This is an excerpt from a free newsletter I receive, Vital Choices Newsletter, that comes from
Vital Choice Wild Seafood & Organics a site that I found through Dr. Andrew Weil.
I thought it interesting to pass on:
Aggressive Dogs Lack Omega-3s; Heart-Sick Dogs Helped by Fish Oil
Italian study finds low omega-3 and cholesterol levels in angry fidos; Earlier US study found that omega-3s may help dogs with heart failure
by Craig Weatherby
There's good evidence that people with aggression and impulse-control problems tend to be deficient in omega-3s, based on studies in prisoners and mental patients.
But who would have guessed that the problem might extend to our canine companions?
Veterinarians at Italy's University of Pavia wondered whether there might be a biochemical or nutritional basis for aggression in dogs, which they say is one of the most common problems reported by dog owners.
To find out, they studied 18 adult male German Shepherds (average age five years), who were very aggressive but showed no other health problems.
As controls, they studied 18 healthy male dogs with no history of aggression.
The vets tested the dogs' blood levels of fatty acids, including omega-3s.
They found that, compared to normal dogs, aggressive dogs had lower levels of omega-3 DHA, which is critical to brain cell membrane function. DHA deficiency is associated with depression and aggression in humans.
Interestingly, the aggressive German Shepherds also had higher omega6/omega-3 ratios, which are also associated with depression and aggression in humans.
Finally, the "bad" dogs had lower cholesterol levels, compared to their normally behaving counterparts.
Healthier Dog Food
We recently spoke with our customer and friend, Leilani Laca, founder of the Tazzy Animal Rescue Fund in Burbank, California.
Altogether, results suggest that low [levels of] omega-3 fatty acids may adversely impact behavior in dogs, resulting in greater propensity to aggression.
Because of its design, the study could not prove a causal relationship between low omega-3s and canine aggressiveness.
But, as the vets suggested, the results encourage rigorous clinical testing of supplemental omega-3s in aggressive dogs.
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