Nutrition Breakdown: A Deep-Dive Into Dog Nutrition

How your pet can benefit from balanced dog nutrition:

The nutritional requirements of dogs are unique and differ from humans in many ways. These differences make it extremely difficult to make a homemade dog food that meets the nutritional needs of dogs. Dogs require the correct balance of nutrients to live a long, happy and healthy life.

Nutrients are normally divided into five classes

•    Protein
•    Fat
•    Carbohydrate
•    Vitamins
•    Minerals

Proteins

Proteins are required to build and continuously repair body tissues and structures like muscle and hair. They are also essential in defending the body against diseases and are a source of energy in the diet. Protein quality depends upon digestibility and amino acid profile. There are no benefits in feeding higher or excess proteins.

Fat

Although consuming fat is essential for health, too much dietary fat is linked with a number of diseases including obesity, potentially leading to joint problems. Fats are a concentrated source of energy, a source of essential fatty acids and they carry fat-soluble vitamins around the body. Apart from the nutritional necessity of fats, they also help to make diets more palatable.

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates aren’t an essential for dog nutrition as they can generally maintain blood sugar levels through the synthesis of amino acids. However, when carbohydrates are available in the diet they are good source of energy for dogs. Dietary sources of carbohydrates include corn, rice, wheat and root vegetables.

Vitamins

Vitamins are complex organic molecules, essential for life and have numerous functions in the body, including enhancing the immune system and protecting against disease. Sources of vitamins include meat, fruits, vegetables and cereals.

Minerals

Minerals such as calcium, phosphorus etc. are essential as they are required for growth and bone formation and are an essential component of many enzymes. Not only is the correct concentration of each mineral required but the correct balance of the minerals is also required for optimum health.

Water

A dog can survive for a very short period of time without water but a loss of only 10% from the body can result in death. Always make sure your dog has fresh water available. Water has essential functions in the body including the regulation of temperature and transporting nutrients around the body.

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