Fatty acid, called linoleic acid (omega-6), which is a requirement for dogs and cats. It is found in fresh foods, in the natural diet; if available in the diet, a dog can produce whatever other fatty acid is required from this one fatty acid. Without adequate quantities come many health problems, including significant skin eruptions, loss of hair, skin that won't heal from wounds, liver and kidney degeneration, increased suseptibility to infections, heart and circulatory problems, weakness, retarded growth, spontaneous abortions, sterility, impairment of vision, loss of ability to learn, symptoms similar to arthritis, and more.
Deficiencies are common, and most animals suffer a mild deficiency that results in less severe symptoms. The usual symptoms of deficiency appear as a dull, dry coat, excessive loss of hair, greasy skin, accompaning itching and scratching and a greater likelihood to develop skin infections or conditions like abscesses or ringworm. Deficiencies are common, because the fatty acids are the most fragile of all the food ingredients and the ones that break down first during processing and storage. |