Guide to Purchasing Fish Oil for Pets

Fish oil is a rich source of the essential omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA, which have been shown to provide an immense variety of health benefits, from decreasing inflammation and supporting a healthy nervous system to promoting kidney health, helping fight cancer and benefiting the skin and coat. The purpose of this particular post, however, is not to discuss the health benefits of fish oil, but rather to provide a guide on purchasing fish oil for pets so that you can select the best product for your dog or cat.

There are many fish oils on the market, so it’s important to have specific criteria to help you select one of top quality. Here are the key factors I look at when evaluating a fish oil product:

• Fish type and size
• Fish origin
• Product purity
• Manufacturing standards
• Bioavailability
• Freshness and oxidation
• Balancing fat-soluble vitamins

Fish Type and Size: Go for Smaller Species

When purchasing fish oil for pets or people, the size of the fish used matters because larger fish are more likely to be contaminated with toxins, including mercury and PCBs. As larger fish higher up the food chain eat smaller fish, the larger fish accumulate toxins in their systems. If you or your pet then eat the larger fish or its oil, you may also be exposed to these toxins.

My recommendation: Opt for oils made from smaller fish, such as sardines and anchovies, to reduce potential exposure to environmental toxins.

Fish Origin: Avoid Factory-Farmed Fish

Fish from factory farms (“aquafarms”) are kept in nets or cages either in the ocean or in land-based ponds, pools or concrete tanks. Proponents of factory farm raised fish argue that these fish have less mercury in their systems than their wild caught counterparts. While this may be true, they still ingest mercury and, more importantly, the problems with factory farmed fish far outweigh the benefits. Here are some downsides of factory farmed fish to consider:

• Inhumane: fish are overstocked and have little room to swim, causing a stressful environment that increases incidences of mortality. In fact, 40% of aquafarmed fish die before slaughter.
• Water pollution caused by close quarters leads to high levels of ammonia and nitrites. So, these fish can become infested with parasites and bacterial infections.
• To offset water pollution, the water is often filled with pesticides and antibiotics. Frequent use of antibiotics can enable antibiotic-resistant bacteria to grow that can affect the health of ourselves and companion animals.
• Particularly in ocean-based aquafarms, the concentrated fish waste can suffocate native animal populations.
• Diseases common in ocean farming conditions can be transmitted to wild fish and the antibiotics used to control these diseases can adversely affect wild fish.^[1][2]

My recommendation: Opt for products made from wild-caught fish – but make sure they are caught sustainably and with respect for the marine ecosystem.

Product Purity

When it comes to purchasing fish oil for pets, product purity is vital. To minimize chances of contaminants, select a manufacturer that uses natural processing methods (no oxygen, chemicals or high heat) to remove environmental chemicals and other impurities. My favorite company (see below), uses water and clay filers or molecular distillation to process its oils, maintaining the integrity of the oil while eliminating potentially harmful environmental toxins.^[3]

To help ensure that you purchase a pure fish oil product, check whether the manufacturer guarantees that their oils meet or exceed the standards set forth by agencies such as:

• NMS—Norwegian Medicinal Standards
• EPS­—European Pharmacopoeia Standards
• CRN—Council for Responsible Nutrition
• WHO—World Health Organization
• GMP—Good Manufacturing Practices

You may also request a Certificate of Analysis (COA) from the manufacturer, which is an analysis of the product performed by an independent lab. If the manufacturer won’t provide a COA or tells you they don’t have one, move on.

My recommendation: Select a naturally processed fish oil manufactured to the highest purity standards as evidenced by independent, third-party certification.

Bioavailability

Omega-3 fatty acids occur naturally in triglyceride form, however some manufacturers chemically alter the natural triglycerides, converting them into ethyl ester form to concentrate the EPA and DHA. However, this synthetic ethyl ester form of triglycerides is shown to be less absorbable than the natural form.^[4]

My recommendation: Select fish oil made from natural triglycerides for optimum absorption and utilization.

Freshness and Oxidation

Oxidation is a chemical reaction that can happen to fats when they are exposed to environmental elements such as air, light and heat. The result is rancid oil, and it’s no joke. Oxidation not only negatively impacts food quality, but also the health of those who consume rancid foods. Consuming rancid oil increases oxidation and inflammation in the body, which can lead to a host of chronic diseases.^[4]

To help ensure your oil is not rancid, purchase only from a high quality producer and select a product that is stored in a dark container to protect it from light.

You can also check the freshness of each bottle by randomly selecting a capsule, puncturing a hole in it and squeezing out some of the oil. If it smells like rotten fish, toss it.^[4]

Vitamin E is added to many fish oil products as an antioxidant, helping to defend against oxidation and rancidity. Be aware that there are two types of vitamin E: natural and synthetic. Synthetic vitamin E is less active than the natural form, not as well absorbed and is made from petroleum products.

A common clue to distinguish between natural and synthetic vitamin E is by reading its form on the product label. D-alpha tocopherol represents the natural form, but if the label lists dl-alpha-tocopherol, it’s synthetic.^[5] If the form is not listed and the label just lists “vitamin E”, “tocopherol”, “alpha-tocopherol” or “mixed tocopherols”, you will need to call the company.

The only caveat with natural vitamin E is that it often comes from soybeans. If your dog or cat is diagnosed with a sensitivity to soy, opt for a product using vitamin E from a different source, such as sunflower oil. Alternately, select a manufacturer that guarantees (via laboratory analysis) that their oil contains no detectable soy protein components. Since reactions occur to proteins, not fats, this would dramatically reduce the potential for a problem.

My recommendation: Select a fish oil that is fresh and protected from oxidation with natural vitamin E.

Balancing Fat-Soluble Vitamins

The amount of two fat-soluble vitamins, A and D, varies between each fish species as well as what parts of the body are used for their oil. Cod liver oil has a great deal of both vitamins A and D, so I do not typically recommend giving it as a supplement, especially if you already feed a balanced commercial diet. Salmon oil should also be used judiciously to ensure that vitamin D levels are kept to safe amounts. Unlike water-soluble vitamins, the excesses of fat-soluble vitamins are not flushed from the body, but are stored. Depending on the vitamin, this storage can lead to toxicity. Others have pointed out that molecular distillation removes vitamins A and D from cod liver oil, however my research shows that some manufacturers then add these vitamins back into the product in synthetic form.

Be aware that while omega-3 fatty acids possess amazing health benefits, they also create oxidation in the body and deplete vitamin E levels. Therefore, additional vitamin E should be given along with fish oil. This is one reason why I like fish oil products that also contain vitamin E. 10 IUs of vitamin E should be enough to balance one teaspoon, or 5 grams, of oil. If your product does not contain vitamin E, you can add 1 to 2 IUs per pound of body weight daily.^[6]

You may be wondering which fish oil product I recommend. While there are many high-quality fish oil products on the market, my go-to product is Nordic Naturals Omega-3 Pet. Nordic Naturals is a high-quality, reputable company manufacturing fish oil supplements for humans and pets. Omega-3 Pet meets all of my recommendations in this article and their pet fish oil products are held to the same high-quality standards as their human products. I have been giving Nordic Naturals to my boy, Chase, for many years (and, no, I don’t receive compensation of any sort for recommending them!).

I hope that you enjoyed this Guide to Purchasing Fish Oil for Pets and that it helps your four-legged companion live a healthy, happy, long life.

1. ^[1] Monterey Bay Aquarium. (2016). Problems with Condensed Space and Waste, Aquaculture, Retrieved from http://www.seafoodwatch.org/ocean-issues/aquaculture/pollution-and-disease. ↩
2. ^[2] Good K. (2015). The New Factory-Farmed Animals, One Green Planet, Retrieved from http://www.onegreenplanet.org/animalsandnature/fish-the-new-factory-farmed-animals/. ↩
3. ^[3] Nordic Naturals. (2015). Why Nordic Naturals, Retrieved from https://www.nordicnaturals.com/petRet/nnpet_whyNN.php. ↩
4. ^[4] Kresser C. (2010). The Definitive Fish Oil Buyer’s Guide, Retrieved from http://chriskresser.com/the-definitive-fish-oil-buyers-guide/. ↩
5. ^[5] National Institutes of Health (NIH). (2016). Vitamin E: Fact Sheet for Health Professionals, Retrieved from https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminE-HealthProfessional/. ↩
6. ^[6] Straus M. (2015). Supplements for Dogs, Retrieved from http://dogaware.com/diet/supplements.html#fishoil. ↩

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