Nutrition Of Dogs Essay

1636 Words4 Pages

It is no coincidence that well fed dogs are usually the happiest and healthiest dogs. Just like people, dogs need to eat a well balanced diet to maintain their health and live long, active lives. Dog nutrition is very similar to human nutrition, but dogs are not people. They are unique animals with dietary needs based on centuries of evolution. While dogs are more omnivorous than pure carnivores like cats, they are not true omnivores like human beings. They evolved from wolves, so they tend to do best on meat based diets. Important nutrients to consider when planning a dog’s diet include water, proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals. Often overlooked, water is a necessity to sustain life and maintain good health. It …show more content…

A good diet balances all of the important nutrients and takes into account a dog’s age, activity level, health, reproductive status and current body condition. A truly excellent diet not only allows a dog to survive, it promotes optimum health and …show more content…

Unlike other nutrients, fiber is not digested in a dog’s small intestine. Instead, it helps move food through the digestive system, aids in keeping bowel movements regular and prevents constipation. If dogs eat too much fiber, however, they can develop gas, loose stool and have more frequent bowel movements. Because fiber is found in the cell walls of plants, diets with more plant material have higher fiber than those with less plant material. Consequently, plant based diets tend to produce bulkier stools than meat based diets. Sometimes veterinarians recommend high fiber dog foods to treat some medical conditions including diabetes, obesity and anal gland disease. Fiber is beneficial for diabetic dogs, because it helps stabilize blood sugar. Obese dogs benefit from high fiber foods, because the fiber makes the dog feel full without providing extra calories. Dogs with anal gland disease benefit from the bulky stools caused by high fiber diets. These bulky stools help express anal gland more frequently and may prevent impactions. Vitamins and

More about Nutrition Of Dogs Essay

Open Document