Proteins and fats are the two most important ingredients in your dog’s diet. The type of fats your dog needs to keep them in good health is a fine balance.
When they are out of balance, inflammation and health problems can occur.
Protein is made up of amino acids which are the essential building blocks for muscle and tissue growth and repair and the production of blood cells, hormones, antibodies & enzymes that control virtually every action in the body. Protein also provides energy.
Fat provides energy. It forms the membranes of all the body’s cells and helps the body to absorb fat soluble vitamins A, D, E and K, controls hormones and plays a huge role in inflammation.
Types Of Fats
There are various types of fats in the body; saturated and unsaturated.
Saturated fats are solid at room temperature (butter or lard) and polyunsaturated fats are liquid at room temperature. It is important to get the correct balance of polyunsaturated fats to avoid inflammation and health problems.
Polyunsaturated Fats (PUFAs): PUFAs can be divided into two main types: Omega 3 and Omega 6. They are classified as ‘essential fatty acids’ (EFA’s) which cannot be made by the body, so have to be supplemented in the diet.
Omega 3 fats include alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Omega 3 ALA can be found in plant oils such as flaxseed oil and EPA and DHA can be found in fish oil.
Omega 6 fats include linoleic acid (LA) and arachidonic acid (AA). Flaxseed oil contains Omega 6 LA. Fish oil does not contain any Omega 6.
Omega 3 & 6 fats have the ability to control hormones. They have different roles and both types of fat are an important part of your dogs diet and below explains why; Omega 6 fats produce hormones that increase inflammation, which is an important part of the immune response. They also help with blood clotting and cell growth. The hormones produced by Omega 3 fats also control the immune system and work alongside the omega 6 fats in an antagonistic manner. So a balance between both is critical for a healthy immune system.
Which type of oil does your dog need?
It can be confusing to know which oil to supplement with. But one thing is for sure.. your dog NEEDS oils! Here are some guides on which type of oil to add to your dogs food, to correct the imbalance of fats, thus avoiding inflammation.
- Chicken/Pork/any grain fed animal is higher in Omega 6 but contains less Omega 3 so add a fish oil supplement daily. (Proflax Omega range)
- Beef, lamb and goat are low in polyunsaturated fats and high in saturated fats, thus low in Omega, so feed a daily rotation of flaxseed oil and fish oilsupplements, but leaning more towards fish oil
(60/40). (Proflax flax & Omega range) - Any grass fed animals are a better choice as the levels of Omega 3 are much higher (2 to 4 times more) so feed a daily rotation of flaxseed oil and fish oil supplements. (Proflax flax & Omega range)Fish is high in Omega 3 but contains no Omega 6 so add a flaxseed oil supplement daily. (Proflax flax range)
- If you feed your dog a commercial dog food, it will likely be quite high in Omega 6 so add a fish oil supplement daily to kibble every time! (Proflax Omega range)
The Proflax core range contains 75% cold pressed culinary grade flaxseed oil and 25% active herbal tincture blends.
These products are;
- Bone & Joint
- Skin & Coat
- Immunity & Vitality
- Calm & Collected
- Liver Love
- Golden Oldies
- Puppy Power
- Kidney Care
- Healthy Heart
The new Proflax Omega range contains 75% culinary grade fish oil (anchovy, mackerel, herring, sardine & tuna) and 25% active herbal tincture blends. These products are;
- Omega Vital (immune, gut & skin)
- Omega Bounce (bones, joints, kidneys, liver)
- Omega Calm (anxious, reactive, sensitive)
All of Proflax’s oil based products are 100% natural, pesticide and chemical free and vet formulated/approved. They are the perfect accompaniment to your dogs daily food to balance their Omega 3 & 6 intake, thus keeping them happy & healthy, both physically and emotionally.
Written by Proflax
