The type of oil we choose for our diets is extremely important. The health of our hearts is dependent on the type of oils we use in and on our foods. Thank goodness dogs don’t have the same issues. They don’t have the kinds of heart disease that we develop from our diet. This is important because many of the oils that we use for heart health are inadequate for the fat needs of dogs.

Overall dogs need about 38% of their daily calories to come from fats. However they have daily requirements for fatty acids that are not found in all fats. Specifically dogs’ need an omega-6 fatty acid called linoleic acid and an omega-3 fatty acids called alpha-linolenic acid. Canola, corn and soybean oil are the richest sources for these fatty acids.

Cottonseed, peanut, safflower sesame and sunflower oil are all sources of omega-6 fats. But they are not linoleic acid. Flaxseed is a rich source of omega-3 fats. But they are not alpha-linolenic. The omega-6 and omega-3 fats in these oils are called undifferentiated. That means the body has to convert them to linoleic and alpha-linolenic acid. Fat conversion is the most unpredictable of all body functions. An animal’s sex, age, and health can affect fat conversion. It is impossible to know how much linoleic or alpha-linolenic acid dog make when fed these oils

Coconut oil contains no omega-3’s of any kind and only small amounts of undifferentiated linoleic acid. Palm and olive oil are poor sources of undifferentiated omega-6’s, with virtually no undifferentiated omega-3’s.

A corn/canola oil combination or soybean oil provide the best sources of linoleic acid and alpha-linoleic acids. They are such rich sources that they actually allow homemade diets to be formulated with less fat. This is especially important for dogs with chronic pancreas problems or who are prone to obesity.

Dogs also need the omega-3 fatty acids called DHA and EPA for proper immune health. These fatty acids can be converted from alpha-linolenic acid. But like the conversion of undifferentiated oils, the process is very inefficient. The best way to guarantee the proper amount of DHA and EPA is to use fish body oil in homemade diets.

Find out more at: HearthstoneHomemade.com

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