Daily Doses of Health

A daily dose of omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals for your companion animal makes good sense. Not only are these nutritional tools therapeutic, helping to repair torn cartilage and heal tissue wounds, their daily application can prevent disease.

Muscle and Joint Care

Daily supplementation with glucosamine is a well-known treatment for joint disease. In combination with chondroitin sulphate, vitamin C, and grapeseed extract (which supports vitamin C activity), recuperation is more complete and immediate.

Chondroitin sulphate is also crucial to joint disease prevention and to completing cartilage recovery. In the past we thought chondroitin performed as a glucosamine source. Now we know that in collagen synthesis it reduces inhibitory factors such as elevated nitric oxide and peroxy nitrite, allowing cells to use glucosamine for cartilage regeneration.

Vitamin C also plays a role in cartilage synthesis. A study published in Matrix Biology in 2002 showed that vitamin C actually enters the chondrocyte (the cell responsible for the production of collagen and cartilage) to stimulate collagen formation. Without vitamin C, tissue maintenance is delayed and premature wear results. These findings justify supplementation with levels of vitamin C ranging from 1 to 15 mg per pound of animal body weight, especially in cases of osteoarthritis and even rheumatoid arthritis.

Manganese, zinc, copper, sulphur, and vitamin E also play central roles in cartilage integrity. Manganese, zinc, and copper are important cofactors for the powerful superoxide dimutase (SOD), a potent, internally produced antioxidant that prevents tissue and system degradation.

Copper is important in connective-tissue synthesis but also in hemoglobin manufacture and bone-matrix construction. Involved in the production and regulation of thyroid, epinephrine, and dopamine hormones, copper, along with other minerals, is also critical to general hormone balance.

Diabetes Help

Vanadium sources such as vanadyl sulphate, as shown in multiple independent studies including one published in the Journal of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry in 2002, help regenerate glucose transport sites, reversing type 2 diabetic and pre-diabetic states of insulin resistance. Doses of vanadyl sulphate in daily quantities of one mg per pound of body weight per day will deliver this remarkable therapeutic result.

Essential fatty acids, particularly docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) from marine oils, are also powerful insulin support. A study reported in 2002 in the American Journal of Physiology: Endocrinolgy and Metabolism confirms the powerful insulin-enhancing role of DHA from sources such as cold-water fish oil. DHA also plays a crucial role in cognitive support, cell membrane integrity, cardiovascular health, and inflammatory control.

Pet Nutrition is Highly Specialized

Our pet's nutritional requirements are much different from yours and mine. Tablet forms of these supplements designed for humans do not work in the shorter gastrointestinal tracts of our dogs and cats. Choosing a supplement designed specifically for your pet's metabolic needs ensures that fatty acids and other essential nutrients are included in the right proportions.

Take charge of your pet's health. Daily supplementation can prevent disease, but it's also a cost-effective cure.

Fatty Acids for Pet Health

Essential fatty acid Source Role in the body

Linoleic acid (LA): Vegetable oils, such as corn, sunflower, and safflower. Generally, adequate amountsare found in the diet. Important for skin, growth, and development.

Gamma linolenic acid (GLA): Borage (20 to 25 percent), Evening primrose (8 to 10 percent), and Black currant oils (15 to 17 percent) Helpful for dermatitis, seborrhea, eczema, and hair loss. Must be combined with EPA sources (marine oils) to avoid inflammation, which is common when GLA is addedto diets based on dry kibble with grains as the primary ingredient.

Alpha linolenic acid (ALA): Flaxseed and flaxseed oil Supports the immune system and regulates heart rhythm. Counteracts high levels of LA in the diet.

Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA): Fish and fish oil Important for skin and coat health. Supports cardiovascular, joint, and neurological health. Useful in inflammatory conditions such as arthritis and inflammatory bowel disease.

Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA): Fish and fish oil Important for neurological health, vision, and mental function. Helps regulate the immune system.

Source: Janice Brenner, BSP, MSc, MH, WT