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Linoleic acid (omega-6) in dog and cat diets

A short guide to the role of Linoleic acid (omega-6) in dog and cat nutrition.

Linoleic acid (omega-6)

An essential fatty acid from the Omega-6 family, which the body cannot produce on its own — it must get it from food [1]. It is responsible for building the epidermal barrier (it is a component of ceramides), acting like a cement that protects the skin from water loss and allergen penetration [2]. It is also a precursor of arachidonic acid (ARA). The dog can convert LA into ARA, which is why LA is sufficient for it; the cat has this ability negligibly, so it treats both acids as essential [3].

Where it's found: Animal fats — mainly poultry fat and skin (chicken, turkey, duck) and pork fat. It is one of those components that, in a real BARF diet, is usually too much rather than too little.

Deficiency: Very unlikely with any sensible share of animal fat — it appears mainly in drastically lean diets [1]. Symptoms: parchment-dry skin, dandruff, severe itching, hair loss and susceptibility to fungal infections (yeasts in the ears and on the paws) [2].

Excess: High LA alone is not toxic, but combined with an Omega-3 deficiency (no fish) it shifts the balance towards a pro-inflammatory state and fuels the production of inflammatory mediators [4]. The more polyunsaturated acids in the diet, the greater the requirement for vitamin E, which protects them from oxidation.

What to watch for

In a typical poultry diet the problem is not the LA level, but the ratio of Omega-6 to Omega-3 — see Omega-6 : omega-3 ratio. High LA in the calculator is a signal to add fatty marine fish or fish oil, not to limit meat. More effective than supplementation is often simply replacing part of the chicken with beef, which has a more favourable fat profile [4] [5].

Sources

  1. National Research Council (2006). Nutrient Requirements of Dogs and Cats, ch. 5. National Academies Press. https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/10668/nutrient-requirements-of-dogs-and-cats
  2. Watson TDG (1998). Diet and skin disease in dogs and cats. Journal of Nutrition. https://doi.org/10.1093/jn/128.12.2783S
  3. Bauer JE (2008). Essential fatty acid metabolism in dogs and cats. Revista Brasileira de Zootecnia. https://doi.org/10.1590/S1516-35982008001300004
  4. Burron S, Richards T, et al. (2024). The balance of n-6 and n-3 fatty acids in canine, feline, and equine nutrition. Journal of Animal Science. https://doi.org/10.1093/jas/skae143
  5. Lenox CE (2016). Role of dietary fatty acids in dogs and cats. Today's Veterinary Practice. https://todaysveterinarypractice.com/nutrition/role-of-dietary-fatty-acids-in-dogs-cats/