Dog owners often meet conflicting advice when it comes to their pet’s nutrition. It really can be a minefield! Here at My Pet Nutritionist, we love to have a balanced view on certain aspects of nutrition in order to help pet parents make an informed decision. Starchy vegetables are often both shunned and recommended among pet parents – this blog aims to help you decide if you should feed them to your dog. What Are Starchy Vegetables? How do we define ‘starchy’ in terms of vegetables? Starchy vegetables are those with high complex carbohydrate content. Of this high carbohydrate content, a large proportion is starch. Starch is made of a large number of glucose molecules joined together; known as a polysaccharide. Starchy foods are digested very slowly, providing slow-release energy; not the main source of energy for a dog! We must remember the digestive tract of a dog is much shorter than that of us humans, which means there is less time for digestion to occur. The Nutritional Research Council (NRC) state that dogs do not require a large amount of carbohydrates. Some common examples of starchy vegetables include: Potato Sweet Potato Squash Pumpkin Parsnip Peas Banana watermelon Different vegetables contain different amounts of starch, which each have a differing Glycaemic Index. Keep reading to learn about the Glycaemic Index! The Glycaemic Index When looking at feeding plant matter, whether that’s fruits or vegetables, we suggest looking at the Glycaemic Index (GI). This index is a means of rating how quickly a food containing carbohydrates will raise blood sugar levels/causes a sugar spike. The three categories are: Low GI: foods with very low or no carbohydrate content. These foods will usually digest quickly, and either will not cause a raise in blood sugar levels, or will only raise it slightly, and slowly. Some examples include broccoli, green beans, cucumber, courgette, cabbage, peppers, mushrooms and herbs. Medium GI: foods with a medium amount of carbohydrate. These foods will cause an elevation in blood sugar levels, which will happen at a medium pace. Foods with a medium glycaemic index will generally take a little longer to digest than those with a Low glycaemic index. Examples include berries, apples and pears. High GI: high carbohydrate foods, usually complex carbs; and where our starchy vegetables fit in! These foods will raise blood sugar levels considerably, and quickly. They are also slower to digest. Findings Here Pros of Feeding Starchy Vegetables There are certainly some benefits to feeding some starchy vegetables. The key here is to do so with purpose, and in moderation. Here’s how feeding a small amount of starchy vegetables may benefits some dogs: High fibre digestive aid: most high starch vegetables, are also high in fibre. These are often used as a digestive aid, for those requiring help with bowel movements. Popular vegetables used for this purpose are pumpkin and sweet potato. These are also great options for those recovering from illness – it is relatively easy to digest, and supports gut maintenance. Prebiotic: some high starch vegetables have prebiotic qualities, including pumpkin, sweet potato, apple and banana. Prebiotics benefit the gut microbiome as they act as food for probiotics (the good bacteria in the gut). Source of vitamins and minerals: many starchy vegetables are dense in nutrients. Some of the essential vitamins found in abundance in starchy vegetables are Vitamins A, B6, C, E, and K. Mineral-wise, Beta-carotene and Potassium are often found in large amounts in starchy vegetables. Increased metabolism in low fat diets: some dogs require a low fat diet, whether this is due to being overweight, or having a health condition that requires a low fat diet such as Pancreatitis. Studies suggest that feeding starchy vegetables can lead to increased fat metabolism, as well as bringing anti-oxidative effects, and improving mucosal barrier function and immunomodulation. Increased stamina in active/sport dogs: as starchy vegetables offer a form of slow-release energy, feeding a small portion of these as part of an active, or sport dog’s diet, especially approaching days of high activity, may help to support a healthy stamina. Findings Here Findings Here Findings Here Cons of Feeding Starchy Vegetables As with many aspects of healthcare and nutrition, there are some reasons you may wish not to feed starchy vegetables to your individual dog, or at least heavily limit the amount fed. Here are some reasons owners may decide against feeding such ingredients: Yeast and itching: many itchy dogs cannot have high starch diets due to their high carb content. The sugars in these items can contribute to itchiness, and feed yeast. Yeast loves carbs, so in those who are yeasty or itchy, we advise avoiding these vegetables, and only reintroducing slowly and in small amounts as part of a full elimination diet. Weight gain: when consumed in large amounts, the sugars these starchy vegetables are broken down into can contribute to weight gain. Diabetes/Insulin resistance: when large amounts of starchy vegetables are fed to your dog, frequent blood sugar spikes can lead to insulin resistance. This can result in diabetes, which you can read more about here. Anti-nutrients: previously, we mentioned how nutrient dense many starchy vegetable options are; however alongside these beneficial nutrients, they often contain relatively high amounts of ‘anti nutrients’ – these are nutrients which can interfere with the absorption of other nutrients through various pathways. Some examples of anti-nutrients commonly found in starchy vegetables include Phytic Acid, Lectins, Oxalates, Tannins, and Glucosinolates. Pancreatic stress: those with pancreatitis should be wary of feeding many high starch vegetables, due to the added strain on the pancreas. Starchy vegetables and other starchy food sources can be difficult for the pancreas to process. Changes to pH: in the occasion a pet owner feeds their carnivorous pet a high starch/carbohydrate diet, this can cause a change to their natural pH – this process is called Alkalosis as the body becomes more alkaline. Our carnivores naturally have a more acidic pH to be able to digest their natural, meat based
Here at My Pet Nutritionist, we know how important your pet’s diet is, and how their diet can have a huge effect on their health and longevity. As part of their balanced diet, there are many vital macronutrients and micronutrients required in the correct quantities to ensure optimum health. One of the essential micronutrients required in the diet of both dogs and cats, is Choline; but why is it so important? Read on to find out! What is choline? Choline is an essential micronutrient; however it is neither a mineral nor a vitamin! It is a water soluble organic compound. Essential nutrients are nutrients the target species MUST consume within their diet. These nutrients are needed by the body, but the body cannot produce enough; meaning the diet needs to include them. As nutritional science has evolved over the years, move and more essential nutrients have been discovered. Choline is one of the newest discoveries in the nutrition world, being recognised as an essential micronutrient only since 1998 by the Institute of Medicine! When reading literature, you may find Choline is grouped with B Vitamins due to its similar functions within the body. Another important nutrient is Betaine, which is a metabolite of Choline. When Choline is metabolised, Betaine is formed, which has many health benefits such as protecting cells from osmotic stress (keeping cells perfectly hydrated, and stopping them from shrinking or swelling), and acting as a methyl donor, which plays a vital role in liver health, and is heavily involved in other major internal systems. Findings Here Findings Here Why is Choline Important? Choline, as an essential nutrient, is extremely important. It plays a huge role in many systems within the body from cells to metabolism, to DNA, to the nervous system. Let’s take a closer look at the roles it plays in the body: Cell Membranes: Choline is largely responsible for supporting the integrity of cell membranes, due to its ability to create the necessary fats to keep cell structure strong. Cell messengers: there are a number of compounds that act as cell messengers – passing signals between cells to allow them to ‘communicate’. Choline helps to produce these compounds. DNA Synthesis: like Vitamins B9 (Folate) and B12 (Cobalamin), Choline is involved in the synthesis of DNA. DNA is the body’s genetic code, so it is incredibly important to keep it healthy. Metabolism and transport of fat and cholesterol: this mainly improves the health of the liver. Choline helps to remove cholesterol from an individual’s liver by producing the responsible substance. If your pet is deficient in Choline, fat and cholesterol can build up in the liver, which would dampen it’s functionality. Benefits the nervous system: when Choline combines with an acetyl group, a reaction occurs using an enzyme called choline acetyltransferase as the catalyst. The result of this reaction is the production of Acetylcholine – an important neurotransmitter. Acetylcholine plays a major role in many aspects of health including muscle movement, memory/cognitive alertness and heartbeat regulation. Essential for healthy pancreas: studies show that a deficiency in Choline can be linked to pancreatitis. These studies suggest that supplementation with Choline can protect pancreatic cells, and reduce the risk of pancreatitis flares. One of the main pancreatic issues in those lacking a sufficient amount of Choline, is disruption to the exocrine system. Methylation: probably one of the most important roles of Choline in the body is Methylation. Methylation is incredibly important as it is the process which creates the Myelin sheath; the protective layer coating nerves in the body. These nerves affect brain health, and general nervous system health throughout the body. Benefits during pregnancy: during pregnancy and foetal development, choline is extremely important as it aids cognitive development in the maturing foetus – this sets young puppies and kittens up for better cognitive function when born and ageing. Findings Here Findings Here Findings Here Findings Here How Much Choline Does My Pet Need? Cats and dogs require different amounts of choline – in fact every species has different requirements for almost every nutrient, so it’s important that we tailor our pet’s nutrition to suit their species. With that in mind, how much choline is required for cats, and how much for dogs? Studies suggest that adult cats require a minimum of 800mg of Choline per kilogram of FRESH food per day, and that there is no upper tolerable limit in cats. in terms of dry food matter, this is around 3500mg/kg. Kittens may require a little more than this recommendation. Dogs require a different amount of Choline in their diet to cats. Adult dogs require at least 474mg per kilogram of FRESH food in their diet per day. in terms of dry matter, this value is around 2500mg/kg. Our nutritionists recommend around 800mg per kg of fresh food! Puppies may require a little extra. Sources of Choline When it comes to looking at pet foods on the market, most will contain Choline – however the form the choline is given in, may affect it’s efficacy. Ultra processed foods, such as dry extruded foods, may not be the best source of Choline for your pet; during the manufacture of these foods, the whole food ingredients are subject to high temperatures and multiple processing techniques which can damage nutrient quality and bioavailability. These foods are often sprayed with synthetic vitamins at he end of manufacture in order to reach minimum guidelines. At My Pet Nutritionist, we advocate for a fresh diet, where nutrients are sought mainly through the fresh ingredients included in the recipe. Some fresh food ingredients, rich in Choline, include: Liver – 209mg per 50g Eggs (especially egg yolk!) – 147mg per egg Kidney – 105mg per 50g Cod – 74mg per 50g Beef – 70mg per 50g Pork – 43mg per 50g Poultry – 36mg per 50g Brussels Sprouts – 31mg per 50g Shiitake Mushrooms – 29.7mg per 50g Cauliflower – 22mg per 50g Broccoli – 16mg per 50g Salmon – 11mg per 50g Nuts
Here at My Pet Nutritionist, we strive to help you decide on the best diet for your pet, including all the add-ons! We advocate feeding a fresh food diet when at all possible, whether that is raw or cooked using one of our balanced recipes. The big question often asked by pet owners is – does my pet need vegetables? The answer depends on the species of pet, and the individual animal! Let’s discuss the feeding of vegetables to pets, which veggies are suitable, and how much and often they should be fed! Do Cats Need Vegetables? Our feline friends are obligate carnivores. This means their diet should consist of meat, offal and bone. Cats will not benefit from a portion of vegetables, as they don’t have the required enzymes for digestion of plants or starch. Cats undergo a process called gluconeogenesis, which turns fats and proteins into energy, unlike many other species whereby carbohydrates are used for energy. During gluconeogenesis, a series of enzymatic reactions occur to achieve the release of energy from protein and fat. Findings Here Cats may benefit from a little wheatgrass and kelp; these ingredients are a great source of fibre which helps digestion and gut motility. They also contain a plethora of nutrition, such as Vitamin E, Zinc, Manganese, Iodine and copper. Kelp can help with plaque control on the teeth, and wheatgrass is great to aid immune health, eye health and vision, and also helps keep oral and gastrointestinal health in check. Do Dogs Need Vegetables? Unlike cats, while dogs are also carnivores, our canine counterparts are facultative carnivores; not obligate. This means they can benefit from a small amount of plant matter. For a more detailed explanation of facultative carnivorism, have a read of our blog: Is My Dog a Carnivore or an Omnivore? A complete meal for dogs does contain vegetables and fruits (collectively known as ‘plant matter’), as well as omega rich meat, fish or algae based sources. Dogs struggling with itchy skin may not tolerate some, or all vegetables – in these cases, vegetables should be avoided. If your dog is on an elimination diet they should not have vegetables, but may include vegetables as part of their elimination trial once protein choices are exhausted. Let’s look at the benefits feeding plant matter can bring! Benefits of Vegetables for Dogs There are a range of benefits plant matter can bring to your dog’s diet. These benefits cannot be sought from a purely meat diet. Polyphenols Polyphenols work alongside antioxidants to protect the tissues in the body from oxidative stress. In turn, this helps prevent cancer, general inflammation in the body, and coronary heart disease. Polyphenols inhibit transcript factors for inflammation by positively interacting with proteins which are involved in expression of genes, which ultimately helps keep inflammation in the body down. Studies also show that supplementing the diet with polyphenols when a dog has diarrhoea is beneficial as it helps reduce inflammation in the intestines. Vegetables high in polyphenols include: berries, nuts, seeds, and leafy greens. Findings Here Findings Here Findings Here Antioxidants Antioxidants are a very important part of the diet, in order to keep your dog healthy. The body contains lots of free radicals – these are molecules which have an unpaired electron. These are extremely unstable, highly reactive, and can cause the onset of cancer, cataracts, heart disease, and inflammatory disease. They really are very damaging to healthy cells in the body, so we really need to work toward controlling levels of free radicals in the body, using antioxidants. When the diet is rich in antioxidants, free radicals are ‘eaten’ away from healthy cells in the body, which reduces the risk of oxidative stress. Not only is the reduction of oxidative stress a huge benefit to antioxidants, but eye health, cardiovascular health, and brain function are supported, as well as a reduction in inflammation in the body. Healthy ageing is largely down to reducing oxidative stress, so antioxidants are also very important for the ageing dog. Blueberries are excellent sources of antioxidants, as well as spinach, raspberries, and broccoli. Findings Here Findings Here Phytonutrients Phytonutrients bring wonderful anti-cancer and pro-heart health benefits. Studies show links between phytonutrient consumption, and longevity too! As well as these fantastic benefits, phytonutrients play a role in immune modulation, to keep the immune function strong, and prevent various diseases including skin cancer, internal cancers, inflammatory diseases, osteoarthritis, and others. It may also play a role in the management of diabetes, and allergies, as well as having anti-ageing effects. Findings Here Findings Here Choosing Suitable Vegetables for Dogs When choosing suitable plant matter for your dog, you need to consider the Glycaemic Index Rating of the vegetable in question. Glycaemic Index Rating Looking at the glycaemic index (GI) rating of plant matter is a very important part of choosing suitable options. The glycaemic index rates how quickly a food digests and causes a blood sugar spike. The lower the glycaemic index value, the longer it takes to digest that food, and the less likely it is to cause a spike in blood glucose. Higher GI foods digest quicker and cause a blood glucose spike. Try to feed lower GI foods more often, and only feeding higher GI foods occasionally, and sparingly. In general, the lower GI foods tend to be the most beneficial anyway! Findings Here Findings Here Some examples of Low GI foods include: Leafy green vegetables Broccoli Brussels Sprouts Cabbage Asparagus Spinach Peppers Mushrooms Avocado flesh Herbs Some medium GI foods include: Berries Pear Apple Some high GI foods include: Banana Melon Sweet potato Carrot Parsnip Pumpkin Butternut squash Introducing, and Serving Vegetables When introducing vegetables to your dog for the first time, you may wish to start by giving a little veg, of only one or two varieties to ensure they like the options given and so as not to put them off entirely. If your dog is itch-prone, or has allergies, avoid all medium and high GI
The long debated question in the world of canines; are dogs carnivores, or omnivores? Here at My Pet Nutritionist, we are ready to put the somewhat controversial question to bed! There may be some fine lines between types of carnivore, and omnivores, so read carefully! Carnivores vs Omnivores: Diet As most of our readers will know, carnivorous animals eat, and thrive on meat and meat products only, whereas omnivorous animals eat, and thrive off a roughly equal mixture of meat and plants. Herbivorous animals eat purely plants, and insectivorous animals eat predominantly insects. ‘-carni’ means meat, ‘-omni’ means all, ‘-herbi´ means plant, and ‘-vore’ means eater in latin Biologically, humans are omnivorous. We are biologically designed to eat both meat, and plant matter. Our feline companions are carnivorous; in fact, they’re obligate carnivores, which means they do not utilise any plant matter well. So where does that leave our wonderful canine counterparts? Canines are facultative carnivores! How does a facultative carnivore differ from an obligate carnivore, and an omnivore, we hear you ask! Think of a facultative carnivore as a step between an obligate carnivore (only eats meat), and an omnivore (eats a fairly equal mix of meat and plant matter). Facultative carnivores eat a predominantly meat mased diet, and need this to thrive, but can benefit from a small amount of plant matter, for which more information is available in our blog: How to Balance an 80:10:10. When we look at Phylogenetics (the system which classifies and categorises every living organism depending on it’s evolutionary history), we can see that domestic, and wild dogs are part of the Canidae Family, and in the Order ‘Carnivora’. Other species in this Order, include Grey Wolves (of which our domestic dogs share 99.9% of their DNA), jackals, foxes, wild dogs and dingoes. Findings Here Findings Here The Digestive Tract When we look at the digestive tract of a dog, or any other carnivore, and compare it to that of a herbivore, or an omnivore, there are differences which further prove that dogs are carnivorous. Because a predominantly meat based diet takes less time to digest, carnivores have a much shorter digestive tract than those who eat a large amount of plant matter. The stomach is an important part of the digestive tract, as this is where gastric juices are mixed with food and kneaded using contractions of the stomach, which breaks the food down, ready for digestion. The carnivores stomach is always single chambered, and takes up around 60-70% of the entire capacity of the digestive system, which allows for consumption of large meals, eaten at a quick pace – many pet owners try to slow their dogs down when eating, however this is not necessary, and is actually very natural, unless the dog has an underlying medical condition, whereby digestive capabilities are poor, and eating too fast causes gas and regurgitation. When we look at the intestines of a dog, or any other carnivore, we see they are incredibly short in comparison to that of a species who consumes a lot of plant matter. As there will be little plant matter to digest, and meat is much easier to digest, the intestine doesn’t need to be longer, in order for it to fully absorb the nutrients gained from the diet. Having a short digestive tract, also ensures bad bacteria consumed in the diet are not able to recolonize. A final part of the digestive tract to look at, is pH – the strength of the stomach acid. The pH of a carnivores stomach is extremely low, making it extremely acidic; close to that of battery acid, when in the presence of food! Having such an incredibly acidic stomach, means they are able to digest meat very easily, as well as fight off pathogens within the food consumed. Omnivores have less acidic gastric juices, and herbivores have stomach acid so weak, it is almost pH7 (neutral), which teamed with a longer digestive tract, aids the gentle digestion of plant matter. Findings Here Findings Here Jaw and Dentition Next, we will look at the jaw, and dentition of the carnivore vs omnivore. Lets take a look at the width of an open mouth. Open your mouth, and look in the mirror. Now watch your dog open his or her mouth when yawning, panting, or eating. You will notice a huge difference in size of the oral cavity when the mouth is open. A large opening enables carnivores to catch, kill and rip their prey apart. Omnivores don’t need to do this, so have a much smaller oral opening. The joint in the jaw of carnivores acts as a hinge, and is very stable; in omnivores, the jaw joint is much more complex, and slightly less stable. The muscles in the face, particularly around the jaw area, are so incredibly powerful in carnivores, that the size of the muscle is what forms the slightly angular shape of the dog’s cheeks/face. Omnivores have a much weaker, and therefore smaller muscle here, which is far less noticeable by eye. The third difference regarding the jaw itself, is that omnivores have plenty of side-to-side movement, as well as backward and forward movement; this allows for the teeth to grind plant matter easily, as well as chew animal based matter. In carnivores, the jaw has extremely limited movement, bar up and down. This allows for the jaw to act almost like a pair of scissors, chopping the meat consumed in to smaller pieces in order to make them easier to swallow. On to the teeth! Both carnivores and omnivores have Incisors at the front of the mouth, followed by incisors, followed by molars at the back of the mouth. These, however, have different qualities in carnivores versus omnivores. The incisors of a carnivore are pointed, and short; this enables them to efficiently catch and disable prey. The incisors of an omnivore are not pointed, and are longer in comparison to other teeth in the mouth. The canines
At My Pet Nutritionist we are all about feeding your dogs the freshest, most natural diets, whether that’s raw feeding, or cooked food; this article explains how to balance a raw diet properly. We will also discuss the nutrients which are commonly lacking in a raw diet. Feed a Variety of Proteins Feeding a variety of proteins (meats) is a huge part of balancing your dog’s raw diet. Of course, if your dog is suffering with allergies, and is either on an elimination diet, or limited to a few proteins, this is fine as it’s the best you can do! If your dog is not known to suffer with itchiness or allergies, then feeding as many proteins as possible in your dog’s rotation, is very beneficial. This can be over the course of a week to a month. Different proteins offer different nutrient profiles, which means feeding a variety gives a broader intake of micronutrients, including vitamins and minerals. Let’s take a look at what some of the popular options provide! Chicken: provides high amounts of Vitamin B3 and B12, Selenium, Zinc, Magnesium, Phosphorus, and Biotin. Turkey: rich in Vitamin B6 and B12, Choline, Selenium, Magnesium, and Phosphorus. Beef: great source of Iron, Vitamins B2, B3,B6 and B12, Magnesium, Calcium, Copper, and Zinc. Lamb: Source of Iron, Vitamins B3 and B12, Selenium, and Phosphorus. Duck: Great source of Iron, Selenium and Vitamins B3, B12 and C. Pork: High in various B Vitamins, Zinc, Iron and Phosphorus. Venison: provides Zinc, Phosphorus, Iron, Selenium, a variety of B Vitamins, as well as a small amount of Vitamin E. Rabbit: high in Sodium, Calcium, Phosphorus, and Magnesium. Goat: source of Calcium, Sodium, Phosphorus, Potassium and Magnesium. Salmon: high in Vitamins A, B6, B12 and D, Iodine, Copper, Calcium, Magnesium, and Sodium. There are other options also available, including a variety of other fish products. We will touch on some fish products in the next section! Add in Some Omegas Omegas are essential fatty acids – omega 3 and 6 are the important ones! Omega 3 is anti-inflammatory, whereas omega 6 is inflammatory. Our pets’ meat based diets are naturally high in omega 6, so its important to get plenty of omega 3 into the diet! Cell membranes are partly formed by omegas, and heart and brain health are largely down to omega content in the diet, as well as puppy development, joint and skin health, and weight management. Let’s discuss the different types of omega! Here’s where the words get long… thankfully we abbreviate them! Omega-3 Fatty Acids CANNOT be produced by the body as they are polyunsaturated. There are three Omega-3 fats: Eicosapentaenoic Acid (EPA): found in fatty fish and fish oils, as well as many algal oils. Helps reduce inflammation. Alpha-linolenic Acid (ALA): found in flaxseed oil and chia seeds. For a non-plant based form, oysters can be added in. Aids heart and immune health. Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA): found in fatty fish , fish oils and algae oils, and eggs. Aids brain health and development. Omega-3 is ANTI-INFLAMMATORY. Omega-6 Fatty Acids are polyunsaturated and also include three different acids – the body can only produce 2 of these. Linolenic Acid (LA): found in sunflower oil and corn. Cannot be produced by the body. Gamma-linolenic Acid (GLA): found in Hempseed oil, borage oil, and Evening Primrose oil. This is the only Omega-6 which is not inflammatory – its great for control of hormones. Arachidonic Acid (ARA): found in meat and poultry, particularly farmed. Omega-6 is INFLAMMATORY (apart from GLA). Sources of omega 3 include: Fatty fish: raw sprats, sardines, salmon, mackerel, herring and trout, tinned sardines or mackerel. Fish oils: Krill Oil, sardine oil, mackerel oil, herring oil. Raw eggs: (EPA and DHA) Green Lipped Mussels and Oil (EPA and DHA) Phytoplankton (EPA and DHA) Algae Oil (DHA HEAVY with a little EPA) Flaxseed Oil (ALA – also contains LA, and conversion to EPA is poor, so perhaps not the best choice) It’s very important to ensure there’s plenty of omega in the diet! Findings Here Findings Here Add in Some Plant Matter Adding some plant matter to your dog’s diet brings great benefits! Not only does plant matter provide fibre (which helps gut motility), polyphenols, phytonutrients and antioxidants are also introduced into the diet. Polyphenols help regulate metabolism, help maintain a healthy weight, help regulate and reduce the risk of chronic disease, and also aids the replication of cells within the body. Keeping the body free from chronic disease, at a healthy weight, and with a good metabolic rate may aid longevity! Findings Here Phytonutrients are essential for immune system modulation which helps keep various diseases at bay. Phytonutrients are thought to help prevent chronic disease such as cancer and diabetes, as well as supporting joints, digestive health, circadian rhythms (sleep patterns), and brain development. Findings Here Findings Here Findings Here Antioxidants also aid longevity by destroying free radicals in the body. Free radicals form during oxidisation, and are unstable atoms which damage cells in the body and lead to ageing. Destroying the free radicals slows the process of ageing due to lack of damage to the cells in the body. Findings Here Fruits and Vegetables are also full of vitamins and minerals so can really boost an 80:10:10 meal! Some examples of suitable plant matter include: Kale Spring greens Asparagus Broccoli Brussels Sprouts Cabbage Cauliflower Courgette Green beans Strawberries Mango Pear Apple Up to 10% of the weight of the portion of raw meat can be added! It’s a good idea to lightly steam and/or blend vegetables before feeding, to make them more bioavailable, by breaking down the cellulose cell wall. What is often Lacking from the Raw Diet? When feeding a raw diet, while it’s the best, most natural diet available (though not all tolerate it – that’s what we’re here for!), there are 6 nutrients which are often lacking in most raw diets. Try to include a variety of these sources! Zinc (essential for cell growth, DNA
Those feeding a fresh diet, whether it’s raw, or lightly cooked, will notice their pet’s meals contain offal. Offal is one of the important elements to include in your carnivorous pet’s meals. Here at My Pet Nutritionist, we wanted to highlight this element of the diet, and explain it’s importance! Is My Pet A Carnivore? Dogs and cats are both carnivorous species; however they are different types of carnivore. Cats are obligate carnivores, meaning their diet should be made purely from meat, offal and bone. Dogs are facultative carnivores, which means they predominantly eat a meat based diet, but may benefit from the addition of plant matter. Offal is essential in the diet of both cats, and dogs. What is Offal? When we speak about offal, many people may think back to their biology lesson days, or the packet of giblets and organs that comes with their Christmas turkey! These organs are offal, to some extent; but in the raw/fresh pet food world, we need to be a little more specific! In the world of pet food, when we refer to ‘offal’, we actually mean ‘secreting offal’. ‘Secreting’ means ‘produces a useful substance’; so secreting offal, is organs which produce a substance used by the body. Secreting offal includes: Liver Kidney Spleen Pancreas Testicle Brain We, humans, may think of heart, lung, and tripe as ‘offal’ – which in human terms, it is; however these are classed as muscle meat when talking about a fresh diet for pets. The heart pumps blood through the body, the lungs bring oxygen into the body and rids the body of unwanted carbon dioxide, and tripe is the lining of the stomach. None of these organs produce their own useful substance, so are not classed as offal in the raw diet. How Much Offal Do I Feed? For healthy pets, they require 10% offal in their diet. No more than 5% of this should be liver, due to it being incredibly nutrient dense – it really is a powerhouse! The rest of the raw diet should be 80% muscle meat, and 10% bone. In a fresh cooked diet, it’s important to follow a recipe balanced to FEDIAF, like ours! What is the Role of Offal in the Diet? Offal provides numerous vitamins and minerals; we will discuss what each organ provides! All offal is high in moisture, which really helps keep the dog’s kidneys from being under stress, and reduces the risk of UTIs. Each organ fed, provides benefits to the same organ within the dog’s body too! Liver offers a huge amount of fat-soluble Vitamin A, which is essential for healthy vision, healthy growth and development, and support of the immune system. Liver contains large amounts of water-soluble Vitamin B2, which is responsible for metabolism of fats, proteins and carbohydrates. Vitamin B12 is found in abundance in liver, which keeps nerve and blood cells in good condition, as well as being involved in the body’s production of DNA. As liver contains so much of these vitamin, it’s important to include in the diet, but not to feed more than 5% of the entire diet. Liver is a great source of Copper; the mineral responsible for keeping the nervous system healthy, keeping blood cells healthy, and aiding the immune system. Findings Here Kidney is a great source of the mineral, Selenium. Selenium protects cells against damage and infection, and also aids the production of DNA. Kidney contains a wide range of B vitamins, including B1, B2, B6 and B12. B6 is very important for brain function, as it controls the level of homocysteine; an amino acid associated with cognitive decline when found in large amounts. Vitamin D is found more in kidney than any other organ, and is essential for regulation of calcium and phosphate in the body, which keep bones, muscles and teeth in good condition. Findings Here Spleen contains high concentrations of iron. Iron is essential for many bodily functions, including haemoglobin production, myoglobin production, as well as production of many hormones. Vitamin B12 can be found in relatively large amounts in spleen, and is also very high in tryptophan; the amino acid which aids the sleep cycle, through regulation of serotonin and melatonin. The liver uses this amino acid for production of Vitamin B3, which is essential for DNA production. Findings Here Pancreas is one of the higher fat offal options. It doesn’t contain any particularly notifiable amounts of vitamins or minerals, but it does offer a range of very useful digestive enzymes. It may be worth considering feeding pancreas as part of a balanced diet if your dog has a sensitive stomach, and requires a little extra digestive help. One study shows replacing ‘lecithin’ in the commercial diet of a dog with lack of pancreatic function, with raw pancreas, is massively beneficial! Findings Here Testicles (yes, we said testicles! Chuckle, if you wish – we do! Some readers may wish to cross their legs when reading this section!) are a great source of vitamin B12, and are also high in protein, and very low in fat. They contain a great amount of sodium too, which is essential for health contraction and relaxation of muscles throughout the body. Chloride is also in abundance in testicles, which along with sodium, regulates the mineral uptake and hydration of the body. Findings Here Brain is a great option for your pet, though contains the same amount of fat as it does protein. Unlike any other offal, brain is a fantastic source of essential fatty acids. The Omega-3 Fatty Acid, DHA, is a natural anti-inflammatory, which is usually found in fish and raw eggs. Brain contains huge amounts of DHA, which is excellent for brain health and cognitive development. A fantastic choice for all dogs, but especially growing puppies, and senior dogs who may be prone to cognitive decline. Findings Here When is a Low Offal Diet Required? Very occasionally, some dogs may require a diet lower in offal than others; namely those requiring
