Unlocking the Benefits of Plant Matter in Your Dog’s Diet

Plant matter

14 Apr

A prevalent belief amongst some raw feeders is that dogs can thrive without plant matter in their diet. While there is some truth to this notion, it's essential to recognize the valuable role that plant matter plays in promoting your dog's health and overall well-being.

From a scientific perspective, carnivorous dogs do not have a physiological need for plant matter or carbohydrates, as stated by the NRC Animal Nutrition Committee in 2006. However, while not necessary for mere survival, we assert that plant matter is crucial for thriving.

Plant-based foods, such as fruits and vegetables, provide essential nutrients, vitamins, and minerals lacking in the base 80:10:10 diet that support your dog's immune system, digestive health, and overall vitality. While dogs may not require these components for basic sustenance, incorporating them into their diet can contribute to their overall health and quality of life.

What do our dog’s ancestors show us?

As we know, our dogs share 98.9% of their DNA with wolves and so we have learnt much about our dogs from them.

In the wild, there is evidence that shows wolves survive by consuming other animals - but they have also been known to scavenge and self-select plant material as well as from the predigested plant matter within the stomach of the prey they are consuming.

Though this is often contested, from looking at our own diets, we know that eating plant matter can have an overwhelmingly positive benefit on our health and well-being and it would be unlogical to rule plant matter out completely.

The 80:10:10 BARF diet, which consists of 80% muscle meat, 10% bone, and 10% organ meat, is a popular approach among raw feeders. However, this diet lacks certain nutrients found in plant matter. By adding a variety of fruits and vegetables to the diet, pet owners can address these nutrient gaps and ensure their dog’s nutritional needs are met comprehensively for optimal health. While a diet high in protein is essential, a well-rounded diet that includes fruits and vegetables provides additional vitamins, antioxidants, and fiber that support digestion and overall wellness.

But dogs can't digest plant matter?

This is somewhat true, food passes through our dog's digestive system very quickly. In fact, we often see plant matter, namely carrots etc. go in and almost always straight back out the other end, in the dog's stool.

The lack of amylase in our dog's saliva is another popular reason why some state that dogs should not be given plant matter - amylase is an enzyme that helps break carbohydrates down and whilst it is true that dogs do not have any amylase in their saliva, they do have amylase in their pancreas to help with this.

Studies show dogs can digest plant material when it is presented correctly to them.While the ideal amount of vegetable matter will likely never be known, there is certainty on a number of points. If carbohydrates are presented correctly to dogs (e.g. if they are steamed or blitzed) they can digest up to 84% of the carbs being fed to them (Rosmos et al. 1981).[2].

The scientific benefits of feeding plant matter

Over the years, there have been dozens of studies on the many benefits of including plant matter in the diet - and dogs respond in the same way to the vast majority of these chemicals in the same way we do.

Dr Stefano Bruno and Misa Sandri carried out research [1] on how the physical forms of food affect our dog's microbiome and their faecal production.They found that when dogs were fed fresh fruit and vegetables - the dog's biodiversity increased and faecal production decreased. They summarised that feeding plant matter is hugely important for carnivores and they believe that it is one of the most important ingredients for our dog's microbiome.

This is because our dogs need the microbes contained within plant matter. They also found that the biodiversity is crucial to a healthy dog - something that is reiterated by dr Tim spectre, who states the more diverse the microbiome, the longer the dog lives.

The microbiome drives genetic expression. This means it can turn genes on or off depending on which microbes are present. And, thanks to excessive inbreeding, we know dogs are the animals most prone to genetic disorders.

From the 2005 Purdue university study [3], we also know that by just adding leafy greens 3 x times a week to the food bowl, we can decrease the cancer risk by 90%.

We also feel that it is important to remember that now more than ever there is a need to add into our dog's diets extra support to the regular ancestral prey diet because wild prey was never loaded with glyphosate, omega-6 fatty acids, saturated fats, hormones, etc, etc. And Wild dogs weren't exposed to EMFs, pollution, and high levels of stress like they are now.

Feed for the dog in front of you

If your dog has a particular health condition or allergy (Or perhaps your dog's breed is prone to one) - why not support them as much as you can, after all, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

Preventative support is something I actively encourage pet owners to do and is something I do with my own dogs and have done since they were 8 weeks old. They are a breed that is prone to heart disease. To support their health to keep the heart as healthy as it can - we feed them lots of antioxidant-rich foods as well as omega 3's.

Of course, like children, not all dogs will happily eat plant matter - but there are many ways of incorporating it into the diet;

Blitzed and frozen into treats

Blitzed and mixed in with their daily food.

cooked
Freeze-dried
Plant matter supplements.

What plant matter should you feed your dog?

It's crucial that you only feed plant matter that is low in starch and not part of the legume family - and don't feed too much of it, 5-10% is my preferred ratio but many feed plant matter up to 15 or even 20% of their dog's daily allowance.

Keep it seasonal and make use of what your local farms have - ideally, plant matter should always be fed organic but we realise this is not accessible for everyone.

Another important consideration is the dog in front of you. You know your own dog best - if your dog doesn't respond well to plant matter then don't feed it.

If your dog is itchy, stay away from plant matter high in histamines and opt for plant matter that is low on the glycemic index.

If the issue is that your dog can tolerate plant material but just won't eat it - consider offering it in another method like those mentioned before - or using whole food supplements like four-leaf rover red rover or green rover.

Key Takeaways

It is true that our dogs are facultative carnivores and as such, they are designed to eat meat, from their teeth, and jaw all the way down to their digestive system. That being said, a small percentage of plant matter on a regular basis can be hugely beneficial for your dog's health - and we know this from both human and animal studies.

• Every dog is an individual and just because plant matter is beneficial - this does not mean it is suitable for every dog. If you have never fed plant matter before, we suggest starting with one ingredient and building up slowly and incorporating more into the diet if your dog is happy and reacts well to it.

• If your dog has intolerances or allergies, we would recommend sticking to low histamine plant matter and introducing it slowly, over an extended period of time, ensuring you are leaving time for a pause to ensure there are no reactions on any level.

• For puppies, as mentioned above, The study done by Dr Stefano Bruno found that introducing as many different foods into the diet from a young age is crucial to helping train their gut and building a strong and effective microbiome.

Conclusion

Contrary to the myth that dogs should avoid plant matter in their diet, incorporating fruits and vegetables offers numerous health benefits for our canine companions. While dogs may be classified as facultative carnivores, their dietary needs extend beyond animal protein alone. By including plant-based foods in their diet, pet owners can promote optimal health and well-being in their furry friends, ensuring they thrive for years to come.