IAMS PH
Why Is Fiber in Your Dog's Food?
Why Is Fiber in Your Dog's Food?

adp_description_block134
Importance of Fiber in Dog Food

  • Share

Your pooch’s diet defines its overall health and well-being. What it eats contributes to the amount of energy it has throughout the day. As a caregiver, it becomes your responsibility to provide the correct amount of nutrition and nourishment to your fur baby. Understanding the various components of your pet’s diet helps in providing them with the right nourishment.
 

Although everyone knows dogs need protein, carbohydrates, fat, vitamins, and minerals; did you know your canine friend also requires fiber in their diet? Even though fiber is not completely digestible it is an essential part of your pooch’s diet. High-fiber dog food aids in better digestion and bowel movement. Soluble fiber for dogs helps them in absorbing water. This type of fiber then gets fermented in their intestines to release fatty acids for better gut health. Other than soluble fiber, dogs also require insoluble fiber for better water absorption and digestion.
 

Benefits of high fiber dog food

Fiber in dog food helps the dogs digest their food better. Proper digestion equates to better bowel movement and good gut and gastrointestinal health. Your canine friend’s food should contain at least 2-4% fiber to assist their gut health’s growth and development. Besides, fiber for dogs acts as an absorbing substance that collects excess water and acids. Given below are a few other benefits of fiber for dogs.

  • Useful for treating constipation and diarrhea: Apart from absorbing extra water and acid, the insoluble fiber also helps in cleaning your pet’s gut tract. This makes their bowel movement better. Consuming the right amount of fiber also helps maintain your dog’s anal gland issues. Smaller breeds of dogs are more likely to suffer from these issues. The fiber in dog food makes it easier for stool to pass smoothly without any added effort. Hence, reducing the chances of your pet developing gastrointestinal and anal gland illnesses.
  • Weight management: Many breeds of dogs are meant for outdoor life; the lack of proper activity may lead to obesity in such breeds. Pet caregivers often worry about their fur baby being overweight because of the countless hours spent indoors with little to no activity. In such cases, high-fiber dog food is suggested alongside regular walks and playtime to manage the pooch’s weight. The fiber allows your fur baby to digest more food and aid in controlling its calorie intake.
  • Manages blood-sugar levels: Some types of fiber are slow to digest. This helps in maintaining blood sugar levels in dogs. Slow digestion of fiber stops sudden rise in blood sugar levels. Dogs that consume high-fiber dog food often have lower blood-sugar fluctuations and hence have lesser chances of suffering from diabetes

Is too much fiber bad for dogs?

On average dogs need only 2-4% fiber in their daily diet. Anything beyond this measure can be considered excessive fiber consumption for dogs. While fiber is needed for better gut and gastrointestinal health, too much fiber for dogs can be a topic of concern. Given below are a few issues that may occur because of excessive fiber consumption.

  • Gas: Fiber is not completely digestible. Hence, even though limited consumption of fiber helps in eliminating gut-related problems, too much fiber can lead to gastrointestinal problems and increase gas and acidity issues.
  • Diarrhea: While soluble fiber manages water content in the body, insoluble fiber can lead to digestive issues when consumed in excess. Frequent urge to pass stool and diarrhea are some known side effects of consuming too much fiber.

Even if is fiber bad for dogs is a common query, the conclusion is fiber is needed for better digestion and gut health of your pooch. However, excess fiber consumption can lead to certain stomach and gut-related issues, while eating little to no fiber is also not a good choice. Avoiding fiber altogether can lead to the anal gland diseases and gut illness. Hence, as a pet parent, you must ensure your canine friend is provided with the right amount of fiber in their daily diet. Besides fiber dogs also need adequate amounts of protein, carbohydrates, and fat in their diet for consistent growth and development.

Frequently asked questions

  1. Is fiber good for dogs?
  2. Yes, dogs need some amount of fiber in their diet to digest their food and absorb excess water.

  3. How much fiber should dog food have?
  4. On average dogs need to consume at least 2-4% fiber per meal. While their daily fiber consumption should not be anything more than 10%.

  5. What happens if a dog eats too much fiber?
  6. As fiber is not completely digestible, consuming too much fiber can lead to diarrhea and gas issues in dogs.

  7. Does fiber make dogs poop more?
  8. Yes, fiber consumption can increase your pet’s urge to poop or make them poop more as fiber helps in removing excess water, acid, and other undigested components from your pet’s body.

  • Understanding Antioxidants in IAMS™ Dog Food
    Understanding Antioxidants in IAMS™ Dog Food
    adp_description_block495
    A Pet Parent’s Guide To The Best Antioxidants For Dogs

    • Share

    Antioxidants are chemicals that the body uses to combat free radicals. And free radicals are substances that might harm the body if they exceed a certain level. Antioxidants are also beneficial for your pets, especially your dogs. Your dog needs antioxidants to help promote a healthy immune system. Hence, every IAMS™ dog formula contains optimal levels of these nutrients.

    Antioxidants are naturally occurring essential nutrients that help maintain your dog’s health by slowing the destructive oxidative process of cellular molecules. IAMS™ research has been focusing on advancing antioxidant nutrients for senior dogs — and the benefit is improved immune function. Discover how the antioxidants in IAMS™ products can benefit your dog’s health in a number of ways.


     

    Benefits of antioxidants for dogs

    Antioxidants are found naturally in fruits and vegetables. Common antioxidants include vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, and certain compounds called carotenoids (like lutein and beta-carotene). When antioxidants are a part of a dog’s complete diet, they can provide the following benefits:

    •  Slowing the oxidative process of cellular molecules.
    • Reversing decreases in immune-cell function in senior dogs
       

    How antioxidants work

    As cells function normally in the body, they produce damaged molecules called free radicals. These free radicals are highly unstable and steal components from other cellular molecules such as fat, protein, or DNA, thereby spreading the damage.

    This continues in a chain reaction and causes cells to die. This process is called peroxidation. Peroxidation is useful because it helps the body destroy cells that have outlived their usefulness, and it kills germs and parasites. However, when left unchecked, peroxidation also destroys or damages healthy cells.

    Antioxidants help prevent widespread cellular destruction by willingly donating components to stabilize free radicals. More importantly, antioxidants return to the surface of the cell to stabilize other cellular components.

    When there are not enough antioxidants to hold peroxidation in check, free radicals begin damaging healthy cells, which can lead to problems. For example, free radical damage to immune cells can lead to an increased risk of infections.


     

    Antioxidants in IAMS™ adult dog and puppy foods

    Antioxidants offer countless benefits to our furry friends. And it is imperative that their food is loaded with it. Want to know why? Read on.

     

    Why do dogs need antioxidants?

     

    Antioxidants are a must for dogs as they are exposed to significantly more toxins than humans. These antioxidants work like protective agents within the dog’s body, battling free radicals that cause symptoms and diseases like skin problems.

    Furthermore, giving liver antioxidants for dogs will boost liver health and eliminate toxins from their body more efficiently. The liver will convert fat-soluble toxins into water-soluble toxins to easily flush them from your pet’s body through the GI tract and kidneys.

    Recent research has examined the benefits of certain antioxidants on the immune response of dogs, and the results of these studies indicated that antioxidants are important in helping dogs maintain a healthy immune system.

    IAMS™ adult and puppy formulas contain optimal levels of antioxidants such as:

     

     

    Antioxidant

    Source

    Function

    Vitamin E

    Plant oil extract and tocopherols

    Optimises immune system’s T-cell activation

    Beta-carotene

    Vitamin premix, corn meal, chicken by-product meal and chicken fat

    Optimises types of cells present in the blood,
    increases antibody levels in the blood

     

    Now that you know how dog food with antioxidants can benefit your dog, here’s a list of the best antioxidants for dogs:

    Best antioxidants for dogs

    Vitamin C

    • One of the most essential vitamins for a dog's health
    • Aids in wound healing and reducing inflammation
    • Provides energy so your dog can enjoy playing outside all day

     Vitamin E

    • One of the best antioxidants for dogs with cancer
    • Provides a natural boost to the immune system
    • Supports healthy blood vessels and protects against diabetes and heart disease

    Beta Carotene

    • It is a fantastic dietary addition for your dog.
    • Helps boost the number of antibodies in blood and offers additional protection against diseases in older dogs

    Polyphenols

    • Excellent antioxidants for dogs as they help maintain your pet’s health and strength for many years
    • Shields from diseases like cancer or diabetes

     

    Sources of antioxidants for dogs

    You can find natural antioxidants for dogs in the following:

     

    Fruits and Vegetables

    The antioxidant content of plant-based foods is high. Foods that are highest in antioxidants are fruits and vegetables as they are loaded with vitamins and beneficial in countless ways. Some examples of excellent sources of antioxidants are blueberries, strawberries, pears, red cabbages, and kale. Make sure to check which fruits and vegetables are safe for your dog to consume.

    Supplements

    Give your dog the best vitamins you can, so your pooch stays healthy. It is crucial that dogs receive a supplement that is specifically designed for their life stage. 

    Look for dog food with antioxidants and nutrients that are bioactive and bioavailable so that these get absorbed properly into your dog’s body. Make sure that the supplement you choose has the ideal ratio of natural elements for your pet’s needs. That can be accomplished by looking for a combination of prebiotics, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals.

    For a healthy body from the inside, you can also feed your pooch IAMSTM Proactive HealthTM dog food. Find the products that are best for your dog by shopping based on your pet’s age.

     

     

    article understanding antioxidants in article dog food header
Close modal