Do Dogs Need Carbohydrates
Theres a lot of misleading information on the internet suggesting that you should avoid all grains and that they have no nutritional value. Another common myth is that feeding a grain free diet means youre feeding a low carbohydrate diet. This simply is not true. Dog foods include a carbohydrate source for both nutritional and technical reasons. Technically for example with dry food, a binding carbohydrate source is needed to form the kibble or biscuit. Nutritionally, carbohydrates provide a source of energy and dietary fibre thats essential in maintaining a healthy digestive system. We previously wrote a blog tackling common misconceptions about grain free dog food and highlighting the benefits of whole grains in keeping your dogs gut happy and healthy.
Not all dog foods are created equally. Some manufacturers use lower quality cheaper ingredients or vary the ratios to have a carb heavy more cost effective food. Always check the composition! You can then compare the nutrient density of the food. A nutrient dense food like our dry dog food recipes, requires less to deliver your dogs daily requirement. Most manufacturers should have this information on their packaging if it doesnt, ask them. If theyre unwilling to share, Id recommend avoiding that particular product so that you know exactly what youre feeding your dog.
Lily’s Kitchen Grain Free Recipes
We have a delicious menu of nutritionally complete, grain free recipes for dogs at Lilys Kitchen, which are also free of common dietary allergens. Bursting with goodness, these delicious dishes and treats are ideal for dogs with sensitive tums or who are on a grain free diet.The proper meat in our food is either fresh or freshly prepared. No meat meal and no nasties in sight – just the very best natural ingredients, all chosen for their high nutritional content to help keep your dog in tip top condition.
Fromm Four Star Nutritionals Grain
A five-generation, family-operated and United States based dog food company in Wisconsin, Fromm makes a variety of different dog foods but they have six different recipes that are specifically designed to be grain-free: Game Bird, Pork and Peas, Lamb and Lentil, Salmon Tunalini, Beef Fritatta Veg, and Surf and Turf. Their food ranks high in protein percentage at 32%. The wide variety of base meats they offer is one reason some dog food customers choose Fromm.
Over time some dogs have developed food sensitivities toward some of the more common meats like beef or chicken. Another nutritious addition to their food is salmon oil. Salmon oil is rich in EPA and DHA omega-3 fatty acids which is excellent for the dogs skin and nervous system.
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Is Grain Free Dog Food Gluten Free
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. Just so, is grain free same as gluten free?
Gluten is a protein found in many cereal grains, including wheat, barley, rye, and triticale. In a gluten–free diet, only grains and products containing gluten are eliminated, says McGrane. A grain–free diet eliminates all grains, including ones that are gluten–free, including rice and corn.
Additionally, which grains do not contain gluten? 8 Gluten-Free Grains That Are Super Healthy
- Sorghum. Sorghum is typically cultivated as both a cereal grain and animal feed.
- Quinoa. Quinoa has quickly become one of the most popular gluten-free grains.
- Oats. Oats are very healthy.
- Buckwheat. Despite its name, buckwheat is a grain-like seed that’s unrelated to wheat and gluten-free.
- Amaranth.
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Looking For Gluten Free Dog Food
If youre looking for gluten free dog food, we can help. At Scrumbles, Our range of dog food is designed to be good for the gut, including ingredients like Slippery Elm and probiotics and are all gluten free. We also offer single source protein and grain free dog food options. If youd like to know more and understand if were suitable for your dog or have any other questions, drop us a line at [email protected]
Gluten Free Vs Grain Free Dog Food
Many people have tried gluten free or grain free diets as a way of potentially improving their health and well-being. Now, the dog owners among them are considering the potential benefits of these diets for their dog.
If youre considering feeding a grain free or gluten free dog food, you first need to understand how dog foods that are grain free and gluten free are alike – and how they are different:- Gluten is a general name for the proteins found in grains such as wheat, barley and rye. In pet food, gluten helps foods maintain their shape, acting as a glue that holds food together. So, if you are looking for a gluten free diet, then you will need to find dog foods that do not contain wheat, barley, or rye. – As the name suggests, grain free dog food recipes do not contain grains, such as wheat, barley, rice, oats, and rye.
Gluten allergies are rare both in humans and dogs. A small percentage of people have celiac disease and require a gluten-free diet since the gluten proteins found in some cereal grains cause damage to the villi in the small intestine and impair their ability to effectively absorb nutrients.2 However, less than 1% of dogs have a true sensitivity to grain. In dogs, this sensitivity is called gluten-sensitive enteropathy. It is a rare inherited disease reported only in a small number of Irish Setters in the UK. It is not the same disease process as celiac disease in humans.
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Grain & Gluten Free Dog Food Vs Wheat Free Dog Food
At Laughing Dog we are able to produce both wheat free and grain & gluten free dog food ranges. Both are enjoyed by all dogs not just those with a specific need for wheat or grain free diets. But do you know what the difference is between our grain free dog food and wheat free dog food? With both terms being used frequently in the dog food industry, it can be a confusing area to understand.
Warning Signs Of A Gluten Intolerance
If your dog cannot handle gluten, you may notice that your dogs body has changed in the following ways:
- weight loss
- skin conditions
- ear infections.
You will want to take your dog to the veterinarian to get tested or checked out for issues with gluten after which you may need to change your dogs meal plan and adjust for the reactions.
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What Is Canine Heart Disease Or Dilated Cardiomyopathy
Dilated cardiomyopathy is a type of canine heart disease that affects the heart muscle. The hearts of dogs with DCM have a decreased ability to pump blood, which often results in congestive heart failure.
Some breeds, especially large and giant breeds, have a predisposition to DCM. These breeds include Doberman Pinschers, Great Danes, Newfoundlands, Irish Wolfhounds, and Saint Bernards. While DCM is less common in medium and small breeds, English and American Cocker Spaniels are also predisposed to this condition.
The reports submitted to the FDA span a wide range of breeds, including many without a known genetic predisposition. When early reports from the veterinary cardiology community indicated that recent, atypical cases in breeds like Golden Retrievers, Labrador Retrievers, Whippets, Bulldogs, and Shih Tzus all consistently ate grain alternatives in their diets, the FDA took notice.
Should I Feed My Dog Grain
When you are choosing your dogs meal plan, first and foremost, you want to make sure that it is nutritionally balanced. Just because a meal is grain-free does not mean it will necessarily be a healthy choice for your dog. Your dogs food should have protein as the main ingredient and should not have a ton of extra fillers that are not beneficial for your dog. You want a healthy balance of all nutrients in your dogs diet. If they need to be grain free due to vet confirmed allergies, then it is recommended that you make the switch.
If you feed your dog a grain-free diet, they will receive the necessary carbohydrates through other sources, such as potatoes and legumes. These sources will more than likely be better for your dogs diet and digestive system. They will not struggle as much to digest their food.
Now: Your reasoning for switching your dogs diet will depend on your dogs need from allergy, sensitivity, or perhaps wanting an ancestral-based diet as some owners advocate for.
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Why Eat Gluten Free
Gluten free diets were originally designed for people with celiac disease a genetic deficiency that can lead to damage of the small intestine and prevents the body from properly absorbing nutrients. You can read more about celiac disease here.
There has only been one recorded case of suspected celiac disease in dogs in a family of Irish Setters in 1991. This is the only scientifically documented case of dogs with suspected celiac.
However, there are a number of owners today who claim that their dogs have a sensitivity to foods with gluten. One case was reported in Whole Dog Journal. The vet in the article is convinced that dogs can get celiac disease and that putting them on a gluten free diet will stop their problems.
Other vets are not convinced. Jennifer Coates, DVM, writes on PetMD.com:
Like almost all ingredients, gluten is neither inherently good nor bad. Gluten is an excellent source of protein, unless an individual is allergic or has some other type of adverse food reaction to it. I have not found gluten sensitivity to be all that common, despite what many pet food manufacturers would have you believe, and research backs me up on that.
In a study of 278 cases of food allergy in dogs where the problem ingredient was clearly identified, beef, dairy, chicken, egg, lamb, soy, pork, and fish were responsible for 231 combined cases. Wheat, which contains a lot of gluten, was only involved in 42 cases.
Why Is There A Trend To Feed Dogs Grain
As with their own overall health and wellness, pet parents are now more aware of the importance and impact nutrition plays in our dogs overall wellbeing, and thats a GREAT thing! We are our dogs only advocates, and ensuring they are fed the best diet will certainly help them live long, healthy, and happy lives!
Home-cooked, whole food nutrition, and raw dog food diets are popular for our dogs now more than ever before. All-natural diets with no artificial additives and preservatives are becoming increasingly important when pet parents choose the diets to feed their dogs, and these types of diets can definitely be healthy and fulfilling for our dogs!
However, many pet parents have come to believe that what is healthy for us as humans is also healthy for our dogs. While pets have adapted to eating human food-based diets through hundreds and even thousands of years of living with humans, we should not necessarily make the same nutritional choices for our pets that we make for ourselves.
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Is Your Dog Having A Problem With Wheat
Can pets suffer from Celiac disease or Gluten intolerance? Yes, appears to be the answer to this question.
Many dog owners never suspect that an allergy to wheat could be the cause of their dog’s health problems.
And that they should be buying or preparing wheat free dog food.
You don’t add the number one dog food allergen to their diet without having some major problem like Celiac disease or Gluten intolerance occur.
Gluten intolerance affects all breeds of dogs and Celiac disease is known for sure in Irish Setters.
Dogs are similar to humans in the way that food allergies can develop over a period of time and then just hit them all of a sudden.
Similarly, malnutrition which stems from malabsorption taking place in the small intestine – is what happens when you cannot digest wheat.
And it’s a well known fact that the lectins and gluten in wheat are both capable of inducing serious health issues.
Which is why many humans ferment or sprout wheat before they eat this grain.
What Is The Difference Between Grain Free And Gluten Free
Gluten is the protein that is found in specific types of grain, such as wheat, barley and rye. Gluten free food is, of course, free of these proteins. However, not all grains contain gluten. Therefore, gluten free dog food may or may not be grain free, while grain free dog food recipes will always be gluten free.
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What Fruits And Vegetables Can Dogs Eat
Actually there are a good amount of fruits and vegetables that you can include in your dog’s diet. And most of them can be eaten raw.
Fruits and vegetables are packed with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. They will make a healthy addition to your dog’s diet.
Fruits and vegetables can make up about 10 to 25% of a dog’s diet. However, it will probably depend on your own dog’s needs.
Fruits Dogs Can Eat: Apples , Bananas, Blueberries, Cranberries, Cucumbers, Mango , Melons , Pears , Peaches , Pumpkin Flesh, Red Bell Peppers , Strawberries, and Zucchini
Vegetables Dogs Can Eat: Broccoli, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Carrots, Celery, Green Beans, Green Peas, Lettuce, and Sweet Potatoes.
What Does Grain Free Mean
Grain free dog food is made using a recipe without cereal. That means no wheat, rye, barley, oats, maize, sorghum, millet, triticale or rice. However, this doesnt mean the food is any less delicious! We replace the cereals with a mix of tasty vegetables, including potatoes and peas, to ensure that the texture and flavour of your dogs food are still just as appealing. A common misconception about grain free dog food is that it is also low-carb or even carbohydrate free. However, as grain free dog food often uses carbohydrates such as sweet potato to replace grains, this does not make it a carb free dog food. Although ingredients like meat are the most important factor in a healthy dogs diet, carbohydrates can be a useful energy source for your dog.
It is possible for a dog to have an intolerance to anything.
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