A Dog’s Nutritional Needs

1 A Dog’s Nutritional Needs

Dogs need protein, fat, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, and water. Fat, protein, and carbs supply energy; vitamins, minerals, and water give no energy but are essential to life. Here is what each requires.

1. Protein

Protein comes in plant and animal forms. Wild dogs hunt herbivores, so dogs prefer animal protein – make it the diet base.

2. Fat

Low fat need; too much causes obesity and pancreatitis. But some fatty acids are essential – long lack makes the coat dull and causes dermatitis and hair loss, harming growth.

3. Carbohydrates

Very low need; dogs have little amylase and no salivary amylase, so excess carbs feed harmful gut bacteria and cause diarrhea. Lots of rice causes this.

4. Vitamins and Minerals

Small needs; short-term lack or excess shows little, but long-term causes disease. Essentials include calcium, phosphorus, sodium, potassium. Proper vitamins aid growth, metabolism, and development.

5. Dietary Fiber

A little aids motility and stool formation, but dogs cannot digest much; excess ferments in the colon, feeding harmful bacteria and causing gas, colitis, diarrhea, or constipation, plus calcium/trace-mineral loss and smelly, frequent stools.

In short, a dog’s diet should be high-protein, low-carb, low-fiber, with meat not too fatty.