By deburs ![[gb]](/images/flags/gb.png "United Kingdom")
Date 21.07.10 10:18 GMT
I was the OP on this thread and since I posted my concerns, I then had a long email conversation with Yumega about the issuesand I also met them at Crufts. I received the most comprehensive email from the company - that in itself was mighty impressive. It will be easier if I post the whole response here for you all to read: I am currently using Yumega Plus as my vet has agreed this can be claimed for on my insurance. I had been using Viacutan for many months.
"....So to answer your questions:
1. Why flaxseed oil?
There are several different forms of omega 3 and omega 6, all of which perform different functions in the body. In the omega 3 chain, the body converts ALA (from flaxseed) into EPA (usually sourced from fish) to DHA (also from fish). EPA is useful as an anti-inflammatory omega 3 (useful for joints, inflamed skin, etc) and DHA is predominantly used in the brain & eye. There are other forms in the chain, but these are principle ones. As you note, ALA is not efficiently converted into EPA (and thus DHA), but this is exactly why we use it.
The principle function of Yumega is as a skin & coat supplement. We based the development on a set of studies carried out by one of the world's leading canine omega 3 experts, Professor John Bauer, who showed that skin & coat condition improved significantly with the consumption of flaxseed oil. The key improvements were in coat condition and reduction in dry skin conditions. Further work by Professor David Lloyd at the Royal Veterinary College has also shown that sources of the omega 6, GLA, such as evening primrose oil and borage oil are good for skin condition, which is why we added starflower oil to the blend to provide GLA.
The ALA in Yumega performs two key functions. Firstly, because it is predominantly not converted into EPA & DHA, it is available to improve coat condition, which is one of the principle functions of Yumega. Secondly, it also balances the omega 6 pathway, ensuring that there are more of the beneficial omega 6 oils available to the dog and less of the negative ones.
The omega 6 pathway acts in a similar way to the omega 3 pathway. The starting omega 6 is called LA (Linoleic acid) and this is the principle omega 6 in the skin's moisture barrier (preventing dry skin). This is converted into GLA and onto AA (Arachdonic acid). It is this last omega 6 which can cause problems if there is too much of it. It is useful in that it is a precursor to inflammatory responses, so is useful for the immune system, but if your dog has too much of it, they are likely to become hypersensitive and suffer from flare ups to allergens. This is usually in the skin, but can sometimes also show in the digestive system.
The enzymes that carry out the conversion of omega 6 from one form to the next are the same enzymes that convert the omega 3s from one form to the next. In general, a dog's diet is very high in omega 6 and low in omega 3. And if the diet is high in unbalanced omega 6, there will be an increase in production of the final one in the chain, AA, which can lead to itching & sensitivity. It also means that there is little of the beneficial omega 6, LA, as it is quickly converted, resulting in dry skin conditions.
By adding ALA from flaxseed oil into the diet, it slows down the conversion from LA to AA, balancing the pathways more. This has two effects - it improves the availability of the beneficial omega 6, Linoleic acid, which reduces dry skin conditions, and it reduces the amount of excess AA produced, which reduces the sensitivity experienced by the dog.
So in fact, when you were feeding your dog Yumega in his growing months, you were ensuring that he was getting a good balance of omega 3 & 6, keeping the negative omega 6 oils in check, and ensuring he had good levels of the positive omega 6's, LA & GLA coming from flax & borage respectively. This would have helped his skin condition, and the ALA benefit to the coat would also help to ensure his coat was more resilient to the external environment.
So where do the fish oils come in? They are the source of EPA & DHA, and if their benefits are the principle requirements, I would recommend fish oils first everytime. In fact, I would only recommend one fish oil, namely Salmopet Salmon Oil as it is the highest quality salmon oil available, has higher available levels of omega 3 and the lowest oxidation scores of any fish oil I have seen.
For your dog, EPA will definitely be of benefit as it has definite anti-inflammatory properties in the skin. And when you combine it with the omega 6 GLA from borage, the two oils work in unison as anti-inflammatory partners, helping to reduce itching & sensitive skin. That is why your vet has recommended Viacutan. The only slight weakness in the approach of using only fish oil omega 3s in this instance is that you still have that backlog of omega 6 being converted into AA, so there's a lot of work for the anti-inflammatory oils to do (almost a shutting the door after the horse has bolted situation).
That is why in our specific version of Yumega for dogs with itchy and sensitive skin, Yumega Plus, we have actually combined flax oil, borage oil and Salmopet salmon oil so that we have all of these components working together. The flax oil provides the balancing approach I described above, whilst the extra borage oil and salmon oil provide additional GLA & EPA as anti-inflammatory oils. As a result, we sort both the short and long term health of the skin. If you want to read more about Yumega Plus, you'll find it here: www.lintbells.com/yumegaplus. It provides all the benefits of Viacutan, but at a fraction of the cost.
So in conclusion on Yumega and the use of flaxseed oil as the source of omega 3, it does provide a balanced approach to skin and coat nutrition, and actually ensures that the high levels of omega 6 in all diets are balanced with a high level of omega 3. By feeding your dog Yumega while he was growing, you have been providing him with one of the best balanced oils available - he will have benefitted from both the omega 3 and 6 components in the oil, helping to balance the omega 6 levels in his normal diet. Although as I mentioned at the start, those balances are only transient, so once you stop feeding Yumega, the balance will revert to whatever is predominant in his normal diet (usually omega 6).
Now that he has developed allergies to something in the environment, you are definitely doing the right thing providing him with an oil containing both EPA and GLA, although obviously I would recommend Yumega Plus over Viacutan.
2. Open neck vs sealed pump?
I'm afraid I don't agree with your vet's logic on this one. Whether it is an open neck or a sealed pump, when you remove liquid from the container, it has to be replaced by air. Otherwise the container would implode or the vacuum created would stop further oil coming out of the container. This is true whether you pour the liquid out or pump it out. So there will be a degree of oxidation with either system.
If you were to leave the bottle open all the time without replacing the lid, I agree there may be more oxidation in our container, but clearly that wouldn't be a very sensible way to store oil.
To counteract the effects of oxidation in Yumega, we employ three approaches. Firstly we use tall glass bottles. These are impervious to oxygen, whilst plastic bottles will still allow some oxygen into the bottle. As they are tall, the surface area exposed to oxidation relative to the volume of oil is also very small. This is also why we don't use pumps as certain pump mechanisms introduce air into the oil. Secondly, we place a layer of inert nitrogen gas on top of the oil during bottling. This sits on the oil and prevents air getting to the oil. Thirdly, we use high levels of the natural anti-oxidant Vitamin E which both protects the oil in the bottle and ensures its function in the body. Clearly there will still be oxidation even with these approaches, but the size of the bottle is such that even the smallest daily dose (2.5ml) will use the oil in the bottle before significant levels of oxidation have occurred.
I hope these answers have in some way answered your concerns, but please feel free to get back to me with any points you'd like clarified, any additional questions this may have raised or any other information you would like. And if I can be of any assistance in helping your dog's condition, I'm only too happy to help.
Best wishes
Dr John Howie
Development Director & Co-founder
Lintbells Ltd.
Has anyone tried this out yet? It's supposed to be good for coats and skin! Thought it may help Treacles new growth along as she is looking decidedly scruffy just now, Her tail looks like a washing line with a few straggly socks on it?? LOL
Hi I did try it on one of my Gordons but must admit didn't notice a huge difference and as you said the price isn't cheap!
I use Restore periodically, especially to encourage coat growth after major moults, pregnancy or illness and find it excellent. Not cheap but not extortionate either and since I've found it to work well then falls into the good value category IMO 
I've just started my lot on it (1 week now) so it's really a bit early to tell. I actually live in the same village as the people selling it, so popped round and got 2 for the price of one and a free bottle of Salmopet and a free tin of food. Because I've got 6 large dogs, which would work out expensive, he said he does deals for people with multiple pets/huge breeds, so have a word, he was very helpful, maybe he'd send you some samples.
I have been trying fit and fertile products the coat on my pregnant girl is best she has been for ages.
In the Crufts Schedule there was a voucher for 50% off Yumega I think??
Hi,
I've tried it and use it with my goldie Lucy and I must say I have noticed a difference with her coat/skin in general. If they're at Crufts (which I assume they will be) it may be an idea to get some there if you were thinking of trying it out? May get a good deal.
