23 Sep The Dartmouth company and the Rhino

A Dartmouth manufacturer has come to the aid of a rhinoceros suffering from dry itchy skin in a Georgia zoo.

Dr. Hayley Murphy, director of veterinary services for Zoo Atlanta, thought the “dry, flaky, skin [with] some ulcerations” exhibited by Boma, the zoo’s black rhino, likely reflected broader health problems. When she met reps from Dartmouth-based Ascenta Health Ltd., at a trade show earlier this year, she decided to try an omega-3 dietary supplement Ascenta markets for horses.

An Ascenta news release says Equine Omega-3 produced a dramatic improvement in Boma’s skin problems after three months of use.

Ascenta also makes human health products using Omega-3 fatty acids, for which the news release makes various health claims. A quick check with my favorite debunker of  alternative health scams, Quackwatch.org, raises no alarm about omega-3 fatty acid supplements.