The Importance of Fiber in Canine Diets
Fiber is a big part of your dogs well-rounded diet. Its an energy source in dog foods, similar to other carbohydrates such as starches and sugars. It gives bulk to the meals a dog eats. It even assists intestinal matter in water absorption, which helps create formed bowel movements that your dog can easily pass. As a result, foods that lack sufficient fiber can often give pets loose and runny stools.
You can integrate extra fiber into your dogs diet to minimize their chances of constipation, flatulence and diarrhea. Fiber is capable of influencing the speed in which food travels through your dogs intestines. If your dog has constipation, fiber can speed up the movement of food in his intestines. If he has diarrhea, fiber can slow the movement down. Note, however, that this often depends on factors such as the specific kinds of fibers, their processing and portion size.
Rice bran, green beans, canned pumpkin, barley, corn, dried tomato pomace and beet pulp are all examples of fiber-packed foods. Beet pulp is often seen in dog and cat foods alike as a fiber source.
Find food that fits your pet’s needs
You mightve heard from your veterinarian that fiber is key to your dogs nutrition. Its also vital for maintaining their health and managing some diseases. But how do you go about finding good fiber for dogs? Read on to learn what kind of fiber your dog may need as well as signs they could have a fiber imbalance.
Regulate The Bowels
The beauty about things in nature is that they often serve multiple functions … and some can be contrary to each other. Like with constipation and diarrhea. In cases of diarrhea, it can slow the muscular contractions (peristalsis) that push the food through the intestines. And it speeds up the contractions if your dog has constipation. Fiber promotes good colon health and stool quality.