A large proportion of carbohydrates can be found in ready-made feed. How good are they for the dog? You have to imagine that the dog is not a pure carnivore, but a prey eater. However, carbohydrates, mostly in the form of starch and sugar, are important suppliers of energy. The dog organism uses them to release energy. However, the dog cannot process large amounts with its digestion. The dog can react to too much starch, the most important form of energy in plants, with diarrhea. You can soften the strength by boiling.
Feed carbohydrates or not?
If carbohydrates are fed in small amounts, the dog’s organism stores them as polysaccharides, too many are stored as fat. What are carbohydrates in? In grains, vegetables, fruits and dietary fiber. Grains provide the greatest proportion of starch and should only be fed in moderation and in a digested form. However, there are reasons where feeding carbohydrates should not be done – allergies, since grains are often the cause of cancer and joint diseases.
Prepared food often contains a very high proportion of carbohydrates
For many dogs this is too much. All types of grain can only be used by the dog when they are boiled, steamed or fed as flakes. They should ideally come from vegetables or fruits. Therefore, you should pay close attention to the information on the packaging. The following types of grain are used in dog nutrition: Mostly wheat, but it also has the highest gluten content and is therefore the number one allergy trigger. So only feed to non-allergic dogs. Rye is very rich in energy, but also difficult to digest, it is better to give only a little. But it has a high proportion of minerals and helps with skin and coat problems. Corn has a high proportion of minerals, trace elements and vitamins as well as other important substances. Corn is therefore particularly suitable for old dogs, but it should definitely be boiled or soaked before feeding, as corn flakes. Of all grains, oats have the highest fat content, but are used for convalescence or inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract because they are well tolerated. But it also has the highest percentage of zinc, which is important for the skin and for wound healing. Rice is a pH-neutral grain, has minerals, vitamins and amino acids. But it should be well cooked, almost mushy. Best as rice flakes. Spelled has more good ingredients than wheat. It is also high in silica, which is important for skin function, coat and brain. Barley has high-quality protein, starch and lots of calcium, as well as iron and the B vitamins. Because of its good mucus production, barley can be fed as a dietary supplement for gastrointestinal problems. Millet is also very nutritious with a good effect on nerves, heart muscle and pancreas. Due to its high silica content, it is good for dogs with allergies.
It is best to mash or puree fruit and vegetables.
The dog can only digest and absorb the ingredients of all types of fruit and vegetables if they have been pureed or briefly steamed. Vegetables should be used more than fruit because of the fruit acid. The potato, for example, has about 15% starch and is usually well tolerated by allergy-prone dogs. But it must be cooked, remove green spots. Dogs love to eat them as mash or mash.
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