Salmon oil for dogs: what it is and how much to give
Food composition · · Farm Fresh
Salmon oil is a fish oil that you add to the food in the bowl. Here you’ll find what’s in it, how much to give your dog and how to store it. We take the figures from the label of our Wild Salmon Oil.
What salmon oil is
Wild Salmon Oil has a single ingredient: salmon oil 100%. The salmon are wild-caught in the Atlantic Ocean and processed directly at sea; the oil is made in Iceland. It is cold-pressed and has no added colourings or preservatives.
What’s in it
It’s almost pure fat: the label gives crude fat 99%, crude protein and crude ash 0%. There is 0.9 g of omega-3 fatty acids in 5 ml of Wild Salmon Oil, of which 365 mg is EPA and 235 mg is DHA.
What is salmon oil for dogs used for?
You add it to the bowl as a source of fish oil with omega-3 fatty acids. It also works well for making meals tastier.
It isn’t a medicine and it doesn’t treat any problems. If your dog has health problems, start with your vet.
The oil is an option, not a must. Complete pet food is enough on its own as a daily ration. The 2025 European nutritional guidelines from FEDIAF set no specific amount of omega-3 for adult dogs because, they say, there isn’t yet enough information to do so. Salmon oil is already in the composition of 10 of our 18 dry food recipes for dogs, such as Adult Salmon.
How much oil to give your dog
The dose depends on your dog’s weight. The label gives these daily doses:
| Dog’s weight | Daily dose |
|---|---|
| 1–10 kg | 5 ml |
| 10–20 kg | 10 ml |
| 20–50 kg | 15 ml |
One teaspoon is 5 ml. Add the oil to the food in the bowl. The label gives no dose for dogs over 50 kg. Always make sure your dog has plenty of fresh water.
Oil is fat, so it provides a lot of energy: 5 ml has roughly 40 kcal. For a 5 kg dog that’s over a tenth of its daily needs, and for smaller dogs even more, so count the oil as part of the daily ration.
How to store the oil
Store it at room temperature, and in the dark once opened. In an unopened bottle it keeps for up to three years. You’ll find the best-before date and the batch number on the pack.
Which fish oil should you choose?
Farm Fresh has three fish oils from Iceland: salmon oil, cod-family fish oil, and anchovy and sardine oil. The dose is the same for all three; they differ in their omega-3 content:
| Oil, figures per 5 ml | Omega-3 | EPA | DHA |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wild Salmon Oil | 0.9 g | 365 mg | 235 mg |
| Wild Cod Fish Oil | 1.1 g | 380 mg | 410 mg |
| Wild Anchovy and Sardine Oil | 1.4 g | 644 mg | 414 mg |
What about cats?
Wild Salmon Oil is for dogs and cats of all breeds and ages. But the table on the label applies only to dogs, so check the dose for your cat with your vet.
You’ll find the other oils and supplements in the categories Oils and supplements for dogs and Oils for cats.