[lil fu fu girl]

Originally Posted by Britster

Does anyone know anything about fiber in dog food?

Is there an "ideal" amount of fiber a food should have? Does it differ from dog to dog? I'm just curious because while browsing dogfoodanalysis a few days ago and comparing ingredients, etc... I noticed Blue Buffalo Wilderness has a 6.5% max crude fiber content, while Go! Endurance has a 3% max crude fiber, and Orijen is max 2.5%! Why the huge difference, or does it really make a difference?

Would "good poop" be more due to ingredients simply agreeing with a dog, or does fiber have a lot to do with? For a dog, do you want more fiber in their diet, or less, what makes them poop less, etc? Is it like humans.. more fiber, more poop?

Jackson's last bag of food was Orijen Regional Red and I found his poop to be better on Orijen than Acana?

Nutrition is beyond fascinating.
Just like humans, our individual pups have unique and sometimes disparate systems . While a certain percentage of fiber might work well with one pup, it might not work well for another. Certain diseases, like Diabetes, work better with higher fiber percentages; as fiber is a complex carbohydrate and goes through the digestive tract more slowly than simple carbohydrates. Therefore, the flow of glucose into the bloodstream and into the body is slower; keeping a balanced glucose level. Definitely essential when maintaining chronic illnesses such as Diabetes.

Some feed their pups food which is high in simple carbs, and their pups consequently have highs and lows. You have probably seen pups that after eating become quite active and hyper, and then after some time, crash and sleep. Not great for their body.

In another blog someone had asked about beets and beet pulp within dogfood. Beets and beet pulp are a good source of low fermentable fiber, which also contains prebiotics which promote the growth of probiotics within the intestines. The digestive process of beet fiber produces short chain fatty acids which the probiotics on the intestinal walls feed on.

Anyway, long story short, I believe that the amount of fiber for your particular pup is dependent upon their unique system and the chronic diseases that they are facing. If you have found something that is working well I would say stick with it. Only you can tell what is really working for your pup. Good luck......