THE EFFECT OF THE ADDITION OF OIL PREPARATION WITH INCREASED CONTENT OF N-3 FATTY-ACIDS ON SERUM-LIPID PROFILE AND CLINICAL CONDITION OF CATS WITH MILIARY DERMATITIS

The aim of this study was to determine the influence of an oil prepara tion with increased n-3 fatty acids content on the serum lipid profile and clinical condition of cats with miliary dermatitis. The studies w ere performed on 22 cats of various breeds and both sexes, aged betwee n 3 and 7 years, that had been fed a balanced diet, based on beef meat for the previous 6 months. The animals were divided into four groups: I, five clinically healthy cars; II, five clinically healthy cats, re ceiving 1 ml of oil preparation with food for 6 weeks; III, seven nonp ruritic cats with miliary dermatitis, without treatment; and group IV, live nonpruritic cats with miliary dermatitis, receiving 1 mi of oil preparation per day with food for 6 weeks. Every 2 weeks all cats were clinically examined. Determination of die serum lipid profile and com position of the oil preparation was performed using gas chromatography . The concentration of total cholesterol (CHL), high-density lipoprote in (HDL) fraction and triacylglycerols (TG) were determined spec troph otometrically. In three sick animals, the dermatological signs disappe ared completely. In cats with miliary dermatitis, who did not receive the oil preparation, the ratio of cholesterol and HDL to triacylglycer ols was reversed compared with healthy cats and sick animals which had received the oil preparation The addition of the oil preparation lowe red the content of saturated fatty acids in serum, in particular palmi tic acid, and increased the content of unsaturated acids, linolenic, e icosapentaenoic (EPA, n-3) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, n-3). Simult aneously, a nonsignificant rise in arachidonic acid (AA, n-6) and a de crease in dihomo-gamma-linolenic acid (DGLA, n-6) were found. These ob servations indicate that cats with miliary dermatitis require an incre ased amount of n-3 fatty acids in the diet. This was proved not only b y the observed changes in the serum lipid profile but also by the clin ical improvement.