Flaxseed Oil - Good for People and Pets

I didn't know that pets could benefit from flaxseed oil!

Does your dog spend most of the day scratching? Does your cat's coat look a tad on the dull side? Do both of them seem to be shedding a lot, even though the weather is not particularly warm yet?

If any of these questions sound at all familiar, chances are good that your pet is deficient in the essential fatty acid (EFA) known as Omega-3. Actually, due to the state of many commercial pet foods today, many experts estimate that virtually all dogs and most cats do not have enough of this nutrient in their systems.

I feed my pooch a well-known type of dog food-how can his diet be a problem?

To comprehend how our pets can end up being deficient in Omega-3 we have to first look at two things: the way wild animals eat and the way pet foods are produced.

Out in the wild there are two main types of animals-herbivores, or plant eaters, and carnivores, or meat eaters (there are also omnivores, who eat both plants and meat, but for the sake of this discussion we'll just focus on the first two types). Anyway, EFAs like Omega-3 are found in many types of plants, so herbivores easily get nice high amounts of this needed nutrient from their diets.

Once inside the body, EFAs like to hang out in the tissues. Then, if and when the herbivore becomes dinner for a hungry carnivore, the meat-eating animal gets the EFAs by way of eating the nutrient-rich tissues of the herbivore. The food chain can be somewhat gruesome at times, but it seems to work in terms of making sure everyone gets the nutrients they need.

Now, onto pet food. Many brands of commercial pet foods do contain high amounts of the EFA called Omega-6, but very little Omega-3. Omega-3 oils are notorious for spoiling quickly and since no manufacturer wants to produce pet foods that become rancid before they leave the grocery store shelves, many are deliberately leaving them out of the ingredient list. Unfortunately, Omega-6 on its own is not enough for good health-the two EFAs must be present in a proper balance in order to do our pets any good.

In the wild, it has been determined that most animals get their EFAs of Omega-6 and Omega-3 in a ratio of 4 to 1, or about 75% Omega-6 and 25% Omega-3. Most commercial pet foods contain lots of Omega-6 but nowhere near the needed amount of Omega-3. It is probably not coincidental that many of the health problems that are common in household pets do not seem to exist in the wild.

What can I do to help my pet get more EFAs?

Since most pets are deficient in Omega-3 it is important to focus on finding supplements that are rich in that particular nutrient. Flaxseed oil is the world's richest source of Omega-3, containing around 55 percent of this vital EFA. For years, flaxseed oil has been gaining in popularity as a supplement for people. Now, many veterinarians are starting to recognize its value to our pets.

In the majority of cases, giving your pet flaxseed oil is as easy as pouring a little of it on top of her food. A general rule of thumb is to give your pet 1-teaspoon of flaxseed oil for every 25 pounds of weight-a 75 pound Border Collie would get 3 teaspoons of flaxseed oil a day while his 12 pound kitty friend would get about ½ teaspoon. Of course, please check with your veterinarian before starting your pet on any new supplement, but research shows the vast majority of pets easily tolerate flaxseed oil.

Within a matter of weeks, a pet who is taking flaxseed oil should start to both look better and act healthier in a variety of ways. The most obvious improvement will probably be in her coat-her fur should start to look more lustrous and skin problems like itching, dandruff and excessive shedding should lessen. If your pet has a particularly bad case of dry skin he may end up requiring a much higher dosage of flaxseed oil in order to achieve noticeable results. Again, your veterinarian should be able to guide you in terms of what amount of flaxseed oil is appropriate for your pet-if not, many areas have holistic veterinarians who might be available to consult with you.

Flaxseed oil can help your pet's health in other ways as well. For example, many owners with arthritic dogs have reported that adding flaxseed oil to the diet has led to an improvement in their pets' mobility and overall wellness. Interestingly, this finding also holds true for people with arthritis who take flaxseed oil. And some additional research has shown that flaxseed oil may exhibit the same tumor-shrinking powers in pets that it appears to have in people. In other words, flaxseed oil is not just for people-many of its health-giving properties also occur in our beloved pets.

References:
Various internet sources