Pet Health Facts: Omega Fatty Acids

By the Drs4pets Team

Fat is the primary source of energy for your pet. The fats in food are made up of omega fatty acids, important nutrients in your pet’s diet. Not only are certain fatty acids essential for life, they also play critical roles in optimal health and vitality.

All foods contain omega-6 fatty acids. Linoleic acid is one of the omega-6 fatty acids, and is considered an essential nutrient. One of the key roles this fatty acid plays is to maintain the proper moisture balance in the skin’s surface. This is critical for maintaining a barrier between the outside world and the inner workings of the body.

Omega-3 fatty acids come from ingredients such as marine sources (fish oil or fish meal) and also from vegetable or plant sources (flaxseed or algae). While alpha-linolenic acid is the only omega-3 fatty acid that is truly considered to be an essential nutrient, it is likely that others in this important group will make the list soon. Omega-3 fatty acids, such as DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid), have been found to be critical for good health. DHA is important for the proper development of cognitive function and vision in young animals, and EPA has powerful anti-inflammatory effects. Omega-3 fatty acids can diminish inflammation in the joints, skin and digestive system and may even help fight or prevent cancer.

It is important to feed a pet food that contains a blend of omega fatty acids to support optimal skin and coat condition, proper immune function and to control inflammation throughout the body. Looking at the label for sources of these critical nutrients, as well as checking the Guaranteed Analysis for the guaranteed levels, will help ensure that your pet’s diet contains omega fatty acids for optimal health.

 Question: How can I tell if my pet’s food has omega fatty acids?

Answer: Reputable brands will guarantee the levels of omega fatty acids in the guaranteed analysis. Look for words such as omega-6 fatty acids, linoleic acid, omega-3 fatty acids or alpha-linolenic acid in the list of nutrient guarantees. This will prove that not only is it in the food, it is guaranteed to be there at a specific amount.

Question: Should I give my dog a fish oil supplement for his dry skin?

Answer: It would be a good idea to check with your veterinarian first. If the food that you are feeding has a balance of omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids, a supplement may not be beneficial. There may be another explanation for the dry skin. Sometimes, additional supplements can lead to loose stools.

Question: My cat loves tuna fish. Can I feed this to her for the fatty acids?

Answer: It is important to feed a balanced diet to your cat. An occasional treat is ok, but be cautious. Cats can be finicky and may choose treats over their regular food, leading to dietary imbalances and deficiencies.

Photo by Tony

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The Facts About Fish Oil Supplements

It seems there is an abundance of information about the health benefits of fish oil and many times when I suggest using it for a patient I often hear from the client “Yes, I take fish oil too for my heart or my arthritis.” Fish oil is a well accepted nutritional supplement that most veterinarians are recommending for a broad range of patients.

I think an important point that is being missed by many who take fish oil is that quality matters. It’s really all about the fishy burps. If you’ve had one you know what I mean! So why do fishy burps occur with some supplements and not when we eat fish? The answer requires us to freshen up on a little basic biochemistry. Fish oil is composed of primarily two long-chain unsaturated fatty acids, EPA and DHA. Unsaturated fatty acids are highly susceptible to oxidation in the presence of oxygen which causes the oil to become rancid. Oxidized fish oil (or any unsaturated fatty acid oil for that matter) has an offensive fishy odor and taste. When we eat fish we don’t get the fishy burps because it has been refrigerated or frozen to reduce oxidation and spoilage, therefore the oils present in the fish are also fresh. The best way to tell if a fish oil is fresh is to taste it. That’s right; bite the gel capsule in half and taste the oil. The freshest fish, oil, and/or supplement will have the best health benefits. The following is some basic information regarding fish oil supplementation for companion animals. For specific doses please consult a veterinarian.

Proven Benefits:

• Improved skin and coat


• Reduced inflammation due to arthritis, allergies, and inflammatory bowel disease


• Regulation of the immune system. This can work in both directions: boost immunity if low and suppress immune system if excessive.


• Improved brain function in older dogs with senility. 


• Enhanced brain and mental development in puppies and kittens.


• Lowering blood pressure (important in kidney, heart, and endocrine diseases).


• Lowering triglycerides (important in endocrine diseases and in familial affected Miniature Schnauzers).


• Promote weight loss in overweight dogs.


• Provides support in pets with cancer. 


• Provides support in pets undergoing cancer treatments such as chemotherapy and radiation.

Cautions:

• Fish oil is easily oxidized by exposure to oxygen, heat and light. When fish oil becomes oxidized it will develop a strong fishy and rancid odor. Rancid fish oil is not absorbed and contributes to fishy burps and fishy odor to skin and breath. To protect fish oil, store capsules or oil in the refrigerator and only buy a quantity you will use within 3 months maximum. If you notice an “off” odor the oil should be discarded.


• High doses of fish oil can interfere with platelet function and can create bleeding issues. It may be advisable to discontinue a fish oil supplement prior to surgery or dental procedures, check with your veterinarian. 


• Too much fish oil may add excess calories or increase inflammation rather than reduce inflammation in some situations.

Not all products are created equal:

• Pharmaceutical grade fish oil is molecularly distilled to remove toxins and impurities. The best companies producing fish oil are testing their finished products for the bad stuff such as PCBs, dioxins and furans, bacteria such as Salmonella and E. coli, yeast and mold, heavy metals (cadmium, arsenic, lead, mercury), and radiation.  These companies are also diligently measuring levels of oxidation which determines freshness and fatty acid ratios which determine the potency. Thorough testing increases the cost of producing a high quality product. For this reason the best oils from a standpoint of purity, potency, and freshness will not be the least expensive but will be more effective for your pet’s health and wellness. 
  

Sources of Omega 3:

• Cold water fish are the best sources of omega 3 fatty acids. These fish include sardines, cod, and anchovies. Recently krill (shrimp-like crustaceans, sole food source for whales) have been harvested to create fish oil supplements. Krill are an excellent source of omega 3 fatty acids, but these fishing practices are not environmentally sustainable and I recommend avoiding krill oil for the health of our planet.


• Omega 3 fatty acids are also present in flax seed and several other food sources. It’s important to note that dogs and cats are not able to convert large amounts of ALA in plants to EPA and DHA. Inefficient conversion of flax oil to the useable forms of EPA and DHA is why I don’t recommend flax seed oil as a sole source of omega 3 supplementation.
  


• Many pet foods have added Omega 3 to the diets. If in the form of fish oil, the oil would be subject to rapid oxidation once the bag of kibble is opened, therefore smaller bags of food would be preferred to optimize the freshness of the added fish oils. There is also no way to know if the added fish oils are high quality or what testing is done prior to adding to the food. Flax seed oil added to food seems of little benefit to the pet since dogs and cats cannot convert it to useable forms. 


• Canned fish can be a good source of fish oil for dogs and cats. For example: one ounce of canned fish with bones (sardines, mackerel, pink salmon) averages 300 mg EPA and DHA. Cats especially may prefer canned fish rather than adding a fish oil supplement to their food. Make sure you select a fish canned in water not oil or any special sauce.


• There are many different brands of fish oil supplements available for people and animals. For myself and my own pets I have used products made by Nordic Naturals, Thorne Research, and Nutramax Laboratories. 


• Cod liver oil is another excellent source of fish oil that also contains Vitamins A and D. Cod liver oil would be useful for pets eating a home-cooked diet. For specific doses, please consult your veterinarian.