What You Should Know About Grain Free Dog Food
There are many different varieties of grain free dog food products, available at pet food stores, and online. Many people have begun feeding their dogs these products instead of the food they were using before. If your dog has any digestive problems or allergies, you may want to switch foods to a formula that is free of grains. Dogs who are older or overweight may also do better on one of these formulas.
Canines are carnivores, their digestive systems are designed to process meat and protein. Grains are very hard for their systems to digest, and can cause irritation and inflammation of the intestines. This inflammation gives rise to many different allergic reactions. It can get confusing because your dog may get sick if you give him a hamburger as a treat. His body does not produce sufficient enzymes to process that much concentrated protein because it's been forced to adapt to an unnatural diet.
Up until about sixty years ago, dogs ate what their human family would eat. They would eat the scraps or leavings off the table, and anything wild they would scavenge. The dog food industry created kibble as an inexpensive alternative. They had to produce a product that could be marketed as cost saving.
The higher the percentage of grains in the kibble, the more profit these companies derive from it. The protein content in many of these foods is quite low, sometimes less than twenty percent. Some dogs may seem to have no problems with it, but their health ultimately suffers because of this departure from their dietary needs.
There are any number of allergic responses to this inadequate diet. Recurring ear infections is most likely to be nutrition based. Digestive problems are also a result: these include, loose stools, gas, bloating, and diarrhea. Some dogs suffer dreadfully from skin ailments that are allergic responses to the presence of grains in their kibble.
A kibble free of grains will usually have potatoes and sweet potatoes in the ingredients. Spinach, peas, pumpkin, squash, turnip greens, and carrots are popular vegetables found in these foods. Apples, pears, blackberries, and blueberries are also popular additions. The percentage of protein is increased as well.
Grain-free kibble producers offer a variety of protein sources. Red meat sources include beef, lamb, venison, and bison. Poultry sources are chicken and turkey. Fish formulas contain trout, salmon, herring, whitefish, and pike. There are mixtures and also single source formulas.
You should never change dog foods abruptly. There should be a transitional period to allow the dog's digestive system to start producing the right enzymes to cope with the change in ingredients. Rushing the process can exacerbate the digestive condition or other allergic responses.
You should see improvements in your dog's health and well being within a few weeks. If there are still some minor problems, consider trying a different protein source. You should also think about adding raw meat to his daily food. The closer you can make your dog's diet that of a carnivore, the healthier he will be.
Canines are carnivores, their digestive systems are designed to process meat and protein. Grains are very hard for their systems to digest, and can cause irritation and inflammation of the intestines. This inflammation gives rise to many different allergic reactions. It can get confusing because your dog may get sick if you give him a hamburger as a treat. His body does not produce sufficient enzymes to process that much concentrated protein because it's been forced to adapt to an unnatural diet.
Up until about sixty years ago, dogs ate what their human family would eat. They would eat the scraps or leavings off the table, and anything wild they would scavenge. The dog food industry created kibble as an inexpensive alternative. They had to produce a product that could be marketed as cost saving.
The higher the percentage of grains in the kibble, the more profit these companies derive from it. The protein content in many of these foods is quite low, sometimes less than twenty percent. Some dogs may seem to have no problems with it, but their health ultimately suffers because of this departure from their dietary needs.
There are any number of allergic responses to this inadequate diet. Recurring ear infections is most likely to be nutrition based. Digestive problems are also a result: these include, loose stools, gas, bloating, and diarrhea. Some dogs suffer dreadfully from skin ailments that are allergic responses to the presence of grains in their kibble.
A kibble free of grains will usually have potatoes and sweet potatoes in the ingredients. Spinach, peas, pumpkin, squash, turnip greens, and carrots are popular vegetables found in these foods. Apples, pears, blackberries, and blueberries are also popular additions. The percentage of protein is increased as well.
Grain-free kibble producers offer a variety of protein sources. Red meat sources include beef, lamb, venison, and bison. Poultry sources are chicken and turkey. Fish formulas contain trout, salmon, herring, whitefish, and pike. There are mixtures and also single source formulas.
You should never change dog foods abruptly. There should be a transitional period to allow the dog's digestive system to start producing the right enzymes to cope with the change in ingredients. Rushing the process can exacerbate the digestive condition or other allergic responses.
You should see improvements in your dog's health and well being within a few weeks. If there are still some minor problems, consider trying a different protein source. You should also think about adding raw meat to his daily food. The closer you can make your dog's diet that of a carnivore, the healthier he will be.
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