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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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Yes, dogs need some amount of fibre in their diet to digest their food and absorb excess water.
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%.
As fibre is not completely digestible, consuming too much fibre can lead to diarrhea and gas issues in dogs.
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.
Population control is as essential for pets as it is for humans. Overpopulation by unwanted kindle of kittens or puppies is difficult to manage by caregivers. Many newborn young kittens and puppies are either put up for adoption or sent to an animal shelter. Besides, reproduction can be a tedious journey for your furry friend. Hence, it is better to get them spayed and neutered at the right time.
Spaying and neutering are medical procedures performed on dogs to stop their reproduction process. Dog neutering and spaying is one the essential medical procedures for providing care to your fur baby. There are many benefits of neutering and spaying your canine friend. To understand more about this helpful medical procedure, read the following.
A neutered or spayed dog cannot reproduce as their heat cycle is eliminated. Dog neutering is a medical procedure performed on male dogs while spaying is performed on female dogs. Veterinarian surgeons perform a surgical procedure to remove ovaries and uterus from female dogs. Besides population control, spaying also prevents uterine infections and breast cancer in female dogs. Whereas neutering is a similar procedure performed on male dogs. Neutered dogs undergo surgery for removing both testicles and associated structures. Male neutered dogs are generally believed to be more well-behaved and calmer. The surgery also stops their breeding acts such as humping and the urge to run away.
Getting your dog spayed and neutered is essential for their psychological and physical well-being and behaviour. Yet, when to spay a dog and when to neuter a puppy is a common query amongst pet caregivers. Well, it is best to get your pooch neutered or spayed at the earliest. It is best to get your fur baby neutered or spayed before it develops breeding instincts. Undergoing the procedure between 4 and 6 months is suggested. Most breeds of dogs reach redevelopment maturity around 6 months of age, yet some breeds can easily be neutered or spayed until 9 months or even after they turn over a year old. Hence, your pooch’s breed and size decide how soon it needs to be spayed or neutered.
There are numerous reasons to opt for spaying and neutering for pets. By undergoing spaying and neutering procedures, pets can achieve better physical and psychological health. Neutered and spayed dogs are known to have better hormonal balance as their reproductive organs are removed which helps in neutralizing their breeding instincts. Mentioned below are a few more reasons why you should get your pets neutered and spayed.
It is necessary to take some preventive measures to build trust and assurance before getting your pooch neutered or spayed. The following are a few things you should do to prepare your canine friend before getting it neutered/ spayed.
Neutering or spaying can typically take anywhere between 20 to 90 minutes depending on the size, breed, and health of your pooch. As a pet parent, you need to ensure the best care and support for your fur baby to ensure its complete and stress-free recovery post-surgery. Puppies and dogs often take up to 10 to 14 days to recover after getting neutered or spayed. The following are a few things you should do to ensure your puppy recovers well after getting neutered or spayed.
Your pooch needs to relax and rest well to get back to its bubbly mood as soon as possible. Resting is especially required for healing the surgery scars. It is suggested to avoid letting them run or jump right after surgery. You should also puppy-proof your house to limit any potential mishaps to protect them post-surgery.
Puppies and dogs tend to fight for socialising. However, post-surgery recovery requires your fur baby to relax and recover. Mingling with other animals increases their chances of getting into minor accidents which can potentially increase their recovery time. Hence, it is best to limit your pet’s interaction with other animals until it has fully recovered.
Do not bathe your pooch for at least 10 days post-surgery. This is to prevent their wound from getting wet and infected. It is also necessary to change the wound’s dressing to keep it clean and hygienic post-surgery.
You need to keep a close tab on the pooch’s recovery. Arrange for a vet’s appointment for conducting regular checkups and dressing changes. You should also check for redness, swelling, discharge, odor, and uneasiness to prevent infections and allergies.
Make sure the pet eats well and is in stable condition once it is back home. Get in touch with your vet immediately if you notice the pooch vomiting, not eating well, or if it suffers from diarrhea. You should also look out for signs of lethargy and discomfort during the recovery period.
Managing the population is essential for strays as well as pets. When you get your pets neutered and spayed, you eliminate their chances of contributing to the overpopulation of dogs. Besides, spaying and neutering also help in managing your pooch’s aggression and urge to run away by controlling their hormones and making them calmer. Neutering and spaying also save your pooch from falling prey to infections and fatal illnesses like cancer. Hence, it is best to get your canine friend neutered or spayed at the earliest by consulting a vet.
