Guest Article - The Surprising Benefits Of Adding Fiber To Your Dog's Diet

You might be surprised to discover that adding fiber to your dog's diet can actually be a very good thing, even though you're well aware of the fact that it's important for you to have sufficient fiber in your diet. There are a number of important, nutritional benefits that your dog can gain from dietary fiber, which is something that is only now being acknowledged given that fiber has long be thought of as being mere filler.

It is, however, vital to speak with your vet about the amount of fiber that your dog should be getting. Too much fiber can actually have an adverse effect on your pet's digestive tract, much like it can with people. If you make the decision to increase your dog's fiber intake, you'll need to carefully monitor the amount of fiber that your pet's getting to ensure that too much of this carbohydrate is never being consumed.

Adding a bit of fiber to your pet's diet will help him shed extra pounds, which can definitely be good if your dog happens to be obese and desperately needs to lose weight. Your pet can have a far higher quality of life and he or she can live longer as well if the right body weight is maintained, and so, adding suitable amounts of fiber to your pet's diet can really help to this end. Additional fiber will not dramatically increase the number of calories that your pet is consuming, but it can promote weight loss by making your animal feel full and less likely to overeat.

Adding fiber to your dog's diet will create a diet that's both satisfying and healthy. In addition to helping your pet reach his or her ideal weight, fiber can also assist with ongoing weight maintenance.

Fiber is even good for preventing constipation in your pet, which is something that animals can experience just like humans. Constipation is more likely to be a problem with older animals which is why you should increase your pet's fiber intake as he or she grows older. Many dog food brands that are designed specifically for senior dogs actually have a higher fiber content as the result of this fact.

Given that fiber absorbs water, it has the capacity to expedite movement in the intestines by creating additional bulk in this area. As such, as time passes, your dog will enjoy more comfortable and far easier bowel movements overall.

After fiber has been added to your dog's diet, your pet will enjoy regular bowel movements and more consistent stools. There is, however, always the potential to see loose and messy stools if you give your dog more fiber than necessary.

Blood sugar levels can be balanced by additional fiber as well by lowering the rate at which the body absorbs sugar from the intestines which mean that a modest amount of fiber can actually help in the management of diabetes.

Always be sure to buy top-quality food for your pet as your dog can suffer unnecessarily if he or she gets too much fiber. Soybean hulls, beet pulp, tomato, apple, peanut hulls, and pomace are some of the sources of fiber to check for when purchasing dog food. Rice, oats and many other grains are also indigestible fiber sources.

Increasing the amount of fiber that your dog gets can provide a number of benefits, but you still have to make sure that your animal isn't getting too much. When you aren't sure about how much fiber your dog should be getting, be sure to talk with your vet. Want to enrich your knowledge about dog care, consider stopping by Build Great Farms.