Recent research has suggested that higher levels of protein in your dogs diet could result in kidney failure. Do you know if what you are giving your dog is safe? Are you harming the health of your furry friend by giving too much protein in your dogs diet?
The studies that demonstrated a relationship to high protein levels and kidney failure, that sparked concerns about protein levels in dogs diets were not complete. The research was performed on rats, not dogs. Rats chiefly eat plants as their natural diet. Naturally, rats biological makeup would suggest trouble digesting diets containing high levels of protein. The rats have trouble excreting protein due to their particular dietary requirements, not because the high protein diet causes kidney failure.
Thus, where do we stand on protein in your dogs diet? Dogs are naturally omnivorous. In the wild, dogs would hunt or scavenge for food. Your dogs diet would normally be of both animals and plants. Naturally dogs are meat eaters too. Because of this, a dog can easily manage with a diet consisting of 30% protein or more.
When the protein consumption is lowered in a dogs diet, renal function does not improve. Renal lesions are not less likely to form when a dog is being fed a low-protein diet. It is not until a blood urea nitrogen, or BUN, test indicates a level of 75, then a reduction in protein consumption should be considered.
If you have concerns about the amount of protein in your dogs diet, schedule an appointment to speak with a professional on the subject. Your trusted veterinary can advise you on the specifics in regards to your dogs diet.
It is not correct that dogs can not ordinarily digest high levels of protein. Kidney problems do not result from having high levels of protein in your dogs diet. Large amounts of protein are digested safely in your dogs diet, particularly when they primarily come from animal origins.
Ten amino acids must be provided in your dogs diet through protein. Only twelve of 22 amino acids can be manufactured in your dogs liver. For this reason, meat such as heart, spleen, and meat by-products all have a place in your dogs diet.
If you purchase high-quality dog food it should contain meat as the main ingredient. This will furnish the right amount of protein in your dogs diet. If you think about a dog in its natural environment, would you see a wild dog grazing in a corn field at mealtime?
Senior dogs should not be put on lower protein diets just because of age. As a matter of fact, some aging pets need a dogs diet that is higher in protein than when they were at a younger adult stage. Unless your veterinary advises not to, you should always provide your pet the advantage of quality protein in your dogs diet.
Feeding your dog protein should not cause you concern. You want what is best for your dog and nature tells you that protein will help your dog to thrive. If you have questions about the myth of protein and kidney failure in your pet, speak to your veterinarian about your dogs diet.
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