brookcove
Posted : 6/30/2008 3:00:16 PM
It's fine to rotate oils for a healthy dog, but be aware that oil is not oil is not oil.
First, most dogs utilize the omega-3s in animal oils much better than those in plant oils. And some dogs seem entirely to lack the ability to process ALA into DHA and EPA. So, since all the omega-3s in flax oil are in the form of ALA, for such dogs they may as well not be there.
Second, fats have different functions in the body. Besides energy and skin and coat health, the endocrine system uses fats to create hormones, and the immune system uses fatty acids too. Plus, neural receptors require fats to build new connections. Each function uses a different type of fatty acid.
Thus, while it's nice to provide a variety of oils to a dog that tolerates it well, it's best to do some research as some oils need to be balanced and provided at a consistent level (too much omega-6s will interfere with the uptake of omega-3s, for instance).