Omega-3 Improves Your Pet Health

Fatty acids are specific types of polyunsaturated fats. Two main classes of fatty acids important to the health of your dog and cat are the omega-3s and the omega-6s. The classification is based on molecular characteristics.

Omega-3 fatty acids include:

• Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA)
• Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA)
• Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)

EPA and DHA have anti-inflammatory properties. EPA is the workhorse of the Omega-3 fatty acids and is incorporated into the cell membrane.

Omega-6 fatty acids include:

• Linolenic acid (LA)
• Gamma linolenic acid (GLA)
• Dihomo-gamma-linolenic acid (DGLA)
• Arachidonic acid (AA)

Sources of Omega-3 fatty acids

• The good sources of ALA are flax seed oil, pumpkin seed oil and soybean oil.
• The good source of EPA and DHA is marine fish oil.

Sources of Omega-6 fatty acids

• The good sources of LA are sunflower oil, safflower oil, soybean oil, corn oil as well as evening primrose oil.
• The good sources of GLA are evening primrose oil, borage oil and black current seed oil.

Cats cannot convert flax oil or alpha linolenic acid to EPA and DHA; they require fish oils that already contain EPA and DHA. Dogs can convert linolenic acid to EPA and DHA, but this conversion becomes inefficient with age. It benefits all cats and older, or sick, dogs to have EPA and DHA supplied directly with fish oils.

Battery chickens (raised in cages), feedlot beef, and farmed fish are all fed grains. Grains promote the production of Omega 6 fatty acids, and Omega 6 fatty acids promote inflammation. Fifty years ago the picture was different. It used to be that chicken and cattle were free range and ate plants. Fish were not farmed; they ate algae or smaller fish that ate algae. Fish, chicken, and cattle that eat plants make Omega 3 fatty acids; if they eat grains, they make Omega 6 fatty acids, which promote inflammation characteristic of allergies and heart disease. That’s why it used to be healthy to eat eggs and beef, but now it’s best to eat them in limited amounts. The same dietary advice holds for pets: supplement with Omega 3 fatty acids or feed kibble made from wild caught fish or free range chicken, chicken eggs, beef, or lamb.