What Happens to Food That Can’t Be Digested?
Not everything your dog eats can be absorbed by the body. When food is broken down, the nutrients your dog needs are absorbed through the intestines, leaving behind fiber, some water, bacteria, and inorganic matter.
If you feed your dog raw food like vegetables, you will likely see signs of these vegetables in your dog’s stool. That doesn’t mean your dog hasn’t benefitted from eating these veggies. It means the usable nutrients have been absorbed in the digestive tract, and the non-digestible fiber has exited the body.
Fiber itself is an important part of keeping the digestive system healthy, as it helps regulate the water content of stool. There are several factors that affect how long it takes for a dog to digest food and poop it out … aka the digestive cycle.
What is Digestion?
Digestion is defined as the process by which food is broken down so that the body can absorb it. Vitamins, minerals, fats, sugars, and other essential nutrients and components are contained in the food dogs eat. Without digestion, this food is not able to be absorbed in their bodies. The digestive process is therefore essential because if a dog is not able to utilize these nutrients, basic cellular and essential life functions cannot occur within their body.
Most Dogs Can Digest and Absorb Carbs
But modern dogs are considered omnivores, just like we are. They originally ate a carnivorous diet in the wild, “but since they have been domesticated, adaptions have been made that allow them to digest and utilize plant-based nutrients,” Dr. Jochman explains.
True carnivores, like cats, have a higher nutritional requirement for taurine, arachidonic acid and certain vitamins, which are available in animal fat and protein sources.
“Omnivores don’t have a higher requirement for these and create their own arachidonic acid from vegetable oils,” he says.
“Most normal dogs have no difficulty digesting and absorbing carbohydrates,” Dr. Brummer adds. So, “there is no benefit to feeding grain-free diets to normal dogs.”
How Long Does It Take a Dog to Digest Food?
A healthy digestive system is essential to your dog’s well-being. The digestive system serves many important functions: it takes in food, absorbs nutrients, maintains fluid and electrolyte balance, and gets rid of waste, says Dr. Carolyn Jochman, a veterinarian with WVRC Emergency & Specialty Pet Care in Waukesha, Wisconsin.
It also covers a lot of area. “The digestive tract includes the oral cavity (salivary glands, tongue, teeth), esophagus, stomach, small and large intestine, liver, pancreas, rectum, and anus,” she says.
The canine digestive system isn’t the most glamorous topic, but understanding how it works puts you in a better position to determine if your dog is sick and needs to be seen by a vet. It can also guide you in making decisions that will enhance her health.
In the fasted state, stomach acids are very similar in people and dogs, says Dr. David Brummer, a veterinarian with Orchard Park Veterinary Medical Center in Orchard Park, New York. After eating, however, dogs produce more acid than we do, he says.
Our similarities mean that “dogs and people benefit from the same antacids.” But before giving your dog an over-the-counter antacid, talk to your veterinarian. You will want to be sure you aren’t risking any potential drug interactions or side effects.
Veterinarians can also provide you with important usage guidance for antacids to ensure you are not putting your pet’s health at risk.
But more stomach acid doesn’t translate to letting your dog eat potentially contaminated foods. “Dogs are no less sensitive to food poisoning (bacterial contamination) than are people,” he says. For example, “The practice of feeding raw meat to dogs carries a demonstrated risk of food poisoning.”