Protein in Dog Food

Protein in Dog Food

Proteins are important in the formation and maintenance of cartilage, tendons, and ligaments. Protein in dog food also assists with muscle, skin, hair, nail, and blood formation.

When protein is broken down, it creates amino acids that are essential nutrients for dogs. Amino acids help create energy for dogs and sustain life. There are 10 essential amino acids that are needed for dogs to maintain a healthy life. These nutrients cannot be created in the body and must be supplied in the diet.

Sources of Protein in Dog Food

Animal protein sources have the highest amounts of essential amino acids. Proteins from plants tend to have a lower digestibility since dogs cannot digest plant fiber as easily as other sources. In theory, dogs can be sustained on a completely plant-based protein diet, but that diet may need various sources of protein in order to reach a daily minimum that can safely be absorbed.

For the safety of your dog, it is best to consult with a board-certified veterinary nutritionist or a primary care veterinarian who practices nutritional health if you are considering a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle for your dog. It is very important that vegetarian diets have undergone food trials and are formulated and balanced by a board-certified veterinary nutritionist.

You should also have a bi-yearly nutritional recheck to ensure that your dog is in good health. These rechecks consist of a physical examination, ideal body weight review, body condition scoring, and blood and gastrointestinal absorption testing.