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Ingredient file // Fat or oil

Menhaden Fish Oil

A marine fat whose dose matters

Menhaden fish oil is fat separated from whole menhaden caught for fish meal and oil. It gives dogs EPA and DHA directly, along with calories. The ingredient name alone cannot tell you whether a food delivers the amounts used in treatment studies.

Role in the food Supporting nutrient
Menhaden Fish Oil
What it is
Oil separated from whole menhaden, used in dog food for fat and marine omega-3 fatty acids.
Made from
Whole menhaden fish
Main job
EPA and DHA source
Typical amount
Not published
Watch for
Rancidity and uncounted extra oil
Not the same as
Cod liver oil

Straight answer

Is Menhaden Fish Oil safe for dogs?

Check the dose behind the fish name

Look for menhaden oil among the added fats, then check whether the maker gives EPA and DHA amounts for the finished food. Its place on the list cannot answer that. If you are considering extra oil for joints or skin, count what the food already supplies first.

Why it is in the food
EPA and DHA source

Our read // In our catalog

In 1 of every 39 foods we track

Share of foods that list it

3%

82 of the 3,204 foods with an ingredient list on file, from 20 brands. 69 dry dog food, 13 wet dog food.

Each square is 1% of the catalog

Where it sits on the label

Median position 13. In the top five of 1 food, so it is usually a minor ingredient.

Top five List position, heaviest first

Above the salt

54%

Listed before the salt in 54% of foods. In the rest it is under about 1% of the recipe.

Price per lb

Foods with it $2.89
All foods $3.25

Median of the cheapest bag price across 46 priced foods, 11% below the catalog. The price is the food's, not the ingredient's.

Who leans on it

27%

of the foods that list it are from Natural Balance. 20 brands use it in total.

What it is

How it is made

Menhaden are caught in bulk for fish meal and oil. Cooking releases their fat, while pressing and centrifuging separate the oil from water and the solids that continue toward meal production.9,10,11

  1. 01 // Source Whole menhaden Fish caught for the reduction industry arrive at plants that make fish meal and oil.
  2. 02 // Process Cooked and pressed Heat releases fat from the fish, and pressing separates much of the liquid from the solids.
  3. 03 // Process Oil separated A centrifuge separates oil from water and fine solids in the liquid pressed from the fish.
  4. 04 // Output Menhaden oil The liquid oil is stored for shipment; some crude oil is refined further before use.

What is in it

Composition, dry matter

122

g/kg EPA

EPA per kilogram of menhaden oil in a feed table. The finished food's EPA dose still depends on how much oil goes into it.

EPA 122 g/kg7
DHA 79 g/kg7
Crude fat 100%7
Palmitic acid 209 g/kg7
Myristic acid 89-105 g/kg7

The EPA and DHA figures are table values, not a batch guarantee. Codex reports wider ranges among authentic menhaden oils and notes that geography and climate can affect a sample's fatty acid profile.7,8

Why it is in the bag

A small add-in that still delivers EPA and DHA

  1. Main nutrition
  2. Supporting nutrient
  3. Does a job
  4. Mostly filler

Makers add menhaden oil for EPA and DHA, the marine omega-3s, plus some fat calories. In many foods it sits well past the main ingredients, and the list runs by weight, so the amount is likely small. Small still counts here: the oil is about 20% EPA plus DHA by weight, so a little supplies a real dose. No label shows whether it reaches the amounts used in arthritis or skin trials.1,3,6,7,12

  1. 01

    Supplies EPA and DHA

    The oil adds these marine fatty acids directly. An omega-3 claim alone could instead refer to flaxseed or another source of ALA, which is a different fatty acid.6,7

  2. 02

    Adds fat calories

    Oil contributes energy without protein or fiber. A formulator has to count it alongside the recipe's other fats when setting the food's calorie content.6,7

  3. 03

    Uses bulk fishery supply

    Menhaden are caught in large numbers to make meal and oil together. That fishery supplies a liquid fat for feed manufacturers at scale.10,11

How much Of 15 dogs assigned to 3 diets, only the 2 fish oil groups received 7 g of menhaden oil.5

Our read // The claims

What the evidence supports

Strong: controlled studies in dogs agree. Some: small or mixed dog data. Thin: mechanism or lab work only. None: nothing, or the evidence points the other way.

  1. Brands say

    Menhaden oil gives dogs EPA and DHA

    Evidence

    1. Strong
    2. Some
    3. Thin
    4. None

    The menhaden oil feed table lists 122 g/kg EPA and 79 g/kg DHA. It supplies both directly, while an ingredient-list line gives no amount in the finished food.6,7

  2. Brands say

    Fish oil relieves arthritis pain

    Outruns the evidence

    Evidence

    1. Strong
    2. Some
    3. Thin
    4. None

    In a blinded, brand-authored trial of 177 dogs, food with about 3 times the baseline EPA and DHA improved 2 of 5 clinical signs. That modest result does not make an unspecified amount of menhaden oil a pain treatment.1,2

  3. Brands say

    Fish oil calms itchy skin

    Outruns the evidence

    Evidence

    1. Strong
    2. Some
    3. Thin
    4. None

    A blinded crossover trial of 16 itchy dogs found less itching with marine oil than corn oil after 6 weeks. The dogs received measured capsules; an ingredient listing cannot promise that dose or result.3

  4. Brands say

    DHA makes puppies smarter

    Outruns the evidence

    Evidence

    1. Strong
    2. Some
    3. Thin
    4. None

    In a 48-puppy feeding study, the high-DHA group did better on some learning tasks. Its food also had more vitamin E, taurine, choline and carnitine, so fish oil alone cannot take the credit.4

  5. Owners say

    Fish oil never upsets a dog's stomach

    Outruns the evidence

    Evidence

    1. Strong
    2. Some
    3. Thin
    4. None

    In a 12-week, 15-dog trial, menhaden oil lowered triglycerides and left other standard blood measures unchanged. Blood tests cannot rule out digestive upset, and a veterinary review reports diarrhea in dogs given omega-3 supplements.5,6

Straight answers

What owners ask

  1. Q01

    Is it just filler?

    No

    It supplies fat calories plus EPA and DHA. The useful question is how much of those fatty acids reaches the dog, because even a small oil addition earns a line on the ingredient list.6,7

  2. Q02

    Is it cod liver oil?

    No

    Menhaden oil comes from whole fish. Cod liver oil comes from livers, which concentrate vitamins A and D. Read menhaden oil chiefly as a fat and fatty acid source, not a vitamin supplement.8

  3. Q03

    Does the label show enough omega-3?

    Usually not

    The ingredient list names the oil but gives no EPA or DHA amount. Treatment studies used measured diets or capsules. Ask the maker for EPA and DHA in the finished food if that dose matters to your dog.1,3,6

Who uses it

Brands, best sellers and the company it keeps

Top brands, by foods that list it

  1. Natural Balance 22 / 48
  2. Dr. Tim's 8 / 9
  3. Verus 6 / 19
  4. Blackwood 5 / 7
  5. Nulo 5 / 117
  6. Canidae 4 / 35
  7. Rachael Ray Nutrish 4 / 19
  8. Hungry Bark 4 / 4
  9. By Nature 4 / 4
  10. Instinct 3 / 98

Foods that list it / all the brand's recipes we track.

Plus 10 more brands.

Amazon best sellers that list it

  1. #32 Natural Balance L.I.D. Limited Ingredient Diets Grain-Free Salmon & Sweet Potato Dry Dog Food

Rank on Amazon's dog food best seller list, checked October 2026.

Usually listed with, share of the foods that list it

  1. Mixed Tocopherols 85%
  2. Flaxseed 57%
  3. Chicken Fat 56%
  4. Chicken Meal 49%
  5. Natural Flavor 46%
  6. Brown Rice 40%
  7. Peas 34%
  8. Chicken 34%
  9. Sweet Potatoes 23%
  10. Dried Plain Beet Pulp 23%
  11. Lentils 22%
  12. Turkey Meal 20%

On the shelf

Foods that list Menhaden Fish Oil

82 foods in our catalog list it. These 60 list it highest on the label.

Verus Advanced Opticoat Menhaden Fish Meal and Potato Formula Dry Dog FoodVerusVerus Advanced Opticoat Menhaden Fish Meal and Potato Formula Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 5 on the labelInstinct Original Grain-Free Wet Dog FoodInstinctInstinct Original Grain-Free Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 6 on the labelInstinct Original Food Real Beef Recipe Wet Dog FoodInstinctInstinct Original Food Real Beef Recipe Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 6 on the labelDiamond>Care Diamond Care Rx Renal Formula Dry Dog FoodDiamond CareDiamond>Care Diamond Care Rx Renal Formula Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 8 on the labelAuthority Everyday Health Chicken & Rice Entree Puppy Wet Dog FoodAuthorityAuthority Everyday Health Chicken & Rice Entree Puppy Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 8 on the labelDr. Tim’s Pursuit Active Dry Dog FoodDr. Tim'sDr. Tim’s Pursuit Active Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 8 on the labelDiamond Care RX Renal Formula for Adult Dogs Dry Dog FoodDiamondDiamond Care RX Renal Formula for Adult Dogs Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 8 on the labelDr. Tim’s Momentum Highly Active Dry Dog FoodDr. Tim'sDr. Tim’s Momentum Highly Active Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 9 on the labelBlackwood Complete & Balanced Diet Lamb Meal & Chicken Meal Dry Dog FoodBlackwoodBlackwood Complete & Balanced Diet Lamb Meal & Chicken Meal Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 10 on the labelVerus Puppy Advantage Chicken Meal, Oats & Brown Rice Formula Dry Dog FoodVerusVerus Puppy Advantage Chicken Meal, Oats & Brown Rice Formula Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 10 on the labelNatural Balance L.I.D. Limited Ingredient Diets Grain-Free Lamb Dry Dog FoodNatural BalanceNatural Balance L.I.D. Limited Ingredient Diets Grain-Free Lamb Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 10 on the labelNatural Balance L.I.D. Limited Ingredient Diets Chicken & Brown Rice Puppy Dry Dog FoodNatural BalanceNatural Balance L.I.D. Limited Ingredient Diets Chicken & Brown Rice Puppy Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 10 on the label
Show 48 more
Dr. Tim’s Glacier Athletic Blend Dry Dog FoodDr. Tim'sDr. Tim’s Glacier Athletic Blend Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 10 on the labelDr. Tim’s RPM Salmon & Pork Grain-Free Dry Dog FoodDr. Tim'sDr. Tim’s RPM Salmon & Pork Grain-Free Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 11 on the labelDr. Tim’s Kinesis Sensitive Grain-Free Dry Dog FoodDr. Tim'sDr. Tim’s Kinesis Sensitive Grain-Free Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 11 on the labelBlackwood Small Breed Grain Free Turkey & Lentils Dry Dog FoodBlackwoodBlackwood Small Breed Grain Free Turkey & Lentils Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 11 on the labelNatural Balance Original Ultra Grain-Free Chicken Small Breed Bites Formula Dry Dog FoodNatural BalanceNatural Balance Original Ultra Grain-Free Chicken Small Breed Bites Formula Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 11 on the labelNatural Balance Original Ultra Grain-Free Large Breed Bites Chicken Formula Dry Dog FoodNatural BalanceNatural Balance Original Ultra Grain-Free Large Breed Bites Chicken Formula Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 11 on the labelNatural Balance Original Ultra Grain-Free Chicken Formula Dry Dog FoodNatural BalanceNatural Balance Original Ultra Grain-Free Chicken Formula Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 11 on the labelNatural Balance L.I.D. Limited Ingredient Diets Grain-Free Turkey Dry Dog FoodNatural BalanceNatural Balance L.I.D. Limited Ingredient Diets Grain-Free Turkey Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 11 on the labelNatural Balance L.I.D. Limited Ingredient Diets Grain-Free Duck & Potato Dry Puppy Dry Dog FoodNatural BalanceNatural Balance L.I.D. Limited Ingredient Diets Grain-Free Duck & Potato Dry Puppy Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 11 on the labelNatural Balance L.I.D. Limited Ingredient Diets Grain-Free Duck & Potato Small Breed Bites Dry Dog FoodNatural BalanceNatural Balance L.I.D. Limited Ingredient Diets Grain-Free Duck & Potato Small Breed Bites Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 11 on the labelNatural Balance L.I.D. Limited Ingredient Diets Grain-Free Chicken & Sweet Potato Small Breed Bites Dry Dog FoodNatural BalanceNatural Balance L.I.D. Limited Ingredient Diets Grain-Free Chicken & Sweet Potato Small Breed Bites Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 11 on the labelNatural Balance L.I.D. Limited Ingredient Diets Grain-Free Chicken & Sweet Potato Dry Dog FoodNatural BalanceNatural Balance L.I.D. Limited Ingredient Diets Grain-Free Chicken & Sweet Potato Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 11 on the labelNatural Balance L.I.D. Limited Ingredient Diets Grain-Free Duck & Potato Dry Dog FoodNatural BalanceNatural Balance L.I.D. Limited Ingredient Diets Grain-Free Duck & Potato Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 11 on the labelBy Nature Turkey & Duck Meal Recipe Dry Dog FoodBy NatureBy Nature Turkey & Duck Meal Recipe Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 11 on the labelNatural Balance L.I.D. Limited Ingredient Diets Grain-Free Salmon & Sweet Potato Dry Dog FoodNatural BalanceNatural Balance L.I.D. Limited Ingredient Diets Grain-Free Salmon & Sweet Potato Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 12 on the labelWholeHearted Healthy Benefits Weight Control Lamb and Pea Recipe Dry Dog FoodWholeHeartedWholeHearted Healthy Benefits Weight Control Lamb and Pea Recipe Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 12 on the labelBlackwood Puppy & Performance Growing / Working Dogs Chicken Meal with Ancient Grains Recipe Dry Dog FoodBlackwoodBlackwood Puppy & Performance Growing / Working Dogs Chicken Meal with Ancient Grains Recipe Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 12 on the labelVerus VēRUS Canine Small Breed Turkey Formula Dry Dog FoodVerusVerus VēRUS Canine Small Breed Turkey Formula Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 12 on the labelPure Balance Pro+ Chicken & Brown Rice Large Breed Puppy Recipe Dry Dog FoodPure BalancePure Balance Pro+ Chicken & Brown Rice Large Breed Puppy Recipe Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 12 on the labelVerus Grain-Free Cold Water Fish Salmon, Menhaden Fish Meal & Herring Formula Dry Dog FoodVerusVerus Grain-Free Cold Water Fish Salmon, Menhaden Fish Meal & Herring Formula Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 12 on the labelNatural Balance Original Ultra Grain-Free Chicken Senior Formula Dry Dog FoodNatural BalanceNatural Balance Original Ultra Grain-Free Chicken Senior Formula Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 12 on the labelNatural Balance L.I.D. Limited Ingredient Diets Grain-Free Salmon & Sweet Potato Small Breed Bites Dry Dog FoodNatural BalanceNatural Balance L.I.D. Limited Ingredient Diets Grain-Free Salmon & Sweet Potato Small Breed Bites Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 12 on the labelHungry Bark Superfoods with Salmon Grain-Free Dry Dog FoodHungry BarkHungry Bark Superfoods with Salmon Grain-Free Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 12 on the labelEvanger’s Grain-Free Whitefish and Sweet Potato Recipe with Salmon Meal Dry Dog FoodEvanger'sEvanger’s Grain-Free Whitefish and Sweet Potato Recipe with Salmon Meal Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 12 on the labelBy Nature Salmon & Menhaden Fish Meal Recipe Dry Dog FoodBy NatureBy Nature Salmon & Menhaden Fish Meal Recipe Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 12 on the labelBy Nature Lamb & Turkey Meal Recipe Dry Dog FoodBy NatureBy Nature Lamb & Turkey Meal Recipe Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 12 on the labelAuthority Everyday Health High Performance All Life Stages Dry Dog FoodAuthorityAuthority Everyday Health High Performance All Life Stages Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 13 on the labelAuthority High Performance All Life Stages Dry Dog FoodAuthorityAuthority High Performance All Life Stages Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 13 on the labelRachael Ray Nutrish Grain Free Salmon & Sweet Potato Recipe Dry Dog FoodRachael Ray NutrishRachael Ray Nutrish Grain Free Salmon & Sweet Potato Recipe Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 13 on the labelDr. Tim’s Kinesis All Life Stages Dry Dog FoodDr. Tim'sDr. Tim’s Kinesis All Life Stages Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 13 on the labelVerus Grain-Free Life Virtue Chicken, Lentils & Yams Formula Dry Dog FoodVerusVerus Grain-Free Life Virtue Chicken, Lentils & Yams Formula Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 13 on the labelVerus Grain-Free Large Breed Puppy Chicken, Lentils & Yams Formula Dry Dog FoodVerusVerus Grain-Free Large Breed Puppy Chicken, Lentils & Yams Formula Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 13 on the labelNatural Balance L.I.D. Limited Ingredient Diets Lamb & Brown Rice Dry Puppy FoodNatural BalanceNatural Balance L.I.D. Limited Ingredient Diets Lamb & Brown Rice Dry Puppy FoodDry // No. 13 on the labelNatural Balance L.I.D. Limited Ingredient Diets Chicken & Brown Rice Dry Dog FoodNatural BalanceNatural Balance L.I.D. Limited Ingredient Diets Chicken & Brown Rice Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 13 on the labelRachael Ray Nutrish Large Breed Real Beef, Pea, Carrot & Brown Rice Recipe Dry Dog FoodRachael Ray NutrishRachael Ray Nutrish Large Breed Real Beef, Pea, Carrot & Brown Rice Recipe Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 14 on the labelAbound Grain Free All Life Stages Salmon & Sweet Potato Dry Dog FoodAboundAbound Grain Free All Life Stages Salmon & Sweet Potato Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 14 on the labelDr. Tim’s Kinesis Senior Dry Dog FoodDr. Tim'sDr. Tim’s Kinesis Senior Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 14 on the labelNature’s Recipe Grain-Free Puppy Chicken, Sweet Potato, & Pumpkin Recipe Dry Dog FoodNature's RecipeNature’s Recipe Grain-Free Puppy Chicken, Sweet Potato, & Pumpkin Recipe Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 14 on the labelNatural Balance Original Ultra Whole Body Health Chicken, Chicken Meal & Duck Meal Dry Dog FoodNatural BalanceNatural Balance Original Ultra Whole Body Health Chicken, Chicken Meal & Duck Meal Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 14 on the labelNatural Balance L.I.D. Limited Ingredient Diets Grain-Free Beef Small Breed Bites Dry Dog FoodNatural BalanceNatural Balance L.I.D. Limited Ingredient Diets Grain-Free Beef Small Breed Bites Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 14 on the labelNatural Balance L.I.D. Limited Ingredient Diets Grain-Free Beef Dry Dog FoodNatural BalanceNatural Balance L.I.D. Limited Ingredient Diets Grain-Free Beef Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 14 on the labelNatural Balance L.I.D. Limited Ingredient Diets Chicken & Brown Rice Small Breed Bites Dry Dog FoodNatural BalanceNatural Balance L.I.D. Limited Ingredient Diets Chicken & Brown Rice Small Breed Bites Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 14 on the labelNatural Balance L.I.D. Limited Ingredient Diets Chicken & Brown Rice Large Breed Bites Dry Dog FoodNatural BalanceNatural Balance L.I.D. Limited Ingredient Diets Chicken & Brown Rice Large Breed Bites Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 14 on the labelHungry Bark Superfoods with Turkey & Duck Grain-Free Dry Dog FoodHungry BarkHungry Bark Superfoods with Turkey & Duck Grain-Free Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 14 on the labelHungry Bark Superfoods with Lamb & Turkey Grain-Free Dry Dog FoodHungry BarkHungry Bark Superfoods with Lamb & Turkey Grain-Free Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 14 on the labelNulo Culinary Harvest Puppy Chicken & Whitefish Recipe Dry Dog FoodNuloNulo Culinary Harvest Puppy Chicken & Whitefish Recipe Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 15 on the labelNulo Culinary Harvest Chicken & Whitefish Recipe Dry Dog FoodNuloNulo Culinary Harvest Chicken & Whitefish Recipe Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 15 on the labelNature’s Recipe Original Puppy Lamb Meal & Rice Recipe Dry Dog FoodNature's RecipeNature’s Recipe Original Puppy Lamb Meal & Rice Recipe Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 15 on the label

Sources

What we read

Checked October 1, 2026.

  1. 1 Dose-Titration Effects of Fish Oil in Osteoarthritic Dogs Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine, 2010 // Journal
  2. 2 ERRATUM Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine, 2011 // Journal
  3. 3 Double-blinded Crossover Study with Marine Oil Supplementation Containing High-dose icosapentaenoic Acid for the Treatment of Canine Pruritic Skin Disease Veterinary Dermatology, 1994 // Journal
  4. 4 Evaluation of cognitive learning, memory, psychomotor, immunologic, and retinal functions in healthy puppies fed foods fortified with docosahexaenoic acid-rich fish oil from 8 to 52 weeks of age Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, 2012 // Journal
  5. 5 Effect of dietary fish oil and vitamin E supplementation on hematologic and serum biochemical analytes and oxidative status in young dogs Veterinary Therapeutics, 2005 // Journal
  6. 6 Potential Adverse Effects of Omega-3 Fatty Acids in Dogs and Cats Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine, 2013 // Journal
  7. 7 Fish oil, menhaden Feedtables (INRAE, CIRAD, AFZ), n.d. // Database
  8. 8 Standard for Fish Oils Codex Alimentarius Commission, 2024 // Regulator
  9. 9 21 CFR 184.1472: Menhaden oil Electronic Code of Federal Regulations, 2026 // Regulator
  10. 10 The production of fish meal and oil - 3. The process Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, n.d. // Government
  11. 11 Atlantic Menhaden NOAA Fisheries, 2026 // Government
  12. 12 Animal Food Labeling and Pet Food Claims U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 2026 // Regulator
An ingredient on its own tells you very little. What matters is how much of it there is and where it sits in the list. That is why we weigh the top five rather than reacting to any single name further down. Back to the wiki

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