The A – Z of Dog Nutrition

Everyone loves to see their pet with a happy, wagging tail, but did you know you can help your furry friend be the best version of themselves by paying closer attention to their diet? Nutrition plays a crucial role in understanding your dog’s needs and making sure they receive the healthiest options to support a long, vibrant life. A raw diet has emerged as a popular way for pet owners to enhance their dog’s health by providing whole, minimally processed foods, as opposed to relying solely on conventional kibble and a great way to balance out the heavy carbohydrate loading most kibbles include.

Here’s what you need to know about the benefits of incorporating raw foods into your dog’s diet. Your dog’s natural diet should consist of about 44% protein, 52% fat and less than 10% carbohydrates but with most easily accessible food options out there, your pet is having almost 30-60% of their food consisting of carbohydrates (Rodney& Habib, 2021) which are difficult to breakdown as dogs don’t naturally produce enough amylase like us which helps breaking down the starchy bonds. In fact, over the years dog’s genetics have changed to accommodate the diet we are feeding them, putting their liver into overdrive trying to produce enough amylase to digest this food (Arendt, Fall, Lindblad‐Toh & Axelsson, 2014). Understanding and utilising food can help set your pet on a healthy and long life.

Inflammation 

Inflammation is a vital response to injury or infection, but when chronic or excessive, it can negatively affect biological functions across various systems. Acute inflammation helps fight infections, while chronic inflammation can lead to autoimmune diseases, tissue damage, and metabolic disorders like obesity and diabetes by interfering with insulin signalling and promoting fat accumulation. In pets, inflammatory foods can trigger immune responses, as seen in a study by Jaffey et al. (2022), which found that dogs fed a whole food diet had a more balanced immune response and lower inflammation markers than those fed a kibble-based diet.

Chronic prolonged inflammation also contributes to issues with cardiovascular health, nervous system, hormonal balance and reproductive health (Rodney& Habib, 2021). Having continuously elevated inflammation markers increases chances on cancer and tumours due to the disruption in normal metabolic pathways, damaging DNA. Having a balanced diet, accounting for these inflammation pathways is crucial to ensuring your pet has the best chance at a happy life. 

Methods of food preparation

There are many types of food prep around in the market. The key difference in all these methods is the available nutrient composition left over at the end of the process. Food preparation is a key factor to setting your pet up for nutritional success, therefore understanding how your pet’s food is prepared is vital to understanding the nutritional availability in their food.

Raw: Minimally processed, highest level of nutrients, mimics natural diet. Supports metabolic function, better skin and coat and better digestion

Dehydrated: removes the moisture while preserving some nutrients. Shelf stable but offers similar consistency in nutrients like kibble with better whole food ingredients such as raw

Heating: primary method for making kibble, significant loss of moisture and degradation of minerals and vitamins. Challenging for dogs to digest

DID YOU KNOW?

Many compounds are significantly altered when heated changing the structure and functionality of the food.

Foods cooked at a lower temperature for less time preserve more of their nutritional profile than those blasted with heat (Lobefaro et al., 2021) providing the best access to vitamins and minerals. When food is heated reactions such as that between sugars and proteins, occur causing the degradation of available quality protein. Additionally, heat sensitive vitamins and minerals are lost (Singh, Gamlath, & Wakeling, 2007).

Understanding food Composition

Other key things to look out for in your kibble products is the fat, carbohydrate and protein percentages which are often available on your kibble bags.

They Often Look like this:

SUPER TIP!

Check your pets kibble food for the suggested serving per cup, these change between brands!

Many of the marketable kibble brands contain many carbohydrates and ingredients not easily digestible for dogs, making the nutritional composition of the food lower. 

Sourced: (Big Dog Pet Foods, n.d.)

Kibble Vs Raw Food Diets

There is a big difference between market kibble feed vs raw feeding as well that can significantly impact your dog’s well-being. 

This isn’t to say ditch the kibble foods, kibble provides a stable reliable food source for your furry friends, but making sure we balance kibble with alternatives such as healthy foods is a great way to help your pets get the vital nutrition they need while making sure they aren’t eating that big mac on the daily. Offering a variety of foods also lets your pet explore their preferences and keeps their diet from becoming monotonous.

So, what are the benefits for your dog by balancing raw feeding with their kibble diets? 

1. Shinier Coat, Healthier Skin, and Better Oral Health
   Healthier skin and protection from diseases such as dermatitis 

2. A Boost to Immune System
   Optimal metabolic function allowing significant pathways to fight infections

4. Improved Digestibility and Better Nutrient Absorption
   Properly able to breakdown foods and access nutrients 

5. Better Bowel Movements
   Decrease in constipation and diarrhea 

Changing your pet’s diet by even 10% can have massive improvements to their wellbeing (Rodney& Habib, 2021) and decreasing inflammation markers (Jaffey et al., 2022) allowing your pet to function to their best capacity. 

The Role of Supplements

Supplementing your pet’s diet is often essential to fill nutritional gaps or address specific health conditions. Adding supplements is a great way to ensure your pet receives all the vital nutrients and minerals, helping to prevent potential issues or deficiencies. With at home diets there are often inconsistencies with nutrients due to preparation, seasonality and availability (Bianco et al., 2020). Understanding the role of supplements is a key aspect of nutrition.

Having a holistic understanding of your dog’s breed, age, and weight allows for the evaluation of the right supplementation needed. Not all supplements are the same; some target specific needs such as skin & coat, joints, or stress & anxiety, which are ideal if you're addressing a particular concern.

For overall well-being, a general supplement (such as Groke Pet’s Complete Daily Nutrition) provides all the necessary vitamins and minerals to keep your dog healthy and happy.

In some cases, pets need additional support to address specific health concerns and possible issues that are breed predetermined. Some diseases require additional support to ensure animals can acquire their daily nutritional profile, therefore supplementation is an essential to maintain functionality. Understanding the changes particular diseases may have on a dog’s ability to access vitamins and minerals allows for the tailoring of a diet to meet their specific needs. 

Conclusion

Paying closer attention to your dog’s diet can significantly enhance their overall health and well-being. By providing a balance of raw food and kibble, you can ensure that your pet receives the nutrients they need for a long, vibrant life. While kibble remains a convenient and reliable food option, it’s important to recognise the limitations it may have, such as being high in carbohydrates and difficult to digest. Raw food diets, on the other hand, are nutrient-dense and more aligned with your dog’s natural dietary needs. 

In addition to a balanced diet, supplements can fill nutritional gaps and provide extra support for specific health conditions. By making informed decisions about your dog’s diet and considering both food composition and preparation methods, you are giving your pet the best chance to thrive. 

*Always consult with a veterinarian or pet nutritionist to ensure your dog’s dietary needs are met effectively.

References

Arendt, M., Fall, T., Lindblad‐Toh, K., & Axelsson, E. (2014). Amylase activity is associated with AMY 2B copy numbers in dog: Implications for dog domestication, diet and diabetes. Animal genetics, 45(5), 716-722.

Bianco, A. V., Abood, S., Mutsaers, A., Woods, J. P., Coe, J. B., & Verbrugghe, A. (2020). Unconventional diets and nutritional supplements are more common in dogs with cancer compared to healthy dogs: An online global survey of 345 dog owners. Veterinary and comparative oncology, 18(4), 706-717.

Big Dog Pet Foods. (n.d.). The impact of processing on the nutrient content of commercial pet foods. Big Dog Pet Foods. Retrieved November 20, 2024, from https://www.bigdogpetfoods.com/guides/the-impact-of-processing-on-the-nutrient-content-of-commercial-pet-foods

Jaffey, J. A., Su, D., Monasky, R., Hanratty, B., Flannery, E., & Horman, M. (2022). Effects of a whole food diet on immune function and inflammatory phenotype in healthy dogs: A randomized, open-labeled, cross-over clinical trial. Frontiers in Veterinary Science, 9, 898056.

Lobefaro, S., Piciocchi, C., Luisi, F., Miraglia, L., Romito, N., Luneia, R., ... & Donini, L. M. (2021). Cooking techniques and nutritional quality of food: A comparison between traditional and innovative ways of cooking. International Journal of Gastronomy and Food Science, 25, 100381.

Rodney, R., & Habib, K. (2021). The forever dog: Surprising new science to help your canine companion live younger, healthier, and longer. Harper Wave.

Singh, S., Gamlath, S., & Wakeling, L. (2007). Nutritional aspects of food extrusion: a review. International Journal of Food Science & Technology, 42(8), 916-929.