Carnivore Basics, Chapter 6 - Fats for Health and Energy

Brenda Hagel © 2003

Although there are several forms of fat, triglyceride is the type of fat that is most important in the diet of dogs. Triglycerides are the body’s primary form of stored energy. But it doesn’t just provide energy; it helps protect the organs and serves as a blanket of insulation under the skin. Equally important are the subtle roles fat plays in the absorption of vitamins A, D, and E from the gut, which aid the digestion of fat in food. The core structure of steroid hormones, which are necessary for a healthy body, consists of fat molecules. As a matter of fact, fats form part of every membrane in every cell in the body.

A dog’s requirement for dietary fat depends on the need for essential fatty acids and for a calorically dense diet. In dogs, times of high energy demand occur during growth, gestation, lactation and extended periods of physical exercise. Dogs who are working strenuously have been shown to efficiently utilize fatty acids for energy. Diets that are too low in fat can lead to deficiencies in total energy and essential fatty acids. Although dogs are capable of digesting and assimilating relatively high amounts of fat, providing more fat than the gastrointestinal tract can effectively digest and absorb will cause diarrhea.

During their long period of evolution, the dog’s genes became adapted to the balance of fats that nature intended for best health. The fats obtained from game and small amounts of plant matter consumed remain as an essential for domestic dogs. In other words, our dog’s bodies require the same types and ratios of fat that our dog’s ancestors or wild counterparts ingest on an ongoing basis. If the diet does not contain the right balance of fats there is a risk of degenerative illnesses.

Wild game and grazing animals that are allowed to eat their natural diet of wild plants and greens are far richer in health promoting fats than an animal confined and fed an artificial grain-based diet. So, in order to make up for the lack in modern day livestock, dietary adjustments may be necessary. If you cannot provide foods that are naturally balanced in their omega fatty acid content, then essential fatty acid supplementation may be required.

What are Essential Fatty Acids?

Deficiency of EFAs was first recognized in experimental animals in 1929 at the University of Minnesota by George and Mildred Burr. It was found that animals deprived of certain fats (later recognized to be EFAs) developed growth retardation, skin lesions, organ failure, impaired fertility, and many other problems, that eventually resulted in death. Since then, research has focused on the physiological role of fatty acids, why they are essential, which fatty acids are essential, and how dietary supplementation can promote health.

The primary EFAs include the omega-6 fatty acids, or more specifically, linoleic acid (LA) and its derivative gamma-linolenic acid (GLA). The omega-3 fatty acids include alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), and its derivatives eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).

Some essential nutrients must be obtained from foods, since normal metabolic processes are unable to manufacture them. Essential fatty acids (EFAs) are among these nutrients we know to be essential and they are responsible for a number of functions within the body.

LA is the major omega-6 fatty acid found in vegetable oils such as corn, sunflower and safflower oils. Omega-6 fatty acids are also readily available through factory farmed or stockyard raised meat sources commonly fed in a raw diet so it usually isn’t required as a further dietary addition. The most common sources of GLA are borage and evening primrose oil (EPO). ALA is found in substantial quantities in flaxseed and in smaller quantities in other oils such as canola and hemp. Providing a dog has no intolerance to flax seed, it can be an adequate source of EFAs in the diet. EPA and DHA are obtained from fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel, sardines and tuna.

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