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Like carbohydrates and proteins, fats serve as an energy source. Compared to carbohydrates and proteins, fat is a much more concentrated form of dietary energy, providing more than twice the calories and energy. Fats can also supply the essential fatty acids linoleic acid (required by dogs and cats) and arachidonic acid (required by cats only). Fats also aid in the absorption of the fat soluble vitamins A, D, E and K and help make the food more palatable.
Large amounts of dietary fat are important during periods of high calorie need such as growth, lactation, or physical exertion. This is why the growth and performance formulas generally contain more fat. If, however, the amount of dietary fat exceeds the animal's ability to utilize it, obesity due to excess calorie intake can occur. In addition, high levels of fat have been related to cases of severe pancreatitis, particularly in overweight dogs.
Fats also supply the animals with fatty acids such as linoleic, linolenic, and arachidonic acid. Of the three, both dogs and cats require linoleic acid in their diet. Cats also require arachidonic acid to be in their diet especially during reproduction and growth. Arachidonic acid is only found in animal fats. Dogs do not require arachidonic in their diet since they can make it from linoleic. A deficiency of essential fatty acids can impair wound healing, cause a dry, lusterless haircoat and scaly skin, and change the lipid (fatty) composition on the skin and haircoat.
There has been some recent research suggesting that a healthy skin and coat is less a function of the amount of linoleic acid in a diet but rather the ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids. Although it has been suggested that a ratio of 2:1 to 10:1 decreases inflammation, the type of omega-3 fatty acid contributing to this rat importance with omega-3 fatty acids from fish and fish oil being more effective than those from other sources (canola oil and flaxseed).
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