DHA for puppies

How important are dietary long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids for healthy development? Russ Kelley describes some recent work that suggests they are a vital part of a puppy’s nutritional requirements. 

Introduction

Long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFAs) play vital roles in canine development and physiology. In particular, high concentrations of the omega-3 fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) are to be found in retinal and brain tissue, and are known to rapidly accumulate in these tissues during the last third of gestation and the first few months of neonatal life, the period that corresponds with maximal brain growth in mammals. This early deposition of DHA appears to be necessary for normal neural and visual development [1], as sub-optimal DHA status in young animals has been associated with impairments in cognitive and visual function, including reduced learning ability, impaired memory, abnormal electroretinograms, and impaired vision [2]. It has been proposed that dietary DHA enrichment prior to birth or during the neonatal period may also be helpful in promoting certain types of learning and memory [3].  [...]