Fish oil for dogs is a great alternative when whole fish isn’t an option AND if you’re feeding factory-farmed meat (it’s very high in Omega-6 fatty acids and very low in Omega-3s).
Also, when you’re feeding premade raw that doesn’t have any fish on the ingredient list and that doesn’t use meat from pastured animals.
As a matter of fact, fish oil is one of the most popular and beneficial supplements you can add to your dog’s diet — and for good reason.
Its Omega-3 fatty acids help support healthy skin and a shiny coat, reduce inflammation, and even promote brain and joint health in dogs.
So whether you’re feeding raw or kibble, fish oil can be a great addition to your pup’s daily routine. However, it doesn’t have any Vitamin D, so that’s something to be aware of. I’ll explain what to do about that in this article.
Note: This post was originally about Bonnie & Clyde’s fish oil that I used with my dogs Missy and Buzz, which is no longer available.
It’s since been updated to reflect more general information about fish oil for dogs and my current top recommendation.
Fish Oil For Dogs Benefits
Fish oil is a natural anti-inflammatory. As such, it helps with the following conditions:
- Itchy Skin & Coat
- Joint Problems & Osteoarthritis
- Neurological & Cognition Problems
- Cardiovascular Health Problems
- Inflammatory or Autoimmune Disease
- Renal Disease & Gastrointestinal Health
Additionally, it also helps to balance out the Omega-6 fatty acid content of poultry like chicken and turkey and ruminants like beef and lamb.
With my dogs Missy & Buzz, I used to switch between fish oil and whole fish such as minnows, sardines, anchovies, salmon, herring and mackerel.
With my current pup Wally, I mostly stick to whole fish.
That’s because sardines and salmon make used to make him itchy and scratchy, and it’s hard to find fish oils that don’t have those ingredients.
And because of this, he couldn’t have any bottled fish oil. After I completely omitted salmon and sardines from his diet for 5 years, he can have them again without the itchies.
So when he couldn’t have salmon and sardines (and shellfish like green lipped mussels), I mostly fed whole herring, lake trout, and mackerel. And every now and then, he also got pet hemp oil.
So if your dog can’t have any fish at all, plant oils in general are an OK fish (oil) alternative.
Fish Oil For Dogs: Fera Pet Organics Omega-3 Wild-Caught Fish Oil
Fera Pets Fish Oil is made of sardines, anchovies, herring, mackerel, and pollock that are wild-caught off of the coast of Iceland.
It also has non-GMO, sunflower-based Vitamin E added to it (just like Bonnie & Clyde’s did).
GMO is short for Genetically Modified Organisms.
The Vitamin E helps protect dogs (and cats) from free radicals and oxidative stress.
Dogs need more Vitamin E when they consume more dietary fats like Omega-3s.
That’s why it’s pretty clever to combine the Omega-3s with the Vitamin E, rather than having to supplement the Vitamin E separately.
Side Note: Soy is one of the main sources of Vitamin E.
It’s a good thing that Fera Pets chose not to source their Vitamin E from soy because many dogs are allergic to it!
Premium Fish Oil For Dogs Rich in EPA/DHA Omega-3 Fatty Acids
That said, Fera Pet Organics offers one of the premium fish oils currently available on the market!
It’s human grade, wild-caught, and sustainably fished. Additionally, it has an extremely high EPA/DHA Omega-3 Fatty Acid content.
This fish oil has 700mg of EPA and 400mg of DHA as well as 10iu of Vitamin E per teaspoon (5 ml).
Fera Pets Fish Oil
Made of sardines, anchovies, herring, mackerel, and pollock with non-GMO Vitamin E
What Exactly Are Omega-3 Fatty Acids?
Omega-3 Fatty Acids are highly unsaturated fats – the good kind of fats.
There are essentially 2 different kinds of Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Less powerful ones, and more powerful ones.
The less powerful ones are ALA (AlphaLinolenic Acid). They’re found in plants and nuts such as flaxseed and walnut and are often included in inferior pet supplements.
The more powerful ones are EPA & DHA (EicosaPentaenoic Acid and DocosaHexaenoic Acid) and occur in cold water fish.
They’re the ones that are included in this pet supplement.
Fera Fish Oil Shelf Life
The Fera Fish Oil comes in two sizes: 8oz and 16oz.
The 16oz fish oil bottle is geared towards larger dogs and multiple dog households.
That’s because its shelf life does not exceed 3 months.
Important: You’ll have to refrigerate the fish oil once you open it!
Note that small dogs and cats need considerably less oil per day than large dogs, so the 8oz fish oil bottle is a better choice for small pets.
How Much Fish Oil Should I Give My Dog A Day?
According to the Fera Pets fish oil label, you can give your dog 1/2 a teaspoon per 25lbs of body weight per day.
The 8oz bottle holds 48 teaspoons, and the 16oz bottle holds 96 teaspoons.
Tip: Learn how to properly introduce fish oil in my raw feeding transition schedule.
But there’s another way of figuring out how much of a specific fish oil you can give your dog per day
The general rule of thumb is to use 1 ml of oil per 100 g / 3.5 oz of dog food, as long as there’s 30% of Omega-3s in the fish oil you’re feeding.
You should find this information on the label – if you don’t, contact the seller and ask for the information.
So the formula is based on this math: (1 ml / Omega-3s in %) x 30%.
If there’s less Omega-3s in your fish oil (let’s assume there’s only 20%), the math goes like this:
1 ml / 20% = 0.05 ml x 30% = 1.5 ml of oil per 100 g / 3.5 oz of food → so you’d need more of the oil.
And if the Omega-3 percentage is higher than 30% – let’s assume 45% – you’d calculate it like this:
1 ml / 45% = 0.02 x 30% = 0.66 of oil per 100 g / 3.5 oz of food → so you’d need less of the oil.
Good to know: There’s 5 ml per US teaspoon. You can also use a pet feeding syringe for accuracy.
Use With Raw Dog Food Or With Kibble
You can add the Fera fish oil to any type of dog food.
It doesn’t have to be raw dog food you add it to, that’s just my personal preference.
It also works great with kibble, wet dog food or cooked dog food.
Introduce Fish Oil Slowly Due to Its Concentrated Form
Since fish oil is concentrated, adding too much during the first few days can cause diarrhea and loose stool.
Back when I started feeding fish oil, I gave the pups half of their daily allowance.
Missy did just fine with that, but Buzz had loose stool. Looking back, that wasn’t really surprising since he had a sensitive tummy.
I waited 24 hours before adding more fish oil to his food, and lowered the dosage to a quarter of his daily allowance, which I continued giving for the first week.
Beginning in week 2, I slowly increased both pups’ dosages, and they both did great with it.
Fish Oil is Odorless to Humans, Yet Tasty to Dogs!
The manufacturing process removes the fish oil scent from the bottle.
I was pleasantly surprised by this because I seriously didn’t smell anything fishy at all, but Missy’s & Buzz’s fine taste buds were super attracted by the oil.
So if you have a picky eater, try topping off their food with a fish oil like the Fera Pet kind.
Especially if you’re feeding kibble exclusively.
Fish Oil For Dogs Side Effects
Vitamin E can have an effect on blood clotting.
If your dog (or cat) takes blood-thinning medication or has a bleeding disorder, you should consult with your veterinarian before adding the fish oil to your pet’s diet.
A note on Vitamin D and Fish Oil
Fish oil is an excellent source of Omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA), but it’s important to understand what it doesn’t provide.
Most fish oils (including Fera Pets’) contain little to no vitamin D. During processing, the focus is on concentrating Omega-3s — not retaining vitamin D — which means fish oil alone usually doesn’t cover this nutrient in a raw diet.
When dogs don’t eat whole fish regularly, vitamin D needs to come from another source, such as whole oily fish like herring and mackerel, cod liver oil, or carefully dosed vitamin D supplements. Vitamin D-rich phytoplankton is another alternative to fish oil and whole fish.
If you’d like a deeper breakdown of how fish oil compares to feeding whole raw fish — including the roles of vitamin D and vitamin E — I explain the differences in detail in this article on the difference between fish oil and whole raw fish for dogs.
Fish Oil For Dogs: Final Thoughts
Fish oil can be a very helpful addition to a dog’s diet, especially when it comes to supporting joints, reducing inflammation, and helping manage conditions like arthritis or hip dysplasia.
As a concentrated source of Omega-3 fatty acids, it’s an easy way to increase EPA and DHA intake when whole fish isn’t being fed regularly and if you’re needing to balance out the high Omega-6 fatty acids from factory-farmed meat.
The fish oil I mention here is made from wild-caught sardines, anchovies, herring, mackerel, and pollock. It’s easy to portion, doesn’t have an overpowering fishy smell, and keeps well in the fridge for up to three months once opened.
That said, it’s important to note that this type of fish oil does not provide meaningful amounts of vitamin D.
If your dog isn’t eating whole oily fish, vitamin D needs to come from another source, such as whole raw fish, cod liver oil, or carefully dosed vitamin D supplements. Fish oil works best when you understand what it covers — and what it doesn’t.
Questions or experiences to share? Feel free to leave them in the comments below — I always enjoy hearing how others are feeding their dogs.
Content Related to Fish Oil for Dogs
- Whole raw fish vs fish oil for dogs: what’s the difference?
- How much fat should be in raw dog food?
- Difference between mackerel & herring
- Can I feed my dog (canned) tuna?
- How to feed raw fish for dogs
- Minnows for dogs
Barbara Rivers is the founder of K9sOverCoffee and a raw feeding educator with over a decade of hands-on experience.
She has fed raw in the US and Europe since 2015, after her Boxer mix Missy’s cancer diagnosis led her to move away from processed kibble and commit to species-appropriate nutrition.
As a former professional dog walker, she developed deep insight into canine behavior, conditioning, and the essential link between proper exercise and long-term health.
Barbara completed online training with veterinarian Dr. Marion Smart and Labrador breeder Dana Scott and works for one of Germany’s leading raw dog food brands, BARFER’S.
In 2026–2027, she is completing a year-long raw nutrition certification for dogs and cats at THP School, founded by raw feeding pioneer Swanie Simon.
Through her blog and weekly newsletter, she provides clear, experience-based guidance to help dog owners feed raw safely and confidently.
This sounds awesome. We will definitely check this out. Maddie has a lot of problems with her hips since she is older, so she can use any help!!
Aw, poor Maddie pup, but she sounds like the perfect candidate for the fish oil with her hip problems.
This looks interesting. Haley’s been on EicosaDerm Fish Oil for awhile, but their liquid pump version kept getting clogged up and then when you pumped it, the fish oil would spray in every direction except straight down. It would end up on my shirt, the wall, you name it! I’ve had her on the capsule version for awhile, but she doesn’t always eat the capsules. Maybe I should switch to this liquid brand and see how it goes. Thanks for the great info!
I’m very glad you enjoyed reading about this particular fish oil, Elaine! Maybe give it a try – it’s on sale currently 😉
I don’t think that Bonnie & Clyde’s pump will clog up – they tested several different ones (who knew there were differences in quality in pumps!!) and went with the best (also the most expensive one).
I’m very curious about this special process that removes the smell.
We bought our boat in a marina across from the Omega Protein fish processing plant–the source of much American fish oil products. And believe me, it stank enough to put blisters on the inside of your nose.
I don’t have any information about the exact how’s of the fish-removing process, but I’ll contact Jon and see if he can provide some more insight into it! Thank you for your interest, Pamela!
Yikes, I can imagine the smell…Bonnie & Clyde’s fish oil is manufactured in Iceland though 🙂
Hi Pamela!
The initial deodorizing process is done at a world-class facility in Iceland, where they inject water vapor into the fish oil.
The water vapor evaporates, taking with it the volatile flavor/smell compounds that give fish their characteristic smell.
Since omega-3 fatty acids are so sensitive to oxidation, the fish oil is transported with the air flushed out of it, only leaving nitrogen at the top of the drums.
Once it arrives in the US, it’s combined with our natural source vitamin E (d-alpha tocopherol) from non-GMO Argentinian sunflowers (which makes our product soy+gluten free by the way ;).
The vitamin E’s purpose is two-fold: it helps to preserve the oil, extending the shelf life and stability of our product; it also helps to protect your dog against lipid peroxidation.
Basically the fatty acids in fish oil will degrade from exposure to oxygen, and can create free radicals in your dog’s body. This can also deplete the vitamin E stores in your dog’s body.
Finally, when the product is actually bottled from the drums into the individual 16oz bottles, there’s one last step for quality assurance.
Right before applying a foil induction seal to the neck of the bottle, there’s a quick jet of nitrogen to purge the space between the top of the oil and the cap. This ensures there’s no lipid peroxidation process taking place while your product is warehoused and shipped to you.
There you have it, our secrets for stink-free fish oil 🙂
Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns!
Kind regards,
Jon C.
Founder, Bonnie and Clyde Pet Goods
We still have capsules, but I’m liking this idea of the pump. May have to try it.
Give it a try – it’s super convenient.
I really appreciate that you only review things you believe in 100 percent and don’t have questionable ingredients. She is family and I would not want to give her something I couldn’t even ingest. It is crazy how the standards can be so different for dogs. And that picture of the cats, oh my goodness!!
Thank you for saying that, Julie, I REALLY do appreciate that! Testing & reviewing a product that doesn’t convince me, especially as far as nutrition is concerned, would conflict with the message I’m trying to send. I simply refuse to feed my dogs any ingredients that are superfluous – if that means doing less blog posts and getting sent less products from a variety of brands, so be it.
Hey! So is using mackerel for example as 10% of the total weight still a good formula? For example if I feed 20 oz of food per day, 2 ounces should be mackerel? Also, I feed my cat and dog the same food, adding some taurine just in case, yet cats cannot have raw fish in their food as it depletes something they need, so is canned mackerel (which doesn’t have the head or tail or guts which seems like it could be an issue), and is already cooked okay for the dog or should I be using whole anchovies in oil? To be clear, she has the liver and second secreting organ in the recipe, so maybe not worry about the head etc? Thanks!
Hey Carrie, yes, feeding 10% of the total raw dog food amount per day in oily fish is great. If you mostly rely on conventionally raised / factory farmed meat, I’d still add some fish oil, too to balance out the Omega6s from the meat. I know that pastured meat is more expensive, but it will be a lot richer in Omega-3s than the factory farmed kind. Regarding cats, you can feed them fish, but a lot less than dogs – they do fine with oily fish instead of their muscle meat once a month. If your cat doesn’t like fish or you don’t want to feed fish, you can cover their Vitamin-D needs with cod liver oil or egg yolk.