The Good Fats - Omega 3 Essential Fatty Acids

Essential fatty acids (EFAs) are responsible for basic cellular health in all body tissues and are fundamentally important for all animals. Researchers now consider EFAs to be as vital to our health and our pets' health as vitamins and minerals. A dog or cat’s immune system functions the same as humans. EFAs play a major role in the maintenance of healthy coat and skin for cats, dogs, and horses. Without essential fatty acids in our diets, cells can not be formed or function efficiently. Like humans, animals also use EFAs to produce hormone-like substances called eicosanoids, which are involved in many important biological functions in the body. Essential fatty acids are the building blocks for prostaglandins which work to regulate hormones, immune and nervous systems plus cardiovascular function. This is why these fatty acids are called “essential fatty acids” (EFAs).

Raw, uncooked fats plays an important role in the digestion process and in maintaining an animal's health. Fats supply important cell, enzyme and Healing Flaxhormone material and are powerful sources of energy. A groundswell of nutrition conscious veterinarians are beginning to recommend to their clients that they supplement their animals diet with a daily dose of fish oil or flaxseed oil, poured right over the food. Mixing chia seeds with the dog's food also provide valuable essential fatty acids (omega 3 oil) and other valuable nutrients. The vets are finding remarkable results in clearing up skin conditions, relieving arthritic and inflammatory pain, as well as improved over all pet health. Mr. Paul Stitt, while addressing a scientific conference in North Dakota reported that flax increased bone strength as well as improved the silkiness and sheen of animals fur. When the diets of horses were fortified with flax, within three weeks their coats developed a beautiful sheen, and dandruff was greatly diminished. Within 9 months cracked hooves were completely healed. When a pregnant mare was fed flax, her offspring were larger, and grew faster than when previous to being fed flax.

Further research indicates that horses fed flax and injected with the deadly organism Escherichia coli were better protected than those not fed flax, suggesting enhanced immunity in these animals. Select Alaskan sled dog mushers are fortifying their dogs diets with flax oil as it serves as a source of valuable energy, keeps less desirable saturated fats mobile in the blood stream, increases oxygen uptake to the cell, decreases recovery time from strenuous exercise, and prevents and heals worn and chaffed paws. Numerous studies conducted on animals and humans show that flax has powerful anti-tumor properties and may reduce tumor size by 50%

Dr. Broadhurst explains in a recent issue of Nutrition Science News that, "because dogs have long coats and an excellent ability to burn fat for energy, they need five to 10 times as much oil as humans to achieve measurable clinical improvement." Thus, she recommends the following regimen: Weeks one through six: one to six tablespoons daily, depending on weight. (Use one to two tablespoons for dogs less than 20 pounds; use two to four tablespoons for dogs 20 to 50 pounds; four to six tablespoons for dogs over 50 pounds.) After six weeks or once improvement is noted, reduce dosage to one-third to one-half.

Dr. Karen Shaw Becker, DVM - "Contrary to popular belief, not all dietary fats cause obesity in your pet. Just as in humans, the “good” fats (omega-3 fats) enhance energy production in your dog or cat, so they actually create less fat. Because most pets consume an abundance of high carbohydrate, empty calorie dry foods (kibble), the pet obesity issue is quickly rivaling the human obesity epidemic. Omega-3’s encourage the production of prostaglandins and leukotrienes, compounds that help regulate inflammation, immune system response and blood clotting activity in your dog or cat. They also reduce the inflammation associated with arthritis.