Dog Nutrition: What’s in Balanced Dog Food?
Many dog foods you find on store shelves are designed to be the only nutritional source for your furry friends. Most of these foods, including those made with a balanced vegan dog food recipe, often have the “complete and balanced” label.
To use such a statement, the food should meet specific nutritional maximum and minimum levels to meet your animal companion’s nutritional requirements as established by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO).
Balanced dog food should contain certain levels of vitamins, minerals, fat, and protein, depending on the dog’s age. So, what makes up balanced and complete dog food?
Nutrients that a dog needs
Whether you are looking for puppy food, adult, or senior dog nutrition, the following dietary components are the key to improving your dog’s quality of life:
- Proteins – Complex molecules containing amino acids, which promote the growth, maintenance and repair of cells. Dogs have a big demand for protein to maintain their fur, taking up to 30% of protein intake daily.
- Fats – Critical building blocks for the substances required for maintaining healthy, normal cells. These are also canine’s most concentrated energy source.
- Carbohydrates – These are easily broken down in the digestive system for conversion to glucose, which provides energy. Carbohydrates in whole grains contain beneficial nutrients like fiber, iron, and minerals.
- Vitamins – Vitamin A helps maintain healthy hair and skin, while Vitamin E supports your animal companion’s immune system. Vitamins are found in common foods like vegetables and fruits, which is why a balanced vegan food recipe contains these ingredients.
- Minerals – Critical for helping your dog perform certain body functions like the development of strong bones and healthy teeth while preventing deficiencies.
- Water –Essential for regulating your dog’s body temperature, eliminating body waste, transporting nutrients, and prevents dehydration. While dog food has some moisture content, give water to go along with a balanced, healthy vegan dog food diet.
Note that the amounts and combinations of these components are based on your dog’s lifestyle, physical condition, medical condition, weight, and age. This explains why you will find different dog food options for each of your canine’s growth phases.
Differences between cat and dog nutrition
Below are the reasons why the nutritional needs for dogs are different from a cat, and what it means to the well-being of your animal companion.
Cats are obligate carnivores and dogs are omnivores
Cats require nutrients that are found in animal-based ingredients like organ meat and muscle. Unlike omnivores like dogs, cats have a short digestive tract and cannot convert essential nutrients into a usable form.
Fatty acids
While cats cannot, dogs can manufacture the essential fatty acid arachidonic acid, which is responsible for sending signals responsible for healing. The acid is also responsible for supporting their proper reproductive system and gastrointestinal function, as well as proper skin growth.
Amino acids
The taurine amino acid is critical for cats but not essential for dogs. Without enough taurine in their diets, cats are at risk of becoming blind, becoming deaf or developing heart failure.
Is plant-based food good for your dog?
Dogs do not necessarily need meat to live a long, healthy life, but they do require specific nutrients found in a complete and balanced vegan dog food recipe. Implementing a vegan diet plan for your dog offers you the following benefits:
- Feces that smell less
- Reduced to no risk of developing digestive problems
- Helps protect the environment since producing 1kg beef requires 15 liters of water
- Reduced joints and bones food deposits, lowering articular gout risk
- Reduces chances of your dog developing diseases like hypothyroidism or cancer
So, if feeding meat to your dog presents an ethical quandary for you, there are tasty and healthy vegan options available, like the Wild Earth dog food range.
These products offer your dog 100 percent balanced plant-based nutrition. They are expertly formulated, recommended by veterinarians, and meet or exceed AAFCO standards. Since the formula is highly digestible, dogs who have digestive troubles experience a complete turnaround on this natural recipe.
Get ready for the transformation of your dog’s life!
Inspired by the actions of companies like Hero Pet Supplies and Wild Earth, these vegan marketers are proud to be teaching more people about the benefits to health, the environment, and animal lives by being vegan!
