Fiber

Moderate amounts of fiber in a dog’s diet can help to promote healthy digestion. Unlike other nutrients, fiber passes through the stomach and small intestine without being digested. While passing through the dog’s digestive system, fiber helps to move food, aids in keeping bowel movements regular and prevents constipation. Very high fiber diets, however, can cause dogs to develop gas, loose stool and have more frequent bowel movements. Because fiber is found in the cell walls of plants, diets with more plant material have higher fiber than those with less plant material. Consequently, plant based diets tend to produce bulkier stools than meat based diets.

…fiber helps to move food, aids in keeping bowel movements regular and prevents constipation.

Sometimes veterinarians recommend high fiber dog foods to treat medical conditions including diabetes, obesity and anal gland disease. Fiber is beneficial to diabetic dogs, because it helps to stabilize blood sugar. Obese dogs benefit from high fiber foods, because the fiber produces a feeling of fullness without contributing extra calories. Dogs with anal gland disease benefit from the bulky stools caused by high fiber diets. These bulky stools help to express anal glands more frequently, reducing the risk of impactions.

Vitamins and Minerals

In addition to water, protein, fat and carbohydrates, dogs need certain vitamins and minerals from their diets in order to stay healthy. Vitamins, such as niacin, vitamin C, vitamin E and others, are organic substances that the body uses to drive or aid metabolism. Minerals, such as copper, iron, iodine and others, are inorganic substances that are essential for a healthy life. Appropriate types and amounts of vitamins and minerals need to be part of the analysis and present in a complete canine diet.

…consuming large excesses of certain vitamins and minerals can be as bad as or worse than not consuming sufficient amounts of the same nutrients.

Complete, balanced commercial dog foods contain the proper amounts of essential vitamins and minerals to maintain canine health. Vitamin and mineral supplements are sometimes necessary to address certain health conditions, but they should only be used in consultation with a veterinarian. In some cases consuming large excesses of certain vitamins and minerals can be as bad as or worse than not consuming sufficient amounts of the same nutrients. Minerals, especially, should never be supplemented without professional advice and analysis. Improper supplementation can cause serious health problems in dogs.