IAMS MY
Why Is Fiber in Your Dog's Food?
Why Is Fiber in Your Dog's Food?

adp_description_block5
Importance of Fibre in Dog Food

  • Share

Your pooch’s diet defines its overall health and well-being. What it eats contributes to the amount of energy it has throughout the day. As a caregiver, it becomes your responsibility to provide the correct amount of nutrition and nourishment to your fur baby. Understanding the various components of your pet’s diet helps in providing them with the right nourishment.
 

Although everyone knows dogs need protein, carbohydrates, fat, vitamins, and minerals; did you know your canine friend also requires fibre in their diet? Even though fibre is not completely digestible it is an essential part of your pooch’s diet. High-fibre dog food aids in better digestion and bowel movement. Soluble fibre for dogs helps them in absorbing water. This type of fibre then gets fermented in their intestines to release fatty acids for better gut health. Other than soluble fibre, dogs also require insoluble fibre for better water absorption and digestion.
 

Benefits of high fibre dog food

Fibre in dog food helps the dogs digest their food better. Proper digestion equates to better bowel movement and good gut and gastrointestinal health. Your canine friend’s food should contain at least 2-4% fibre to assist their gut health’s growth and development. Besides, fibre for dogs acts as an absorbing substance that collects excess water and acids. Given below are a few other benefits of fibre for dogs.
 

 Useful for treating constipation and diarrhea:

Apart from absorbing extra water and acid, the insoluble fibre also helps in cleaning your pet’s gut tract. This makes their bowel movement better. Consuming the right amount of fibre also helps maintain your dog’s anal gland issues. Smaller breeds of dogs are more likely to suffer from these issues. The fibre in dog food makes it easier for stool to pass smoothly without any added effort. Hence, reducing the chances of your pet developing gastrointestinal and anal gland illnesses.
 

Weight management:

Many breeds of dogs are meant for outdoor life; the lack of proper activity may lead to obesity in such breeds. Pet caregivers often worry about their fur baby being overweight because of the countless hours spent indoors with little to no activity. In such cases, high-fibre dog food is suggested alongside regular walks and playtime to manage the pooch’s weight. The fibre allows your fur baby to digest more food and aid in controlling its calorie intake.
 

 Manages blood-sugar levels:

Some types of fibre are slow to digest. This helps in maintaining blood sugar levels in dogs. Slow digestion of fibre stops sudden rise in blood sugar levels. Dogs that consume high-fibre dog food often have lower blood-sugar fluctuations and hence have lesser chances of suffering from diabetes.

 

At IAMS™, we understand the importance of fibre in a dog’s diet. Hence, our range of dog food not only has proteins, vitamins, and minerals but also fibre. With beet pulp being a consistent ingredient in our dog foods, we make sure that your pooch has a hale and hearty gut. This fibre-rich ingredient provides bulk to move waste. Moreover, it ensures that your dog absorbs all the nutrients present in its meal.
 

Is too much fibre bad for dogs?

On average dogs need only 2-4% fibre in their daily diet. Anything beyond this measure can be considered excessive fibre consumption for dogs. While fibre is needed for better gut and gastrointestinal health, too much fibre for dogs can be a topic of concern. Given below are a few issues that may occur because of excessive fibre consumption.
 

 Gas:

Fibre is not completely digestible. Hence, even though limited consumption of fibre helps in eliminating gut-related problems, too much fibre can lead to gastrointestinal problems and increase gas and acidity issues.
 

Diarrhea:

While soluble fibre manages water content in the body, insoluble fibre can lead to digestive issues when consumed in excess. Frequent urge to pass stool and diarrhea are some known side effects of consuming too much fibre.
 

Even if is fibre bad for dogs is a common query, the conclusion is fibre is needed for better digestion and gut health of your pooch. However, excess fibre consumption can lead to certain stomach and gut-related issues, while eating little to no fibre is also not a good choice. Avoiding fibre altogether can lead to the anal gland diseases and gut illness. Hence, as a pet parent, you must ensure your canine friend is provided with the right amount of fibre in their daily diet. Besides fibre dogs also need adequate amounts of protein, carbohydrates, and fat in their diet for consistent growth and development.

Frequently asked questions

  1. Is fibre good for dogs?
  2. Yes, dogs need some amount of fibre in their diet to digest their food and absorb excess water.

  3. How much fibre should dog food have?
  4. On average dogs need to consume at least 2-4% fibre per meal. While their daily fibre consumption should not be anything more than 10%.

  5. What happens if a dog eats too much fibre?
  6. As fibre is not completely digestible, consuming too much fibre can lead to diarrhea and gas issues in dogs.

  7. Does fibre make dogs poop more?
  8. Yes, fibre consumption can increase your pet’s urge to poop or make them poop more as fibre helps in removing excess water, acid, and other undigested components from your pet’s body.

  • Tips for Caring for Large Dogs
    Tips for Caring for Large Dogs
    adp_description_block483
    Tips for Caring for Large Dogs

    • Share

    Big dogs equal big love

    Whether your dog is a big sweetie, a big weirdo or a big athlete, here’s what you need to know about taking care of your big dog.
     

    First, all big dogs start out as little dogs. But pretty soon they grow up — and so does their appetite, their toys, their dog bowls, the vet bill and their need for speed.
     

    He started to grow.
    And pretty soon
    he was bigger than
    the recliner.

     

    Large dogs grow more slowly than smaller ones

    Sometimes it can take more than two years for them to reach their full size.
     

    And you won’t like to think about it too much, but their life spans are shorter, too: about 10 to 12 years.
     

    No wonder
    you'll let him push
    you off the bed
    at night.

     

    So remember: Everything in moderation.

    If a large dog gets too much food as a pup, they’re at a higher risk of growing too quickly, which can cause joint trouble.
     

    For large breeds, being overweight is especially problematic. All that extra weight can be a lot for the joints to carry around.
     

    Keep your good old dog healthy by practicing portion control and feeding nutritious food like IAMS™ Mature Adult Large Breed.
     

    How will she catch
    a screaming
    15-mile-an-hour
    Frisbee in midair
    if she has knee trouble.

     

    A word about exercising with a large dog.

    Back in the day, large-breed dogs were especially energetic. They were working dogs, herders, hunters, cart pullers and people protectors.

     

    Who are we to deny their evolution?

    Make sure your dog gets exercise every day.
     

    How do you accomplish this? Walk, walk and more walk. And add in some running, jumping, chasing, hiking, fetching, dog-park visiting, swimming and even agility courses.
     

    Repeat this mantra:
    'I am the alpha.'

     

    When it comes to training, think of it this way: The bigger the dog, the harder it is to hide behavior problems. And if you can’t control your super-sized soulmate, they could inadvertently cause damage or hurt someone.

    • Make time for training from day one.
    • Teach easy commands early.
    • Use a firm and confident voice.
    • Keep your dog exercised to fend off boredom-induced behaviors.
    • Reward good behaviors.

     

    Living large is all
    about biting the
    wind and living
    that sweet,
    sweet life.

    Tips for Caring for Large Dogs
    Tips for Caring for Large Dogs
    Tips for Caring for Large Dogs
    Tips for Caring for Large Dogs
    Tips for Caring for Large Dogs
    Tips for Caring for Large Dogs
Close modal