Taylor Richard's MSc Defence

Camelina oil provides a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids, which are commonly used to support skin and coat health claims in canine and equine diets. Hence, the focus of this thesis is to investigate the effects of dietary camelina oil on skin and coat health outcomes in dogs and horses, in comparison to flaxseed and canola oil. No differences in inflammatory and oxidative marker concentrations, transepidermal water loss, or skin and coat health scores, were observed in animals fed camelina oil vs. flaxseed or canola oil. These findings suggest that in terms of the skin and coat health outcomes assessed, camelina oil is comparable to flaxseed and canola oil, which are currently used to increase omega-3 inclusion in canine and equine diets. Therefore, this ingredient has the potential to provide an alternative oil source of omega-3 fatty acids for dogs and horses, while supporting skin and coat health claims.