Most commercial pet foods today contain too many omega-6s and too few omega-3s. Excess omega-6s can cause skin and coat health issues, such as inflammation, itchy skin and dandruff, along with other health problems including:
- Allergies
- Arthritis
- Autoimmune diseases
- Diabetes
- Cancer
Adding an omega-3 supplement to your pet’s diet gives them a balanced omega-3 to omega-6 ratio for optimum health.
What Roles Do Omegas have in the body?
OMEGA 3 FATTY ACIDS
Omega 3’s are essential; and therefore, must come from your pet’s diet. DHA & EPA are found in marine sources like cold water fatty fish. EPA & DHA help strong immune, cardiovascular & nervous system function, healthy joints, and skin & coat health. ALA comes from plant sources and supports skin & coat health, but it is not as bioavailable as DHA & EPA for pets.
OMEGA 6 FATTY ACIDS
Omega 6’s are also essential fatty acids that support healthy cell function. However, an elevated Omega-6 content may trigger inflammation in your pet’s body.
OMEGA 9 FATTY ACIDS
Omega 9’s are not nutritionally important fatty acids since the pet’s body makes Omega-9s as needed. The body burns excess Omega-9s as a calorie-dense source of energy.
Benefits of EPA and DHA
- Fights inflammation
- Supports brain health
- Lowers risk of heart disease
- Healthy skin and coat
- Allergy relief
- Improves joint health
- May decrease the risk of some cancers
Sources of Omega-3’s
Fish oils or whole fish sources
- Sardines (in water if buying canned)
- Anchovies (in water if buying canned)
- Salmon – Fresh caught, never farmed
Krill Oil
Algal Oil
Hempseed Oil- But not a lot of the omega-3 can be converted to EPA and DHA
Green lipped mussels