{"id":68,"date":"2024-10-19T08:23:53","date_gmt":"2024-10-19T08:23:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.duuvk.com\/index.php\/2021\/02\/17\/why-your-dog-needs-omega-3-fatty-acids\/"},"modified":"2021-02-17T16:00:00","modified_gmt":"2021-02-17T16:00:00","slug":"why-your-dog-needs-omega-3-fatty-acids","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.duuvk.com\/index.php\/2024\/10\/19\/why-your-dog-needs-omega-3-fatty-acids\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Your Dog Needs Omega-3 Fatty Acids"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Like you, your dog needs a healthy balance of the right kinds of fats.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Otherwise, your dog may have to deal with a lifetime of chronic illness and disease.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">But what your dog needs is different from what you need.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">And that\u2019s what I want to talk about today \u2026&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Why your dog needs fat in his diet,<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Why he needs more omega 3s, and&nbsp;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Healthy sources of omega-3 fatty acids.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\n <!-- This site is converting visitors into subscribers and customers with OptinMonster - https:\/\/optinmonster.com --><\/p>\n<h2><b>How Fat Helps Your Dog<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Every day, your dog burns energy in the form of calories.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">There are three main sources of energy for your dog \u2026<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Proteins<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Fat&nbsp;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Carbohydrates<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Carbohydrates, while safe in small amounts, only provide energy. They don\u2019t do anything else for your dog. And in large quantities \u2026 they can <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">do more harm than good<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">That\u2019s why it\u2019s best to serve up the energy your dog needs in the form of proteins and fats.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Proteins are the most important part of your dog\u2019s diet. They not only provide energy \u2026 they play many critical roles in your dog\u2019s body. Proteins form \u2026<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Muscle<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Soft tissue<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Skin<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Hair<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Nails<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Blood cells<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Neurotransmitters<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Enzymes<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Fats are the second most important part of your dog\u2019s diet. They provide energy and they act as chemical messengers. They help \u2026<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Form cell membranes<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Absorb fat-soluble vitamins<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Control hormones<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Regulate the inflammatory response<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">But you need to be sure the fats in your dog\u2019s diet are the right kinds of fats.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>The Types Of Fats Your Dog Needs<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">There are all sorts of fats in your dog\u2019s body but when it comes to dietary fat, you want to look at triglycerides.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Triglycerides get stored in fat cells. They\u2019re later released to give your dog energy between meals.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">There are two main types of triglycerides \u2026<\/span><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Saturated<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Unsaturated (monounsaturated and polyunsaturated)<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">You\u2019ve probably heard that humans should steer clear of too much saturated fat. It can increase blood cholesterol \u2026 and may raise the risk of heart disease and stroke.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">This risk is less of a concern for dogs. Saturated fats don\u2019t increase these risks in dogs the same way they do in humans.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Nonetheless, it\u2019s still important to balance the amount of saturated and unsaturated fats in your dog\u2019s diet.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Saturated and unsaturated fats are found in the whole foods you feed your dogs.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">To balance these two fats, it\u2019s a good idea to rotate ruminants (like beef, lamb, goat) with poultry (chicken, duck or turkey).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Unless you\u2019re feeding grass-fed meats \u2026 ruminants have too much saturated fat and not enough unsaturated fats. Poultry has a lot of polyunsaturated fats.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Rotating between ruminants and poultry will create a more balanced foundation for your dog.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">But balancing saturated and polyunsaturated fats isn\u2019t the only problem.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">You also want to balance the types of polyunsaturated fats in your dog\u2019s diet.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Because when it comes to polyunsaturated fats \u2026 an imbalance can cause big problems for your dog.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Why You Need To Balance Polyunsaturated Fats<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">There are two main types of polyunsaturated fats \u2026<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Omega-6<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Omega-6 produces hormones that increase the inflammatory response. They also help with blood clotting and cell growth. Omega-6 fatty acids include:&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Linoleic acid (LA) \u2013 found in hempseed, soybean, safflower, sunflower and corn oils<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Arachidonic acid (AA) \u2013 found in meat, poultry and eggs<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Omega-3<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Omega-3s work with omega-6s to control the immune system. Their anti-inflammatory properties balance out omega-6 fatty acids.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) \u2013 found in flaxseed, chia seed, hempseed and walnut oils<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) \u2013 found in oily fish and organs like the brains and eyes<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) \u2013 found in oily fish and organs like the brains and eyes<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Balancing these two essential fatty acids is key.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">If there\u2019s too much omega-3, it can lead to immune dysfunction.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">If there\u2019s too much omega-6, your dog will have excess inflammation.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Inflammation is an important part of your dog\u2019s immune response. It allows his body to send defenders in to attack bacteria and viruses.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">But chronic long-term inflammation can lead to \u2026<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Allergies<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Inflammatory bowel disease<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Heart disease<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Arthritis and joint pains<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Diabetes<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Liver and kidney disease<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Cancer<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">With today\u2019s diets, dogs often have an excess of omega-6. And that\u2019s where the problem starts \u2026&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Your job is to boost your dog\u2019s omega-3 and balance out the omega-6 fatty acids.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>How To Add Omega 3s Fatty Acids To Your Dog\u2019s Diet&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">When dogs need an omega-3 boost, most pet owners will use fish oil. And it makes sense \u2026<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Fish oil is full of the Omega-3s your dog needs \u2026 specifically DHA and EPA.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Together, DHA and EPA give your dog many health benefits. These fatty acids \u2026<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Promote a healthy brain and slow brain diseases<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Fight against inflammation<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Support eye development and good sight<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Boost probiotics to help them attach to intestinal cells<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">BUT fish oil has <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">problems of its own<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Fish oil can cause disease and premature aging<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It contains toxins like heavy metals and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Oils from Pacific fish may contain radiation&nbsp;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Fish oil is not sustainable and is killing the ocean&nbsp;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Fish oil is very unstable and oxidizes every time air gets into the bottle.&nbsp;<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Fortunately, there are other sources of DHA and EPA. Ones that are safer for your dog.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Green Lipped Mussels<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Green lipped mussels have 90 different fatty acids. But they are richest in DHA and EPA omega-3 fatty acids.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">These fats are found in oily fish like salmon, herring and sardines. But unlike the fish used in fish oil \u2026 green lipped mussels are grown and harvested in a way that\u2019s sustainable and protects our oceans.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">They\u2019re also rich in vitamins and minerals.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">And while fish are often fed corn diets high in omega-6, mussels eat phytoplankton. And phytoplankton contains omega-3.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">And green lipped mussels are great for dogs with joint pain. They\u2019re full of<\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Eicosatetraenoic acid (ETA)<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> \u2026 another fatty acid that controls inflammation.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">One study<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> compared fish oil to green lipped mussels (along with other sources of omega-3). Rast who received fish oil had a 31% decrease in arthritis scores. For green lipped mussels, the reduction was 42 \u2013 75%.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">In <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">another study<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, dogs given green lipped mussels had less pain and better mobility. And almost 75% of the dogs didn\u2019t need pain meds.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">And there were no adverse side effects in either study.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>How To Feed Your Dog Green Lipped Mussel<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Green lipped mussels come in <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">powder<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> and oil form. You can also get water based products but these will be missing the healthy fats.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Some manufacturers take out the omega-3 fats out of powder supplements as well.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">So \u2026 when you shop for supplements with green-lipped mussel, be sure the fats weren\u2019t removed.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">To get this information you\u2019ll want a nutritional analysis of the product. Look for a fat content of 6% or more.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">If you give your dog <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">powdered green lipped mussel<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, you want to give him 9 to 22 mg pounds of body weight. After 10 days, cut this amount in half.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Brains and Eyes<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">I mentioned before that DHA and EPA help with brain and eye health.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The interesting thing about organs is that when your dog eats them the nutrients in them benefit the same organ in your dog.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Eating heart helps his heart. Eating joints strengthens his joints. Liver boosts the liver.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Working backwards, that means that the eyes and brain that need EPA and DHA would also be rich in them.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">And it\u2019s true!&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">These organs are a great source of EPA and DHA. In fact 4 oz of brain has a gram of each. 1 tsp of fish oil has half that amount.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">They\u2019re also full of nutritious vitamins, minerals and antioxidants \u2026 especially vitamin D and the B vitamins.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Brain is also a good source of <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">phosphatidylcholine<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> and <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">phosphatidylserine<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> to help with memory and cognitive function.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">If you feed your dog a whole raw diet, his food should be at least 10% organ meat.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">You also want to give him the widest variety of organs you can. Every organ contains a different variety of nutrients.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">This will help him get the most out of his food.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>\n <!-- This site is converting visitors into subscribers and customers with OptinMonster - https:\/\/optinmonster.com --><\/p>\n<h3><b>How To Feed Your Dog Brains and Eyes<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">If you shop at a local abattoir or butcher shop, ask about the brain and eyes and include them in your organ mix.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">If you don\u2019t feed raw or want a different alternative to fresh organs, consider <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">a supplement<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Good supplements have <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">freeze-dried brain<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> that\u2019s not cooked. That means they still have the healthy fats and nutrients your dog needs.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">When it comes to your dog, a well-balanced diet is key to a long and happy life.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">And this means you have to feed him foods rich in the nutrients he needs. Or you need to find a safe way to add them to his dish.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">So, try one of these nutritious (and safer) alternatives to add Omega-3s to your dog\u2019s diet.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>,<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Like you, your dog needs a healthy balance of the right kinds of fats.&nbsp; Otherwise, your dog may have to deal with a lifetime of chronic illness and disease. But<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":69,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-68","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-natural-health"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.duuvk.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/68","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.duuvk.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.duuvk.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.duuvk.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.duuvk.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=68"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.duuvk.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/68\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.duuvk.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/69"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.duuvk.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=68"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.duuvk.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=68"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.duuvk.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=68"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}