In search for the most suitable type of diet for your fur-kid, you may have heard and thought about giving your dog a high protein, meat-based diet.
After hearing a lot of comments and reading discussions about it on online pet forums, it’s not surprising that some pet parents advocate such diets as well.
However, veterinarians have recently warned pet parents that a high meat-based diet may not exactly be the best option for your dogs. Apparently, this has something to do with how dogs digest their food and absorb the nutrients they need.
Your dog’s eating style
We know dogs are the distant cousins of wolves, which rely heavily on eating animal proteins and meats. Because of this, many pet parents are under the assumption that their dogs are fully carnivorous too and should have the same kind of diet that wolves have.
As genetically close as they may seem to wolves, the truth is, dogs are not really the carnivores that everyone wants to think of.
Pet parents need to understand that their dog is not a wolf and they particularly may not fully benefit under a high protein, meat-based diet.
Not only have dogs been domesticated by humans centuries ago, they have also evolved to accommodate and to benefit from other nutrient sources like fruits, vegetables, carbohydrates, and fats.
Nowadays, giving your dogs a balanced diet – one with quality proteins from a combination of meat and plant sources – have proven to be even more highly digestible than pure meat diets, especially if they come from a trusted, clean source.
Can too much protein be a bad thing?
Can too much protein be a bad thing?Unlike wolves, dogs do not have to forage for food anymore. Likewise, they do not usually live a lifestyle that is as active as that of wolves who need high levels of proteins to sustain their activities.
Putting your dogs in high protein diets – given that most pet parents feed dogs twice a day – means giving your dog extra protein that his body is not going to use. In turn, your dog will either remove the excess proteins via urine or they will gain weight, since protein is a calorie-dense nutrient.
This in turn potentially puts your dog at risk for obesity and arthritis.
Choose quality over quantity
Instead of focusing on the amount of protein your chosen dog food has, look for a brand that uses high-quality protein. The quality of protein used is directly related to how digestible your dog food brand is, how much protein your dog will absorb, and the bioavailability of essential amino acids your dog needs.
Look for a brand that uses premium proteins from a source known for the quality of its products and cleanliness of the environment like New Zealand. Wishbone Pet Foods only uses high quality, free-range animal proteins from trusted family farms in New Zealand, harmoniously blended with fresh fruits, crisp vegetables, and aromatic herbs, for a well-balanced, complete meal for your beloved fur-kids.
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