Tasty fatty acids

Just some info

Fatty acids are recommended to be fed in ratios. The general recommended range is 10:1 to 5:1 (omega6mega3). So, using the first number, for every part of omega 3 there needs to be 10 parts of omega 6.

Not sure how much exactly 5 grams of chicken fat is (after crunching some numbers it may be 1 teaspoon) but we will say that the raw pieces we feed has about 5 grams of fat attached. We may feed more or less fat but at 5 grams the numbers are easier to follow. 5 grams of fat has about 1.03 grams of omega 6 fatty acids. So with the common salmon gel cap being 1000mg (which equals 1 gram) you would just need to sprinkle 1/10th of it on.

For me, one gel cap last about two days between 4 cats at 2 drops in each dish. So a gel cap is roughly 16 drops. That means to have the 10:1 ratio you would need to add about 1.5 drops. To have the 5:1 ratio you would need to add 3.2 drops.

I haven't read anything about problems with giving cats large doses of fatty acids. Not sure what would be considered a large dose. IMO you will probably be okay with anywhere from 2-5 drops. If you go over its not a big deal as long as you are not doing it everyday.

A "pet liquid" PURE salm on oil recommends one teaspoon aka 5ml per cat per day ....

I use Nordic naturals cod liver oil alot as it is WELL TESTED... it is 1/4 to 1/2 teapoon a day

Most holistic vets will say NO WAY to 10 to1 ratio... most advocate 5to1 - 3to1 ratio... I have lots of data on this .. PM if needed

Originally Posted by sharky

Most holistic vets will say NO WAY to 10 to1 ratio

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The info I used was from conventional vets. I don't talk to my holistic vet too much so this was the info I had. Ratios are easy to figure its the omega 6 content that may be hard for some to figure out. This was just to give a general idea. I think most of us say a few drops of oil and you will be fine. 3:1 would give you a little over 5 drops with the 5 grams of fat. A teaspoon or 4 gel caps seems like a lot of oil to give. I don't think it will hurt but it does pack on about 40 extra calories.

Originally Posted by chris10

The info I used was from conventional vets. I don't talk to my holistic vet too much so this was the info I had. Ratios are easy to figure its the omega 6 content that may be hard for some to figure out. This was just to give a general idea. I think most of us say a few drops of oil and you will be fine. 3:1 would give you a little over 5 drops with the 5 grams of fat. A teaspoon or 4 gel caps seems like a lot of oil to give. I don't think it will hurt but it does pack on about 40 extra calories.

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THOSE are actual LABEL doses... One I know done by a vet .. Some of us prefer a vet s knowledge with a nutrition degree over common net stuff

Do you have info about what the ratios are in common prey?

Originally Posted by chris10

Do you have info about what the ratios are in common prey?

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somewhere ... the usda website has it ... your looking for DHA ,linolinc and linoleic acids, ARA , Epa

This is the only usda site listing that I know of having prey breakdown

http://www.nal.usda.gov/awic/zoo/Who...nal02May29.pdf

This is the only thing about acids in it

"Although prey body fat is a source of readily available energy for zoo carnivores,
essential fatty acid requirements appear not to have been determined. Minimum dietary
requirements of domestic cats for linoleic and arachidonic acids have been set at 0.5 and
0.2% of DM, respectively.23 Requirements for w-3 fatty acids, such as a-linolenic or longerchain
fatty acids, have not been defined. Assuming that zoo carnivores have fatty acid
requirements similar to those of the domestic cat, the few studies in which fatty acid
composition of whole prey has been reported9,11,23 suggest that essential fatty acid supplies
would be adequate. However, peroxidation during extended or improper storage of prey
may result in declines in essential fatty acid activity and destruction of vitamin E.9"

9-9Crissey, S.D., K.A. Slifka, and B.A. Lintzenich. 1999. Whole body cholesterol, fat, and fatty acid
concentration of mice (Mus domesticus) used as a food source. J. Zoo Wildl. Med. 30:222-227.
11-11Davidson, B.C., R.C. Cantrill, and D. Varaday. 1986. The reversal of fatty acid deficiency symptoms in
cheetahs. S. Afr. J. Zool. 21:161-164.
23-23National Research Council. 1986. Nutrient Requirements of Cats, Revised Edition. National Academy
Press, Washington, DC.

That is clear enough for me to figure it out ...

Let me go thru some links this weekend ..... I know I had seen a few breakdowns of mice and birds and rabbits

Well, I was able to get my hands on "Whole body cholesterol, fat, and fatty acid concentration of mice (Mus domesticus) used as a food source." published in 1999.

From crunching the numbers I came up with a omega6mega3 ratio of 6.5:1

I'll go back double check everything again. IMO this may be the ratio that we should at least start from.

Originally Posted by chris10

Well, I was able to get my hands on "Whole body cholesterol, fat, and fatty acid concentration of mice (Mus domesticus) used as a food source." published in 1999.

From crunching the numbers I came up with a omega6mega3 ratio of 6.5:1

I'll go back double check everything again. IMO this may be the ratio that we should at least start from.

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May be a good start pt as MAIN line vet medicine sees 10 to 1 to 5 to 1 ratios as good... Most of the holistic vets I deal with and the nutritional savvy say roughly 5 to 1