Patent ID: 8311746

Claim:
A computer implemented method for providing nutrition to a canine achieved by feeding a proposed diet of a predetermined fatty acid composition including values for en % 3, en % 6, en % O, en % H 6 and en % H 3 , comprising the steps of calculating for the proposed diet, a predicted n-6 phospholipid fatty acid level as a percentage of total HUFA by a computer processor configured to determine the predicted n-6 phospholipid fatty acid level, wherein % ( n -6) HUFA= 100/1+{( PC 6 /en % 6)[1+( en % 3 /KI 3 )+( en % H 3 /HI 3 )+( en % )/C O )+( en % 6 /K s )]}+100/1+{( HC 6 /en % H 6 )[1+( en % H 3 /HC 3 )]} wherein en % 3 is a percent daily energy of α-linolenic acid, en % 6 is a percent daily energy of linoleic acid, en % O is a percent daily energy of other fatty acids, en % H 6 is a percent daily energy of n-6 HUFA, en % H 3 is a percent daily energy of n-3 HUFA, PC 6 =0.036, C O =9.00, K s =0.140, HI 3 =0.100, HC 6 =4.00, HC 3 =11.00, KI 6 =0.72 when the tissue is plasma and 0.034 when the tissue is neutrophils and K 1 3 =0.34 when the tissue is plasma and 0.80 when the tissue is, neutrophils; comparing the predicted %(n-6)HUFA to a predetermined level; determining the proposed diet to be acceptable if the predicted %(n-6)HUFA does not exceed the predetermined level; formulating the acceptable proposed diet; and administering the proposed diet to the canine.