Fatty acid supplements improve hair coat condition in rhesus macaques.

Abstract

As captive rhesus macaques often exhibit hair loss, alopecia was quantified and behavior was recorded before, during, and after fatty acid supplementation in six macaques. Fatty acid treatment was associated with a decrease in alopecia and in self-grooming behavior. Therefore, fatty acids may be a viable treatment for alopecia in some captive primates.