b'PROIFCILEA TFAT-SENSITIVE CONDITIONS IN THE DOGBy Jessica-Anne BerlynBVSc MRCVSFat is a calorific nutrient essential for life. It provides energy, is essential for fat-soluble vitamin absorption, modulates inflammation, and acts as a precursor to eicosanoids and prostaglandins. Fat serves a structural role as a component of cell membranes, promotes healthy growth and development, and affects skin and coat health. 1 Fats and their component fatty acids are highly important for normal metabolic functions in the dog, but there are certain disease processes which can be exacerbated by high levels of fat.Composition of fatsFats (lipids) are composed of triglycerides,necessary for physiologic growth and which in turn are composed of three fattyfunction, and are considered essential acids joined to a glycerol backbone. Fattydietary fatty acids for mammals. Essential acids are hydrocarbon chains, and thefatty acids must be consumed in the diet number of carbon molecules dictates howas mammals are unable to endogenously they are digested in the body. 2 Fatty acidsproduce them. 5can be classified into three categories:Essential fatty acid deficiency could be short-chain (6 carbons), medium-chainseen in animals consuming unbalanced (6-12 carbons), or long-chain (12 carbons).diets deficient in essential fatty acids The length of the chain influences how theregardless of total fat content, or ultrafat is metabolised and these differenceslow-fat diets, where not supplemented. can be exploited in the management ofDeficiency in omega-3- fatty acids results some diseases. For example, medium- in neurological impairments. Deficiency chain triglycerides can be beneficial inin omega-6-fatty acids manifests in skin patients with disorders of lipid digestiondisorders such as alopecia and scaling, or absorption because they are absorbedreproductive abnormalities and poor differently to long-chain fatty acids. 3, 4growth. 5(See Figure 1). Incorporating a proportion of medium-Omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids arechain-triglycerides (MCTs) in the diet has polyunsaturated long-chain fatty acidsseveral benefits: 28www.inspiredvet.co.uk'