Tuffys Nutri Source Weight Management Chicken Formula
Nutri Source Weight Management with grains is the food we feed Ginger in the winter because she is less active.
Nutri Source Weight Management has a very high crude fiber content of 16.2%.
The fiber in this recipe comes from grains, beet pulp, and flaxseed. Plus, this formula contains several probiotics, chondroitin, and glucosamine.
Though this food does not contain many fruit and vegetables, we add those as toppers and treats.
The Missing Link: Ultimate Skin And Coat High Fiber Supplement
The Missing Link might be something missing from your dog’s life. Its a wonderful brand to keep your companion’s coat and skin healthy. This dog food contains sunflower seeds, flaxseeds, and fiber-rich supplements to ensure that your dog has a healthy digestive system. The enzymes, vitamins, bacteria, minerals, and high fiber serves as a nutritious and delicious meal for your tail-wagging friend.
This dog food can help enhance the immune system, which is highly recommended for aging pets. The supplements can help your dog live longer and be stronger so you guys can enjoy each others company for a long time.
What Is Fiber Anyway
Without delving into a biochemistry discussion, fiber is a type of carbohydrate that cant be digested by the body . Fibers are more-or-less passed through the digestive system intact.
So if fiber cant be digested by the body, why is it good for us?
Well, moderate amounts of fiber influence your dogs biology in a number of beneficial ways while making its way from the entrance to the exit. For example, fiber helps to regulate intestinal function, promote colon health, slows the absorption of glucose into the blood and support healthy gut flora.
But not all fibers are created equal, and they differ in several important ways. The most important distinction that the average dog owner should know concerns the fibers ability to absorb water.
You may have heard this distinction characterized as soluble or insoluble fiber.
- Soluble fiber absorb lots of water
- Insoluble fibers absorb relatively little water
This small distinction alters the way fiber interacts with your dogs body. While both are clearly beneficial, soluble fiber is usually preferable because it absorbs water in your dogs digestive tract and passes relatively easy her digestive system.
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Is There Enough Fiber In Dog Food
No, theres usually not, because the Guaranteed Analysis label lists a maximum amount rather than the actual amount. And that makes it pretty much impossible to do a calculation. Plus dog food labels dont specify the type of fiber. They only report crude fiber, which is basically insoluble. And its listed as a maximum so it could be any lower amount.
The fiber in different commercial dog foods can also vary dramatically. Even though diets promoted for seniors or weight control are high fiber or fiber-rich foods, they vary a lot. And pet foods often use fiber like cellulose, which is basically sawdust and has no nutrients. When you compare dry food with wet, dry food lists a higher percentage of fiber than canned because of its water content. Serving for serving, the fiber content of dry kibble and wet food are not very different.
Do Dogs Need Fiber In Their Diets
Yes, dogs need dietary fiber because it breaks down into short-chain fatty acids that provide vital functions related to health. SCFAs are a source of energy, protect the gut lining and support the immune system. And fiber has many more health benefits such as a prebiotic and indigestion.
Fiber is an essential nutrient that has many reasons to be part of your dogs diet.
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Supplementing Your Dog’s Diet With Fiber
When a dog has these problems, some veterinarians suggest mixing powdered fiber into your dogs food, working up to about one teaspoon per ten pounds of the dogs weight per day. Another option that is given is to add some canned pumpkin or low-sodium green beans to the dogs food. These vets say these different options can help to add bulk to a dogs stool and cause the waste to move out of the system faster so there is less time to cause gas. Be aware, however, if you try either one of these options, that it is best to make the transition slowly and to pay close attention to how it affects your particular dog. Too much fiber, too fast can cause your dogs digestive problems to get worse or can even cause new issues.
What Should You Do
Fiber powder? Pumpkin or green beans? High fiber food? Avoid fiber altogether? What is a pet owner to do? Whatever you decide to do, keep in mind that drastic and sudden changes in your dogs diet can cause a great deal of discomfort for your dog , so it is important to be very cautious. After all, you love your dog and you dont want to make things worse. Thats why its so important for you to have a conversation with your vet about your dogs diet, especially if your dog has excessive gas and/or soft or runny stools. He or she likely has both knowledge and experience with different options for helping your dog, and has seen what works and what doesnt. With your vets help, your dog may be able to live a better life.
Benefits of fiber are:
- Weight maintenance may be improved because the fiber-rich food makes your dog feel fuller and satisfied on less calories
- Illnesses like diabetes may be easier to control as sugar spikes are avoided with slower digestion
- Digestive issues, such as constipation or diarrhea, can be relieved
- Colon health is improved when the elimination process moves quickly
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Evaluating The Need For Additional Fiber In Your Dogs Diet
S Of Nutrition Measurement
There are three different ways of measuring amounts of protein, fat, carbohydrates, and fiber in foods:
1. Percentage of dry matter
2. Percentage of calories
3. Grams per 1,000 calories
Dry matter percentages are easiest to use for commercial foods. Grams per 1,000 calories or percentage of calories are simpler ways to measure nutrients in a homemade diet.
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Best High Fiber Dog Food: Anal Gland Problems
Dealing with your dogs anal glands is one of the less attractive elements of dog ownership.
Anal glands, also known as anal sacs, are located below and on either side of a dogs anal opening .
A healthy dog with regular, healthy bowel movements is unlikely to have problems with their anal glands, however, they can easily become impacted or even infected in a dog with digestive problems.
Typically affecting smaller dog breeds, anal gland problems usually first become noticeable to a dog owner when a dog scoots or drags their anal area across the floor, or licks their anal area excessively.
If you notice your dog partaking in these unusual activities, it is best to go to the vet and get it checked out.
A high-fiber diet is an excellent way of dealing with ongoing or recurrent anal gland problems. Ultimately, the aim is to bulk up your dogs stools, which will put pressure on the anal glands, allowing them to be fully expressed when your dog defecates.
Fiber For Dogs: The Good The Bad & The Balance
Fiber for dogs is an important component of a balanced diet. This nutrition buzzword is often touted as promoting good digestion in humans, and it does the exact same thing for your pup. Dietary fiber helps to promote regular bowel movements and helps maintain a healthy colon.
That said, incorporating fiber into your dog’s diet has quite a few health benefits both in both the short and long-term. But a quick scan for “fiber” on the dog food label isn’t enough: It’s important to understand the different types and how they could help or harm your pup’s overall health.
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Alternative Ways To Add More Fiber To Your Dogs Diet
Of course, you dont have to switch to a high-fiber food in order to get your dog more indigestible plant material in his diet.
You can also add a few household food products to help jack up the fiber content of your dogs regular food. Some of the best ingredients for doing so include:
Canned pumpkin
What To Ask Your Vet If You Want Your Dog On A High
It is always a good idea to consult your vet before changing your dogs diet.
Do your research before you see your vet, and pick a high-fiber dog food that you think would be a good fit for your dog.
As mentioned, ensure that the dog food youve chosen is highest in protein first, then fat, and then fiber. With this information, meet with your vet and ask their opinion about whether this could be a good dog food solution for your dog.
You may like to ask your vet to perform a rectal exam on your dog before commencing a new high-fiber diet, as the symptoms associated with constipation can also overlap with the symptoms of a urinary obstruction.
Your vet will be able to determine the exact health conditions that your dog is dealing with.
Finally, check with your vet that your dog does not have any kidney problems, such as kidney disease.
While pumpkin and sweet potato can be excellent natural sources of fiber, dogs with kidney disease or other health problems may not be well-placed to consume these carbohydrate-rich foods.
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Look At The Type Of Fiber In Your Dog Food
When switching your dog to high fiber dog food, its important to look at the label for insoluble fiber. This fiber is the best it relieves constipation, reduces bloating, and helps your dog make regular bowel movements. Vet-prescribed therapeutic diets typically contain a high amount of insoluble fiber.
Many dog food brands label dietary fiber under crude fiber. Since this is a standard way to measure fiber, it can make it more challenging to find the amount of insoluble fiber the dog food contains. Make sure to look for insoluble on the label!
Which Fiber To Look For In Diets
Each pet must be considered individually when considering the amounts of each of types of fibers in the various commercially available diets not all pets with the same condition respond similarly to nutritional management. For example, low fat, highly digestible diets are commonly recommended for intestinal disease 1 however, one study in cats demonstrated that dietary fat content did not affect clinical outcome.7
In general, diseases affecting the large intestine may best be managed by trying diets higher in insoluble fibers, while diseases affecting the small intestine may benefit from the addition of soluble fibers. If it is unclear which type of fiber may be helpful, a moderate mixed fiber diet can be used for an initial trial. In addition, contacting a board-certified veterinary nutritionist to formulate a balanced, home-cooked diet could also be elected by owners who would like more control over fiber sources and content.
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Fiber Supplements For Dogs
Adding fruits, veggies, or brown rice to your dogs diet may not provide them with all the fiber they needespecially if they have digestive problems. If your pup has irregular bowels, is obese, or has diabetes, they may need more fiber than can be found in fresh food.
I like the idea of feeding fiber in the form of fruits and veggies, but the amount should not comprise more than 10 percent of the diet so that you do not unbalance the diet, says Boehme. If it is not possible to do this, then they would need an additional supplement.
How Much Fiber Does Your Dog Need
To figure this out, start by reading labels. Look for fiber-rich ingredients like vegetables and grains and avoid those listing “powdered cellulose,” which is a blanket term for subpar ingredients that literally could include shredded paper, tree pulp and cotton. These are cheap, starchy fillers that offer virtually no nutritional benefit.
Next, evaluate your dog. If they are healthy, active, poop regularly and are at an ideal weight, they are likely getting an adequate amount of fiber.
However, if your dog is having trouble with digestion or weight, it could be that their fiber intake isn’t ideal. Talk with your vet about either changing your dog’s diet or supplementing it with fresh vegetables like kale, pumpkin, apples, peas, broccoli, celery, and beets.
At Ollie, we know how important the right amount and right kinds of fiber are to your pup. Our veterinary nutritionist helps us create Recipes that are balanced and rich in fiber to help keep your pup’s digestive system running optimally. We include human-grade ingredients like kale and pumpkin so you don’t have to supplement with additonal sources of fiber.
The Ollie blog is devoted to helping pet parents lead healthier lives with their pups. If you want to learn more about our fresh, human-grade food, check out MyOllie.com.
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What To Look For:
When shopping for high-fiber dog food, youll want to seek out:
- Increased fiber content
- High-fiber fruits and vegetables
- Whole grains, such as brown rice and oatmeal
- Supplemental sources of fiber, such as flaxseed and psyllium husk
Look for fibers that come from nutritious sources, such as whole grains and fresh produce, rather than refined grains like corn and wheat.
Should You Cook Your Dogs Food
Is cooking dog food at home really better for your pup? While there may be claims made to that effect, theres no hard scientific evidence to support it.
Owners are told by many sources that homemade food is superior to commercial products. However, there is no proof to support this claim, says Dr. Larsen.
Larsen cautions dog owners to be aware of fearmongering within the pet food industry. This is often driven by myths about ingredient quality. While there are no scientifically-supported benefits to homemade diets, whole ingredient-based diets are better in the long term. Commercial foods are made to be complete and balanced, adds Dr. Bartges, albeit not the most exciting of meals.
Think of it as eating the same highly processed food for every meal, day after day, for years, he affirms.
Put that way, feeding your dogs a variety of whole foods makes a lot of sense. In fact, there are a multitude of reasons why you might want to prepare homemade foods for your dog, according to Dr. Larsen and Dr. Bartges.
These include gaining control over your dogs diet, appeasing picky eaters, combatting food intolerance issues, concern over food recalls, or simply for the bond-building joy of preparing a home-cooked meal for your dog.
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Natures Variety Instinct Raw Boost Healthy Weight Grain
Natures Variety Instinct Raw Boost is a recipe based on healthy, high-quality animal protein. The meat in the food is freeze-dried and contains less fat and calories than the traditional Instinct Raw Boost diet. There are loads of healthy ingredients in this food, like L-Carnitine for metabolism support, freeze-dried raw protein, probiotics, and antioxidants. The dog food is free of grain, corn, wheat, soy, by-product meal, potato, and artificial colors and preservatives.
The fiber percentage in this dog food is not as high as many of the other dog foods for anal gland problems, so it is a good option for dogs who are currently on a diet that is lower in fiber. This is because switching from a low-fiber food to a high-fiber food can be a shock to your pet and result in constipation.
Main Ingredients: Chicken, Chicken Meal, Peas, Tapioca, Menhaden Fish Meal
Protein: 32%
Four Care Tips For Diabetic Dogs
Remember, knowing what dry dog food is best for diabetic dogs and changing your dogs diet isnt the only way to deal with diabetes. There are a few more things you can do to ensure that your pooch stays happy and healthy.
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