| Adding flax seed to your dog's food bowl is a popular | | | | Dogs that are already struggling with their health will |
| way of helping your dog's coat feel luxurious. But a | | | | be unable to metabolize inactive fatty acids. Young |
| proper balance of essential fatty acids plays a role | | | | dogs, on the other hand, do tend to have this |
| more vital in the long term good health of your dog | | | | enzyme in their system and can do well with either |
| than making his coat shine. There are two types of | | | | active or inactive essential fatty acids. |
| polyunsaturated oils that dogs are unable to make on | | | | If you have an older dog suffering with conditions |
| their own so they must be consumed. These two | | | | such as itchy skin, inflammatory bowel, or arthritis, |
| types are omega 3 and omega 6 essential fatty | | | | then choose from among active sources. Active |
| acids. Any lack of or imbalance between these two | | | | Omega 3 sources include cod liver oil and whole fish |
| oils in the body will result in ill health or disease. | | | | oil such as salmon. Active Omega 6 sources include |
| Modern commercial pet diets tend to have an excess | | | | evening primrose oil and black currant oil. Inactive |
| of omega 6. This can be seen in the huge range of | | | | sources of Omega 3, to be avoided if your dog is |
| skin problems, dandruff, and excessive shedding so | | | | older, unhealthy, or lost the enzyme through heredity, |
| common in dogs. | | | | include flax seed oil and hemp seed oil. Inactive |
| Adding flax seed oil, a source of omega 3, can help | | | | Omega 6 sources include common vegetable oils such |
| to bring the dog back into balance in some cases, but | | | | as those made from corn, sunflower, and safflower. |
| not all. That is because there are both active and | | | | All oils should be fresh, refrigerated and consumed |
| inactive forms of essential fatty acids. The active | | | | within 6 weeks of opening. |
| form can be assimilated immediately into your dog's | | | | The lack of omega 3, or excessive omega 6 levels, |
| body and put to work. The inactive form, such as is | | | | has been linked to a wide range of health problems in |
| found in flax seed, however, requires an enzyme to | | | | people and animals. In addition to a multitude of skin |
| break it down first before it can be properly | | | | problems, health issues include arthritis, heart and lung |
| absorbed and used by the body. Not all dogs have | | | | disease, high blood pressure, strokes and heart |
| this essential enzyme. Older dogs, exposed for years | | | | attacks. You may want to consider adding some |
| to a diet of processed food, often have lost this | | | | extra virgin, cold pressed olive oil to your dog's diet. |
| enzyme and therefore cannot absorb inactive forms | | | | Olive oil, while itself not a source of essential fatty |
| of omega 3 or omega 6 oils. These unabsorbed oils | | | | acids, is rich in vitamin E, and will help balance the |
| can build up over time and cause health problems. | | | | omega 3 and omega 6 oils in your dog's system. |