Essential fatty acids may perform critical roles for the well-being of humans. But, feeding your pooch fatty acids, like omega-3, enhances your pet’s nutrition as well.
Different omega-3 supplements for dogs praise the benefits of this essential fatty acid when added to your pet’s diet. Continue reading to know six health benefits of omega 3 for your dogs.
1. Helps Reduce Inflammation
Omega 3 for dogs present anti-inflammatory properties to your pooch. However, it might help your pet if you add another nutritional component to its diet: omega-6 fatty acids.
Balance is necessary when maintaining your dog’s well-being. Omega-3 fatty acids help the animal’s body by lowering inflammation. Conversely, omega-6 fatty acids help increase inflammation. If either element gets out of balance, your dog’s immune system can’t function well.
Adverse effects might surface as an imbalance of inflammation in the dog’s body. Thus, feeding your dog foods and supplements that are rich in omega-3-rich helps reduce the impact of inflammatory disorders.
Omega-3 fatty acids are ideal for your furry four-legged companions who have allergies. Allergies can cause severe itching. This behavior might lead to hair loss. Thus, maintain your pet’s proper nutrition by giving it a healthy amount of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.
Omega-6 fats include linoleic acid and arachidonic acid. Omega-3 fats include alpha-linolenic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Image source: Dogs Naturally
2. Helps Reduce Arthritis and Joint Issues
The anti-inflammatory characteristics of omega-3 fatty acids can also help your dog’s joint-related pains. This “good” fat is ideal for pooches struggling with ailments, like arthritis.
Pet owners don’t like looking at their loving animals in pain. You may find your pooch whining as it experiences discomfort when standing, sitting, or walking. If this happens, consider feeding your pet omega-3 fatty acid foodstuff and supplements to help prevent this tragedy from happening.
A 2014 study shows the potential health benefits of omega-3 fatty acids in dogs with osteoarthritis. This research lasted for 13 weeks, and the dogs that participated in the study ate a diet abundant in omega-3. The results found that the dogs that were given fish-sourced omega-3s showed improvements in their movement disabilities.
3. Healthy Skin and Shinier Coat
Pet owners who like to flaunt their four-legged family members need to care for their dog’s skin and fur. However, many pets today suffer from dehydration because of several reasons, like hot weather. The lack of moisture might surface on your pooch’s skin and coat.
The result is your pet’s skin and coat to look dull, which will not bode well if you’re planning to let your dog participate in fashion contests. However, you can help your dog’s skin and fur recover by giving it a balanced diet and a healthy amount of omega-3 fatty acids.
Omega-3-rich foods and supplements help restore moisture to parched skin and fur. Also, many pet owners find that the condition of their dog’s coat relates to the animal’s well-being. So, there might be health concerns if “Fido’s” fur looks bleak.
4. Supports Cognitive Health
Your dog’s mental health is just as essential as its physical well-being. The addition of omega-3 in your pet’s diet will help supplement its cognitive function and neurological health. Thus, feed your pooch omega-3-rich foods, like fish oil, coconut oil, and phytoplankton to help reduce the risks of adverse changes related to age, like difficulties in mobility.
Dogs that consume essential fatty acids, like omega-3, can have healthy cognitive functions, along with improved behavioral memory. Senior dogs might also have improved recognition of family members with the help of a healthy diet with “good” fat.
This essential fatty acid can also help reduce excessive behaviors, like severe licking and pacing. Moreover, omega-3 fatty acids help reduce the onset of Alzheimer’s disease for your pet pooch.
So, if you let your dog consume omega-3-rich foods and supplements, the risks of forgetfulness are lower than feeding your pet a regular diet. Thus, you don’t have to worry about “Fifi” forgetting your face as she grows old.
5. Supports Weight Loss
Some pet owners find it challenging not to give their dogs food. After all, it might be tough to resist those cute, puppy-like eyes when your pet begs for food. But, overfeeding can become a severe problem in your pet’s health.
If you continue to feed too much food to your pooch, poor “Fido” might become overweight. Your dog might find it challenging to walk around your house if it can’t carry its weight.
Omega-3 fatty acids can help weight loss efforts for your pet. This nutrient increases heart-healthy cholesterol while reducing levels of bad cholesterol. Thus, it keeps your pet’s heart functioning correctly to aid its weight loss regimen.
6. Helps Reduce Anxiety and Depression
Dogs can acquire anxiety and depression, just like humans. Your pet might have anxiety if it’s:
- Aggressive
- Barking excessively
- Restless
- Destructive
Conversely, your dog might have depression if it has:
- Sudden changes in behavior or mood
- Changes in appetite
- Excessive paw-licking behaviors
- The tendency to hide frequently
If your dog suffers from anxiety or depression, it can benefit from a healthy diet with omega-3 fatty acids. This compound helps the neurotransmitters in the animal’s body to influence anti-anxiety and anti-depression protocols. Omega-3 fatty acids can also supplement the effects of pet-friendly medicines that help treat mental ailments in dogs.
A post from dvm360 reports the calming effect of omega-3 in 24 anxious Labradors. The addition of this essential fatty acid to the diet of the hyperactive pooches provided the pets with relief from the mental ailment.
Conclusion
Omega-3 fatty acids are essential for both human and pet health. The benefits listed in this post might only be a few of the many advantages your dog might acquire from this nutritional compound.
But, don’t feed your pet any food that might contain essential fatty acids. Also, don’t overfeed your dog with omega-3 foods and supplements. Otherwise, your pet might experience unwanted side effects, like delayed wound healing, weight gain, and vitamin E deficiency.
Always consult a veterinarian for advice on how to care for your pet’s health, especially if you plan on feeding “Fido” essential fatty acids.
