February 17th, 2010
Protein in dog food typically comes from an animal source. In other words, “meat.” At some point, we’ll explore the Dog Food Debate over how much protein is enough or too much. For now, however, let’s just look at protein as a primary dog food ingredient.
Dog Food History
The use of animal byproducts as a protein source in pet food began during early industrialization. Someone, somewhere decided that anything deemed unusable for human consumption might be OK for our furry friends.
Over the years, I’ve heard some funny (and crass) phrases to describe these leftover body parts or fragments thereof. Since we aim to be a family-friendly spot for dog food information, suffice it to say we simply refer to such things at my house as “pieces parts.”
Protein Quality Matters
The K9Cuisine.com team believes that the protein level is not as important as the kind of protein used in dog food. That’s why the use of byproducts automatically disqualifies a food from the site.
Honestly, a lot of a poor quality protein cannot be as good for your pet as less of a good quality (and biologically usable) protein. The better the protein source, actually, the less a dog truly needs. And, all that unusable stuff left behind by icky proteins can be tough on a dog’s kidneys.
Since the goal of dog nutrition is to support — not challenge — a dog’s basic biological processes, starting with a good quality protein is key.
What constitutes protein quality is an interesting science. Proteins can be measured through “chemical scores” and “biological values.” Chemical scores basically compare one protein to another used as a reference point. Typically, that’s an egg. So, if an egg scores 100 on a 100-point scale, then other proteins earn scores compared to eggs. It’s much more complicated than I can get into here, but the score ends up being based on just a few “limiting” amino acids, rather than all that may be provided by the tested protein.
Ranking proteins based on “biological value” isn’t perfect either since it defines how much (%) of absorbed protein gets retained. However, it does not take into account digestibility.
Name That Protein
Check pet food labels, which we know can be confusing, for an actual “named protein.”
What do we mean by that? Well, the label should call the protein by its real name: chicken, beef, lamb, etc.
Calling it merely “meat,” or worse “meaty” in an advertising application, means very little. Remember all those cafeteria jokes about “mystery meat”? It’s a bit like that.
Protein Science
Just as carbohydrates are classified, based on their complexity, so are proteins.
Essentially, proteins get built in nature when amino acids team up from the hundreds of options. Yet, we find just 20 amino acids in most proteins. Once combined, they get classified like this:
- Peptide (two amino acids)
- Dipeptide (three amino acids)
- Polypeptide (more than three)
Your dog’s body breaks these peptides down into either:
- Usable basic amino acids from the bonded ones consumed
- Precursors that can be synthesized into what the dog needs
Dogs need essential amino acids in their diet because they simply cannot make them themselves through any biological process. Nonessential amino acids are the ones that dogs can make for themselves, if provided with building blocks through their food. Some amino acids are conditionally essential, meaning that certain diseases or other health issues make them more important.
Dog Food Protein Enhancements
To combat any deficiencies in protein sources used in dog food, manufacturers sometimes balance the amino acid profile by using several sources (called “protein complementation”). Some use “amino acid fortification,” which essentially means they add any missing amino acids.
Questions – Proteins in Dog Food
As always, I’m happy to hear any questions you have about protein in dog food so that I can research the issue and get you answers … or at least open up a discussion.
Tags: byproducts, dog, dog food, Dog Food Dish Blog, dog nutrition, K9Cuisine Dog Food Dish Blog, protein
Posted in Dog Food Basics, K9 Nutrition | 4 Comments »
Carbohydrates: Dog Food Basics
February 10th, 2010
Carbohydrates (carbs) in dog food come from the energy contained inside plants. Remember learning about photosynthesis back in school? Well, that’s were carbohydrates are born. When plants turn sunlight energy into chemical energy, they store the energy as what we could call “sugar.”
Carb Classification
Basically, carbs fall into one of four categories:
1) Monosaccarides: also called “simple sugars.” Famous ones include glucose and fructose.
2) Disaccarides: basically two monosaccarides lumped together. Regular table sugar is a combo of glucose and fructose.
(Quick trivia tangent … lactose found in mammal milk links glucose and galatose together. It’s the ONLY carb of animal origin.)
3) Oligosaccarides: a big clump of 3-10 monosaccarides. They can be harder to digest, causing gas.
Oddly enough, though, those that contain fructose (fructooligosaccarides) tend to do good things in a dog’s intestines, including better stool quality and reduced odors.
4) Polysaccarides: the big boys made up of thousands of monosaccarides. That’s why they’re often called “complex carbohydrates.” Typically, they are either what we would deem “starches” or “dietary fiber.”
Dog Food Carbohydrates
In the dog food world, cereal grains like corn, wheat, sorghum, barley and rice most often provide this carb/starch component.
Dogs of various digestive temperaments have varying success with these carbs. Some do OK. Others suffer terrible food-related allergies.
Since K9Cuisine.com serves so many canine families with such allergy issues, the use of corn, wheat and soy are automatic disqualifiers. None of the foods sold on the site include these ingredients.
In last week’s blog post, Dog Food Basics we covered the metabolic role of carbs in a dog’s diet, including a “protein sparing effect,” where protein can be used in cell repair rather than for energy needs. Some may argue against having any carbs in a dog’s diet, but they do many things inside the canine body.
In addition, these starches function as binders in dog food. They kind of hold everything together. To fill both dietary and functional needs, some dog food makers have gone to potato or even pea starch as a carbohydrate source in their foods.
Questions – Carbohydrates in Dog Food
I’m happy to field any questions you have about carbs in dog food so that I can research the issue and get you the answers you need. Let me know. Won’t you?
Tags: carbohydrates, dog, dog food, Dog Food Dish Blog, dog nutrition, K9Cuisine Dog Food Dish Blog
Posted in Dog Food Basics, K9 Nutrition | 3 Comments »
February 3rd, 2010
Dog food typically combines carbohydrates, fats and proteins, along with vitamins and minerals. Each element plays a starring role inside the canine body, where all kinds of important processes take place. We’ll open up the discussion to Dog Food Debates later, but for now, let’s simply look at how these nutritional elements work from a purely physiological standpoint.
Dog Food Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates provide a key source of dog food energy that in addition to other bodily functions has a “protein-sparing effect.” That means carbs free up the body to use protein in tissue repair and growth, rather than the protein getting burnt up to meet a dog’s energy needs.
Carbs also:
- Supply energy that keeps dogs warm
- Provide a steady supply of glucose needed for the central nervous system to do its thing
- Convert to glycogen, which can be used as an emergency energy source for the heart
- Hook up with proteins and fats to form body tissue structures
- Supply “carbon skeletons” for the formation of nonessential amino acids
- Are required for the synthesis of other essential compounds
Dog Food Fats
Fats make food taste better. Trust me. Your dog understands that.
Palatability aside … Fats can provide a main form of energy storage in the body. In excess, of course, that’s not ideal, but in normal amounts, fat storage insulates the body from heat loss and protects major organs.
Dietary fats in dog food also supply essential fatty acids (EFAs) as well as carry fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E and K).
In addition, fats serve metabolic and structural roles, including:
- Insulating nerve fibers
- Helping to transmit nerve impulses
- Contributing structural components to cell membranes
- Transporting other nutrients across these membranes
Dog Food Proteins
In broad terms, dogs require protein because it supplies essential amino acids that form, fix and replenish bodily proteins that truly hold everything together. That means hair, skin, nails, tendons, ligaments and cartilage.
Beyond structural support, proteins do many other things:
- Some key proteins regulate muscle action.
- Some catalyze metabolic actions.
- Some are downright essential to nutrient digestion.
- Many hormones are protein based.
- Protein in the plasma helps maintain a dog’s Ph balance.
And, if that wasn’t enough, proteins work inside a dog’s immune system to generate antibodies that combat potential disease.
Inside your canine friend (and inside you, too) body proteins undergo a constant renewal and decline process, which requires a regular supply of dietary protein.
While you might be thinking, “Hey, protein is king!” know this … water is the single most important nutrient for survival. (Someday soon, we’ll talk all about it.)
Tags: carbohydrates, dog, dog food, Dog Food Dish Blog, dog nutrition, fats, K9Cuisine Dog Food Dish Blog, proteins
Posted in Dog Food Basics, K9 Nutrition | 4 Comments »
K9Cuisine Dog Food Dish Blog Launches
February 3rd, 2010
Welcome to the new K9Cuisine Dog Food Dish Blog. Look for new posts each Wednesday, as we explore, decode and discuss all things about canine nutrition.
My name is Roxanne Hawn, and I’m a professional writer/blogger/journalist. You can check out my full bio, but … in brief … I’m a full-blown dog lover that has written oodles of pet articles in both trade and consumer magazines for about 15 years.
I could not be happier about collaborating with K9Cuisine to provide accurate and usable information about dog food, dog nutrition and related health matters. (We’ll talk cats sometimes too.)
Our goals include creating an open and friendly venue for a growing community of dog-loving families, who seek more than hype, rumor or marketing spin in the dog food space. We welcome your comments, questions and insights as we move forward.
At this early stage, we plan to cover various topics, like:
- Dog Food Basics
- Dog Food News
- Dog Allergies
- Dog Health
We’ll take time down the road for Dog Food Debates and (we hope) some real-life nutritional case studies, but in the early days of the K9Cuisine Dog Food Dish, we plan to lay a foundation with some Dog Food Basics.
In other words, what do dogs need nutritionally and why?
Stay tuned.
Tags: blog launch, dog blog, dog food, Dog Food Dish, dog nutrition, K9Cuisine, K9Cuisine Dog Food Dish Blog
Posted in Dog Food Basics, K9 Nutrition | Comments Off
A professional writer based in Colorado, Roxanne Hawn doesn't just love dogs. She deep-down requires them in life. Something inside her genes, perhaps? That's why it's such a joy to write about all things canine. Roxanne began writing about pets in 1995, when she worked for the American Animal Hospital Association and later for the American Humane Association. During this period in her career, Roxanne served on the board of directors for the National Council on Pet Population Study and Policy (a coalition of animal welfare groups). Roxanne also volunteered for many years at an animal shelter, where she witnessed firsthand what happens when the human-animal bond breaks or never forms.
