fatigue.

And finally, it’s widely believed that larger dogs who are prone to joint problems will benefit, Labrador Retrievers, Golden Retrievers and German Shepherds being high on this list.

How Effective are Fish Oils?

You’re likely reading this and thinking that the benefits of fish oils sound great – too good to be true, almost.

Trust me, I know this:

There’s lots of debate as to whether the entire supplement market – for humans, dogs and other pets – are as effective as they claim to be.

The clue as to their value lies in their name. Fish oil supplements do just that – supplement a hopefully already healthy diet and lifestyle. They’re not going to be able to undo the effects of a bad diet or lack of exercise for your dog. The starting point to doggy health always starts with a healthy, balanced diet and plenty of exercise – then it’s a good idea to look at supplementation.

Kibble vs. Supplementation

Some kibble manufacturers will claim to have added fish oils in their products, but the truth is that these fragile chains of omega-3 fatty acids will simply not survive in bags of kibble and are unlikely to provide any real benefit. The essential fatty acids are better delivered as a direct supplement. Fish oils should ideally be refrigerated and used relatively quickly to avoid going rancid.

Quality Matters

Fish oil supplements are also only as good as their manufacturing process. The best products will be 100% pure, all natural and responsibly sourced. They’ll be as close to their natural state as possible – i.e. straight from the fishes – and won’t be burdened with any fillers or preservatives.

Lower quality (and usually cheap) fish oil supplements may claim to deliver the many benefits of omega-3 fatty acids, but they’re so loaded with worthless extra ingredients to keep the manufacturing costs low that they’re often not worth their price tag at all.

Be a smart dog owner:

If you are going to supplement your dog with fish oils, make sure that you go for high quality, pure products. They may cost a little more, but they’re ultimately much better for your pup’s health in the long and short term.

Our Picks for Best Fish Oil Supplements

PRODUCT	SHORT DESCRIPTION	CHECK PRICE
Omegease Omega-Rich Fish Oil	Our Best Choice
Grizzly Salmon Oil All-Natural Dog Food Supplement	From Wild Caught Salmon and Pollock
Zesty Paws Pure Wild Alaskan Salmon Oil for Dogs	GMO-Free
Amazing Nutritionals Omega 3 Chews	Hypoallergenic
Pure Paw Pure Alaskan Salmon Oil	Plus Vitamin B-Complex

Omegease Omega-Rich Fish Oil for Dogs and Cats

This fish oil supplement is a highly rated and popular product on the market and it’s easy to see why. Wild caught fish from a variety of sources provide pure omega 3, 6 and 9 – and it can just be added easily to your dog’s kibble with no fuss and great taste.

Pros:

• checkAll-natural, human-grade and 100% pure, exceeding US pharmaceutical standards
• checkRich in EPA and DHA, contains omega 3, 6 and 9
• checkSourced from wild-caught sardines, anchovies, herring and mackerel from the North Atlantic
• checkContains no additives, fillers or preservatives
• checkMolecularly distilled to remove any toxins and heavy metals, then 3^rd party tested for purity
• checkDistilled at a low temperature to conserve the oils’ potency
• checkEasy to add to your dog’s kibble​

Cons:

• The pump dispenser is quite messy, allowing the oils to dribble out the top
• It does have a reasonably fishy odor (despite its claims to the contrary)

Grizzly Omega Health Omega-3 Food Supplement

One of the most popular fish oil supplements for dogs, Grizzly Omega Health is sourced from salmon and pollock fish, wild-caught in Alaska. Again, it’s contained in a pump bottle for dispensing straight onto your dog’s usual food and widely loved for its rich taste.

Pros:

• checkAll-natural, 100% pure, derived from wild Alaskan salmon and Alaskan pollock
• checkContains Omega 3, 6 and Arachidonic fatty acids, as well as natural occurring Vitamin E, antioxidants and other trace vitamins
• checkLight odor that’s not too fishy
• checkThe product line’s toxin and heavy metals levels are regularly checked and found to be below the method detection limit
• checkMinimally processed with a very short heating period to maintain the potency of the salmon oil
• checkAvailable in 4 different sizes from 8 to 64 ounces

Cons:

• Again, the bottle pump is messy and leaks relatively easily
• It contains all-natural rosemary extract as a natural fat preservative to ensure that the salmon oil doesn’t oxidize and go rancid in your body. Canine intake of rosemary is relatively controversial, despite being classified as ‘Generally Regarded As Safe’ by the FDA, as there have been some links to seizures with very high dosages in the past. As with anything, dose is what makes a particular ingredient toxic, and consult with your vet if you’re concerned.

Zesty Paws Pure Wild Alaskan Salmon Oil

This is another salmon only fish oil supplement for dogs, that again comes in a liquid formula, easy to mix into your pup’s daily kibble. Zesty Paws have taken great pains to ensure the product’s safety as an all-natural supplement.

Pros:

• checkAll-natural, derived from fresh, wild-caught Icelandic salmon
• checkIndependently certified by the NSF and GMP certified
• checkMade in the USA in an FDA-registered facility
• checkRich in Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids
• checkFree from GMOs and fillers
• checkOnly very lightly scented with no overwhelmingly fishy odors
• checkTasty – dogs love it!

Cons:

• In what is apparently a common theme, the pump isn’t well equipped to deal with the oily texture of the salmon oil and is known to leak and get quite messy

Amazing Nutritionals Omega 3 Chews

This product is the number one bestseller in the ‘dog food toppings’ category on Amazon, likely due to the health benefits of it being a 100% pure, natural source of fish oils, and the ease that comes with giving your dog a delicious, chewable tablet – much better than a leaky pump!

Pros:

• checkDelicious bacon and liver flavor
• check100% pure, all natural fish oil chewables
• checkThird party tested for purity and dosage
• checkRich in Omega 3, 6 and 9 fatty acids
• checkDon’t require refrigeration
• checkNo fishy odor
• checkHypoallergenic with no manufacturing byproducts or allergens
• checkMade in the USA, in small batches in a GMP certified organic facility
• checkTables are custom formulated for dogs

Cons:

• Some dogs may not like chewing a tablet
• They don’t contain any additional Vitamin E so you may need to source this elsewhere

Nordic Naturals Omega 3 Pet Soft Gels

Nordic Naturals is a very popular brand of fish oil supplementation that creates products for both humans and dogs. These ‘soft gels’ can either be chewed or punctured and added in smaller doses to your dog’s kibble. As with the other products on our list, they’re pure and natural.

Pros:

• checkContains wild-caught anchovy and sardine oil
• checkRich in Omega 3 – 1 gel contains 1000mg of fish oil — from the freshest catch
• checkProduced in its true triglyceride form to ensure that it’s fully absorbed by the body – most fish oil supplements are actually ethyl ester molecules (concentrated and distilled forms of fish oil)
• checkDistilled to remove toxins and heavy metals
• check3^rd party tested for purity and freshness, exceeding standards set by the World Health Organization and European Pharmacopoeia
• checkCertificates of analysis are available upon request
• checkSpecially formulated for dogs and cats
• checkComes in two sizes: 90 or 180 soft gels per package

Cons:

• The gels aren’t particularly easy to puncture if you’d prefer to add the oil directly onto your dog’s kibble

Pure Paw Pure Alaskan Salmon Oil

This is another pure, salmon-only fish oil and it appears to be one of the few products that have escaped the leaky pump fate! Unlike some of the other products in this list, it also contains additional vitamins that may be beneficial to your dog’s health.

Pros:

• checkMade from wild-caught Alaskan salmon
• checkAlso contains Vitamin B complex. Vitamin D3 and potassium
• checkThe pump is robust and ensures no drips or leaks
• checkContains no additives, preservatives or rosemary
• checkThe bottle is recyclable and free from BPA
• checkMade in the USA
• checkAvailable in two sizes – 8 and 32 ounces

Cons:

• Relatively strong, fishy odor
• This may not be suitable for pups that aren’t house trained: the B vitamins are known to color their urine a more vibrant yellow, which may not be a good thing for your carpets!

Conclusion

Hopefully now you’re aware of the many benefits of fish oil supplements for dogs, and the best products on the market to help deliver those benefits.

Giving fish oil to your dog daily can help improve a lot about their health, but you should remember to double check with your vet what dosage to take. When you’re first starting with supplement oils, you have to be careful to avoid any potential side effects or harmful interactions with other medication.

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