Why Is Fibre Important for Dogs
What is Fibre?
Fibre is a type of carbohydrate that comes from vegetables, whole grains, and fruits. It contains no calories and no carbohydrates but provides many health benefits for your dog. Fibre is also known as bulk or roughage and it helps to regulate bowel movements in dogs. In addition, fibre regulates the amount of food your dog takes each day by making him feel full longer.
Sources of Dietary Fibre for Dogs
Sources of dietary fibre for dogs can include fresh plant foods, grains, cereals, meat, or processed meats.
Examples of fresh plant foods that contains dietary Fibre for dogs
- Apples, carrots, berries
- Potatoes, broccoli, green beans
- Pinto beans, chickpeas (garbanzo beans), navy beans (kidney beans)
- Whole grains Dietary Fibre
- White rice, brown rice
- Corn-on-the-cob, popcorn, bran cereal
- Whole wheat flour, whole wheat breads and tortillas
Grains are the most common source of dietary fibres in a common household dog’s diet, particularly whole-wheat breads, and pastas. Some cereal products contain added fibres that can help with digestion in your dog’s system.
Importance of Fibre
Dietary fibre is an important part of a dog’s diet. The good fibre in its diet can help prevent bowel problems.
Fibre is also important for the digestive process in dogs. Fibre is thought to regulate your dog’s appetite by filling your dog’s stomach with gas, which is one of the reasons why it prevents diarrhoea. In addition, Fibre is also effective in helping your dog break down its food more efficiently.
Types of Dietary Fibre
There are two types of dietary fibre that can be used on dogs: fructooligosaccharides (FOS) and oligosaccharides. They are a mixture of a variety of types of carbohydrates that can be found in the digestive system.
What Is Fructooligosaccharides?
Fructooligosaccharides are a type of dietary fibre that can be found in many plant foods. It is the component of plant cells that has the most degree of sweetness.
What is Oligosaccharides?
Oligosaccharides are also a type of fibre, but it is its degree of sweetness that determines its level of importance. Oligosaccharides are thought to be more effective in dogs with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), as they help to ease the symptoms.
Why is Dietary Fibre Important For Dogs?
Dogs need Dietary fibres to help with the digestion process. It is also effective in providing gas to help to relieve and/or prevent diarrhoea and constipation problems in dogs. In addition to this, dietary fibres contain no calories or carbohydrates. They also make your dog feel full for a longer period of time.
It is important to know that dietary fibre does not cause bloating or gas in your dog. The gas that is produced by dogs when they eat foods high in fibre, such as vegetables, is often related to the presence of insoluble fibre. However, insoluble fibre does not cause the same level of gas as soluble fibre does. The level of gas in your dog’s intestine can be reduced if you feed it with foods high in dietary fibres, such as whole grains and fruit.
Fibre is a food supplement that has many benefits for your dog. It may also prevent the development of certain intestinal ailments in dogs, such as diarrhoea or constipation. Therefore, you can use it for treating your dog if it has any of the conditions mentioned above. It is a good idea to feed your dog with fibre supplements under the supervision of a veterinarian.
Can Dogs Overdose On Fibre?
There is no known case of a dog getting an overdose of fibre from a diet. However, your dog may be at risk to develop some side effects from the amount that you feed it. You should always consult your local Vet if you are thinking of giving your dog additional fibre that are not from a food source.
Can Fibre Make My Dog Constipated?
Yes. Fibre is effective in preventing constipation in dogs, but it can also lead to constipation if your dog does not take enough fluids to help with the digestion process. As a result of this effect, your dog may end up having diarrhoea or occasional constipation problems. Therefore, you should also provide plenty of water for your dog to drink every day.
Improving Diabetes Mellitus in dogs
Certain fibres, when they are in your diet, slow digestion. This prevents blood-sugar levels from spiking. In addition to this, the insoluble fibres in particular can help to slow down absorption of glucose. Therefore, insoluble fibres can be an effective treatment for diabetes mellitus in dogs.
Fibre can reduce a dog’s sensitivity to insulin, and it is able to do this at a lower insulin dose than would normally be required.
In addition to this, the dietary fibre in the food you feed your dog daily will play an important part. This is because it can reduce the amount of insulin that your dog needs, and if the insulin dose is too low, you may run into problems with hypoglycaemia or Hyperglycaemia. An improper balance of glucose and insulin may cause severe symptoms for diabetes mellitus in dogs.
