You should seek the advice of your veterinarian if your pet is ill as only he or she can correctly advise on the diagnosis and recommend the treatment that is most appropriate for your pet.

The Omega-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosohexaenoic acid (DHA) found in marine fish oils have received a lot of scientific interest in recent years because of observed beneficial effects -  but what are they and how do they work in the body ?

Animals and humans have a dietary need for fats because essential fatty acids (the polyunsaturated ones !) are required for numerous purposes in the body, including :

• They are a major structural component in cell membranes
• They are required for the synthesis of important chemical substances in the body - eg prostaglandins 
• Fats in the skin are important in preventing water loss from the body

Deficiency of essential fatty acids often results in  signs of skin disease (including a dry, dull, scurfy coat and "hot spots"), poor wound healing and even poor reproductive performance. These fats are called n-6 fatty acids based on the presence of a double-bond at the appropriate carbon and the essential ones are linoleic acid (LA) , alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) and arachidonic acid (AA), though dogs only require LA in the diet. Cats require ALA and AA as well.

However the long-chained polyunsaturated n-3 fatty acids are synthesised by marine plants and found in marine fish oils. They are essential in the body but they can be synthesised in the body and it has not yet been established that they are essential in the diet.

Supplementation with fish oils has been shown to have several effects in the body :

• Increase neutrophil membrane fluidity and ex-vivo phagocytosis
• Reduce LTB4 production
• Reduce superoxide dismutase activity
• Anti-inflammatory effect in skin 

We know that supplementation of EPA and DHA results in increased concentrations in various tissues, including skin and intestinal tract and Omega-3 fatty acids are being added to many therapeutic diets to help in the management of diseases including cardiac disease, skin disease and gastrointestinal diseases. 

Updated September 2014