Salmon oil is all the rage in the ferret world. It has been coined the "miracle treat" used for nail trimming, vet visits, and most commonly, a staple in the ferret's diet. But is this oil really all that amazing? Should it be fed daily? Fish oil contains essential fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids are polyunsaturated fats, and will give your pet DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) these are essential fatty acids (EFAs) because our pets cannot naturally create them.
Some benefits of DHA and EPA include: 1. Supports the body's natural anti-inflammatory response. 2. Can help aid in neurological and retinal development. 3. Can promote skin and coat quality. I do not advise feeding cod liver oil over salmon oil because it is derived from the liver, meaning it is high in vitamin A. As raw feeders, we are cautious of vitamin A toxicity. It is fat soluble, so anything extra will not be flushed out of the system. Along with salmon oil, cod liver oil also contains vitamin D, another fat soluble vitamin. These can accumulate in the liver and body and have very harmful effects when overfed. Many ferret owners I see overfeed this oil by a large margin. According to the Holistic Ferret Forum, salmon oil should be limited to 1 teaspoon per ferret over the course of the week. Not in one sitting. Most people I see are feeding nearly an entire tablespoon of salmon oil each day. Overfeeding salmon oil can have negative side effects in your ferrets. Mainly with blood clot function. "Omega-3 fatty acids can decrease the ability of platelets to stick together and form a blood clot quickly." As I mentioned before, salmon oil is high in vitamin D. Too much of this vitamin can cause weakness, vomiting, loss of appetite, and more. When consumed in poisonous amounts over a period of time, they can experience more serious problems such as hardening of tissues, and acute kidney failure. A more minor side effect is oily, loose stools. Too many loose stools in a row can quickly dehydrate your ferret. That all sounds pretty scary. If salmon oil is being fed in the proper amounts (1tsp per ferret over a week) we shouldn't see problems. From what I've seen in the media, it's only a matter of time before a ferret falls ill. This oil is being recommended not only as a daily supplement, but as a treat and training aid. Fish oils have the tendency to oxidize long before hitting our shelves. This occurs when they are exposed to heat, light, or oxygen. Fish oil that has oxidized will have a pungent odor. Most ferret owners feed the pump version, which is not an airtight seal, promoting the oxidizing process. Gel capsules tend to offer more protection. Oxidized fish oil will suffer from reduced amounts of EPA/DHA rendering it's benefits. To prevent increased oxidization of fish oils, buy it in small amounts. One bottle at a time, and keep it in the refrigerator. Even so, the recommended weekly amount of salmon oil is so low, the bottle will go rancid long before it can be finished. Caution should be made feeding fish oil to ferrets with sensitive stomachs, IBD, or pancreatitis. Increased fats can agitate these conditions. While salmon oil may be a good supplement in the diet of kibble fed ferrets I strongly believe raw feeders should seek other avenues for DHA and EPA. Nothing beats the real thing! I recommend adding fatty fish in the diet once or twice a week. Some healthy fish options include:
These fish will also give your ferrets iodine, supporting thyroid function, along with a healthy serving of vitamin D. I believe salmon oil when fed in proper amounts can be beneficial for kibble fed ferrets. But, I think we need to take it more seriously. This is not just a treat we can toss around willy nilly. It can have very serious side effects when overfed. We have grown lax on salmon oil since it is shown in the media as a "cure all" for bite training, litter training, vet visits, nail clipping, and used as a daily supplement. My end note to you all is to just think before you feed. http://www.pethealthnetwork.com/dog-health/dog-toxins-poisons/vitamin-d-poisoning https://www.nordicnaturals.com/petVet/images/PetQ+A0112_sm.pdf https://labdoor.com/article/fish-oil-and-oxidation-causes-and-effects
3 Comments
11/27/2021 06:27:22 am
Hello!!! I am such a huge fan of your channel! I’ve learned everything I know about my ferrets from you and “the modern ferret”. I have two boys named Yama and soccy and they’re in the best conditions thanks to you. I currently work at Petco and I have been taking care of our ferrets the same way I take care of mine (minus the diet). The diet I have the ferrets at our store on is an instinct raw diet cat kibble with 1 teaspoon of salmon oil weekly for them. That’s the best I could do because of the corporate circumstances ( I had to fight to get them to allow me to change their diet). Before I started working here and informed them about how important a ferrets diet is, they were feeding all of their ferrets Marshall’s and RAT BLOCK!! I couldn’t believe it. I told them how deadly Marshall’s diet is and even about ferrets weren’t rodents and carnivorous! And all of these people are in their 30’s ( I am 20). I am still fighting to try and get them to take care of these animals appropriately, and I WILL keep on fighting until they actually show that they put THESE ANIMALS FIRST. Thank you for being such a huge inspiration!!!
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Jan Burgess
2/1/2022 06:15:47 pm
Thank you for the insightful article. I have recently been wondering about this topic and am satisfied with the general information provided.
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TruthInAll
1/17/2023 08:27:25 am
Science please. Vit A does not accumulate in obligate carnivores to a level of toxicity.
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