Hofseth Biocare Brilliant Salmon Oil for Dogs & Cats - 1000ML

Hofseth Biocare Brilliant Salmon Oil for Dogs & Cats is a single-ingredient oil pressed from fresh Norwegian salmon and bottled with a pump that measures 1ml a press. Hofseth Biocare sells it as 100% salmon oil with nothing added: no refining, no preservatives and no flavourings. The deep orange colour is the fish's own rather than a dye. It comes in a 300ml and a 1000ml bottle, and the same oil is intended for both dogs and cats.

Key Features

• One ingredient: Hofseth Biocare states the bottle holds Norwegian salmon oil and nothing else, with no additives, preservatives or artificial flavours.
• Omega-3, 6 and 9: the brand lists 135mg of omega-3, 90mg of omega-6 and 270mg of omega-9 in each 1ml pump, of which 36mg is DHA.
• Measured by the pump: one press gives 1ml, so you count presses instead of pouring and guessing.
• Two sizes: 300ml suits a cat or a small dog, 1000ml a large dog or a household with several pets.
• Natural colour: the orange tone comes from the astaxanthin in the salmon, not from added colouring.
• Counts as food: Hofseth puts each 1ml pump at 32.8 kJ (8 kcal), so it is part of the daily ration rather than an extra on top of it.

How Much To Give

Hofseth Biocare's own guide on the bottle is 1ml for every 3kg of bodyweight, to a maximum of 12 pumps a day:

• Puppy or kitten: 1 to 2 pumps
• 3 to 12kg: 1 to 4 pumps
• 12 to 24kg: 4 to 8 pumps
• 24 to 36kg: 8 to 12 pumps
• Over 36kg: 12 pumps

Hold the bottle upright and pump straight onto wet or dry food. Most cats sit at the very bottom of that scale, so a 4kg cat works out at roughly one pump. Start below the figure above, build up over a week or so, and ask your vet for an amount that fits your own pet.

Storing It

• Fish oil goes rancid with air, heat and light. Close the cap after each serving and keep the bottle somewhere cool and dark, out of direct sun.
• Go by the period-after-opening mark on the label, and throw the oil out if it smells sharp or paint-like rather than of fish.
• One cat or a small dog will take a long time to finish a 1000ml bottle, so the 300ml is usually the better choice for a single small pet.

Good To Know

• This is a food supplement, not a medicine. The label lists support for healthy joints, a shiny coat, soft paws, appetite, energy and heart health, and those are Hofseth Biocare's claims; the oil is not a treatment for any diagnosed condition.
• Oil is energy-dense. Take a little off the daily food so your pet does not gain weight, which matters most with cats and small dogs.
• Loose stools are the usual sign of too much too soon. Cut the amount back and build it up more slowly.
• Ask your vet first if your pet is pregnant, on medication, has a history of pancreatitis or is on a fat-restricted diet. Fish oil affects clotting, so mention it before any surgery.
• Check whether the food already has fish oil added and whether another omega supplement is being given, so the two do not double up.
• Keep the bottle out of reach between meals. A chewed pump bottle makes a mess that is hard to get out of carpet.