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

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Importance of Fiber in Dog Food

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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.

  • How to take care of a puppy
    How to take care of a puppy
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    How To Take Care Of A Puppy

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    Watch as Veterinarian Dr. Katy Nelson shares all the basics of building a positive relationship with a puppy. You’ll learn everything from taking care of your puppy’s basic needs to socialization. When all is said and done you’ll learn how a happy puppy makes for a happy owner as well.

     

    Hi, I'm Dr. Katy Nelson with IAMS, and today we're going to talk about how to take care of your puppy. First and foremost, you want to understand and meet your puppy's needs. Here they are in order of importance. Number one: basic health-- water, nutrition specifically formulated for puppies, and sleep. Also, immunizations and regular checkups are recommended. Number two: safety. As with small children, you need to keep your puppy in an environment that is safe for him. Puppies explore with their mouths, and they learn about different textures by gnawing. Also, chewing helps massage their gums. For your puppy's safety, keep things that he or she should not be chewing on out of reach. Number three: psychological. Your puppy's greatest psychological need is to be part of a group and be socialized with other dogs. However, to do this successfully, you need to be a guardian he can depend on. Once your puppy's basic needs are met, you want to understand the way he sees the world, so that you can build a strong relationship. Your puppy does not understand the world you live in, so you cannot expect him to. Two things you need to understand is that to them, everything is edible, and they will lunge at anything exciting—you, kids, guests, and other animals, until you train them not to. Praise him exuberantly to encourage the right behavior. Give him treats, pet him, play with him, and be stern to discourage the wrong behavior—ignore him, stop petting, or stop playing. Most importantly, be patient and consistent. Don't be harsh. Puppies have lots of energy, and it's healthy for them to use it. Periodically, helping your puppy release energy will minimize his urge to dig and chew on things. Spend time out in the yard making him run in short bursts. Go on walks or play fetch. Puppies are used to playing with their brothers and sisters. When they're separated, they're looking for their next playmate. Playing with your puppy will also make him more focused on you, improving your bond and making training easier. It teaches him new behaviors, self-control, and will help him gain self-confidence. Like play, socialization is also fundamental to raising your puppy. This is why socializing your puppy as soon as you bring him home is important for both of you. Socialization teaches your puppy to be calm in stimulating circumstances, and to obey when instructed. It also gets him used to being touched, handled, and even used to having hands and inedible things in and near his mouth, so that he behaves around other people, kids, and his veterinarian. Also, know that puppies are sensitive. They can read facial expressions and emotions. Be consistent about what things your puppy does that make you express happiness. Also, be careful not to give your puppy reason to think he's at blame for negative emotions you have from other areas of your life, like when you've had a bad day at work. Emotions are contagious. The happiest puppies tend to be in the most positive and loving households. I'm Dr. Katy Nelson with IAMS, and I hope that you found this helpful as you welcome your new addition to your family.

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