High Fiber Dog Food

Many people do not know that fiber is an essential ingredient in a dog's diet. The fact is that most of the dog foods you buy contain some amount of fiber. Fiber is always recommended by doctors to human beings as it is helpful in cleansing the digestive track. For the same reason, fiber is crucial also for dog health. Let's understand in detail why high fiber dog food is important for your loving pet.

What is Fiber?
Fiber is present in the cell walls of grains and plants and are basically made up of carbohydrates. They are known as insoluble carbohydrates which prevent enzymatic digestion to occur in the small intestine. Some of the high fiber food sources include resistant starches, pectin, cellulose, gums and hemicellulose.

Why is Food High in Fiber Important?
High fiber diet can help in preventing as well as controlling a number of dog health problems, such as obesity, diabetes, constipation, colon cancer etc.

Obesity: Giving your dog foods that are high in fiber can help to control weight gain. Nowadays, obesity has become a serious health issue among canines because they are being fed with foods that are high in fat leading them to gain extra calories. To avoid dog obesity, it is important to feed your pet with fibrous foods. As fibrous foods are bulky, dogs feel that their stomach is full even if they eat moderately. This is a good way of giving them essential nutrients and keeping them healthy and fit.

Colon Cancer: Another advantage of feeding high fiber dog food to your dog is to prevent the growth of dangerous bacteria in the body which can lead to some diseases. The fibrous food is turned into fatty acids by the good bacteria present in the dog's body. Eating foods rich in fiber can also aid in preventing the risk of colon cancer in canines.

Constipation: The most important function of low fat high fiber dog food is to cure stomach and gastrointestinal problems in the dog. Constipation in dogs, can be treated by giving foods high in fiber, along with adequate amount of water will be the best remedy. It is also said to be beneficial for treating diarrhea, as fiber absorbs the excess water present in the feces.

Diabetes: Dogs suffering from diabetes mellitus can benefit from the foods that are high in fiber. Just like in human beings, the secretion of insulin is stopped by the pancreas in case of canine diabetes, leading to increased blood sugar levels. Fibrous dog foods can help to control and maintain the level of blood glucose.

Anal Gland Disease: Canines have anal glands at either sides of the anal opening and when they become infected or abscessed, they are said to have anal gland disease. You may come to know about the disease, when the dog starts scouting and licking the anal area very frequently. Though this disease needs proper medical attention, putting the dog on a high fiber diet would aid in their recovery process.

What Foods are High in Fiber?
One of the easiest way of feeding fibrous food to your dog is to buy high fiber canned dog food. Other fibrous foods that you can include in your pet dog's diet include citrus and beet pulp, wheat, oat bran, tomato and apple pomace, rice, soy and soybean hulls, etc. You should also see that you feed protein high fiber dog food to you pet because protein is very essential for the strong immune system, healthy growth and structural makeup. However, if your dog suffers from urinary tract infection, kidney ailments or kidney failure, it is very important that you feed it with low protein high fiber dog food.

Though fiber is essential for the dog, it is very important to remember that foods high in fiber should not be given in excess amounts. When the quantity of fiber intake exceeds the required amount, it can cause loose stools as well as gas trouble in canines. Feeding your dog with adequate amount of high fiber dog food would help to prevent several dog illnesses and keep it healthy and playful.