Salmon oil for dogs (10 facts for his health)
You want to know more about the properties of salmon oil for dogs? Then you've come to the right place. We'll show you the 10 most important facts and what salmon oil is best suited for. We have also obtained advice for this article from veterinarian Mag.med.vet. Emin Jasarevic for this article.
January 14, 2026
5 min read
Updated on August 21, 2025
Salmon oil has a variety of beneficial properties. However, only for internal use.
Why salmon oil?
Every dog owner wants to have a healthy and active dog. Nutrition plays an important role in this. The wrong diet can lead to difficulties that are reflected in your four-legged friend's state of health.
The first signs may be excessive hair loss or dull coat.
The addition of salmon oil prevents possible health problems. Because, as a rule, they arise due to poor nutrition.
It is very beneficial for the health of your pelt nose if you give him fish oil. You can also feed a sufficient amount of high quality fish oil. Pay attention to fatty acids.**
Especially people who consciously eat healthy know that omega-3 fatty acids are important for the organism. This is not only the case for humans, but also for our four-legged friends.
A proper combination of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids is even essential for life. However, these fatty acids cannot be formed independently. They must be ingested with food.
That is why it is important to pay attention to the fatty acids in the ingredients. It doesn't matter whether your pet is fed according to the BARF principle or a mixture of wet and dry food:
In all diets must contain fatty acids. Ideal for this purpose is the salmon oil.
Adding salmon oil can have some crucial effects that will ensure a long and healthy life for your pet.
Positive effects include:
- shiny, soft and dense coat
- no dandruff on the skin
- Promoting brain power
- faster healing of skin diseases
- reduced risk of cardiovascular diseases
- better wound healing
- Anti-inflammatory
In principle, all oils derived from salmon can be sold as salmon oil. However, you should not use any arbitrary for your darling.
When buying, always make sure that it is a pure natural product. The high-quality fatty acids are especially still contained if the oil was cold pressed during production.
Salmon oil is available not only in pet stores, but now also in retail stores. However, the oil from the supermarket is more for human use.
My recommendation is a special preparation for dogs. Below I show you my favorite product.
The main ingredient is omega-3 fatty acids. These are unsaturated fatty acids, which consist of various elements:
- EPA eicosapentaenoic acidThe unsaturated EPA is perfect for blood clotting. The immune system is positively influenced and inflammations can heal better. EPA is also said to help against depression and ensure a good mood.
- DHA docosahexaenoic acid This acid deals with metabolic function and is good for the brain. It supports the development of the brain in puppyhood and helps to maintain performance in old age. The acid is also good for the eyes and the development of nerve tissue.
- ALA alpha-linolenic acid It is broken down in the body to EPA and DHA.
It is best to mix the salmon oil into the food. As a rule, four-legged friends are not so keen on salmon oil. It has a slightly bitter smell. The smell and taste of the usual food can mask the salmon oil from your pet.
Even though your pet's health comes first, don't overdo it with the administration of salmon oil.
As a guideline, a dog with a body weight of 10 kg may get about one tablespoon of salmon oil daily.
In principle, any furry nose can be fed with salmon oil. But there are also some exceptions:
If your faithful companion suffers from allergies, then you should try the salmon oil with the utmost caution.
Simply add a few drops to his daily food and watch him. He may get diarrhea if he is intolerant. However, this possibility is rather rare. Older four-legged friends can also eat salmon oil without any problems.
Salmon oil is not the optimal choice for external use. Here I prefer to recommend coconut oil.
The strong smell can disturb not only your protégé, but also people in the vicinity.
In the case of skin irritation, a special Evening primrose oil an. This is more suitable for external use than salmon oil.
Salmon oil is perfect for puppies. It has a good influence on the brain. Visual acuity and brain development are positively influenced by salmon oil in puppies. It is also good for their social behavior. This is why puppies should be given salmon oil regularly.
When buying a suitable puppy food, pay attention to the ingredients. It should contain salmon oil or another high-quality oil. If it doesn't, you can buy it at a pet store and add it to the food.
Salmon oil is a feed additive. Thus, it depends on the correct dosage. If the dosage is too high, side effects may occur.
The best known side effects are:
- Soft stool
- Diarrhea
- Flatulence
- Abdominal pain
- Nausea
- Bad breath
Some users of salmon oil have found that too high a dosage leads to softer paws. This is said to make the pads more sensitive, which increases the risk of injury.
Basically, salmon oil (as a natural product) is healthy and does not cause any side effects when properly dosed.
There is also fish oil in capsule form. Here, too, it is important to administer the right dose. If your pet is too small to swallow a whole capsule, you can cut it open and add only half to the food.
So better safe than sorry.
