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Originally Posted by pstinard  Well, yes and no. Beaks and hair are not digestible, and pass though the dog's body much like fiber does. There are ten essential amino that dogs need in their diet (see https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/dog-c...your-dog-needs). If your dog's protein source includes these amino acids, then the dog will get by on less total protein overall, and it will be less stress on the kidneys and liver. Low quality protein that doesn't contain these essential amino acids is simply wasted effort for the dog to digest. But if you're feeding your dog high quantities of protein, it doesn't matter if it is all high quality protein, it's still more of a stress on the system--the excess protein is wasted. ALL proteins, both high and low quality, produce nitrogenous waste that has to be filtered by the kidneys. My point is that a high protein diet is problematic because it's not needed, and it stresses the system. A regular recommended level of high quality protein is healthier than high levels of protein, regardless of quality. So long as your dog is getting the nutrients it needs for good health, adding more doesn't make it better--it either goes to waste, or it is stressful on the liver and kidneys. I'm just putting that out there and moving on... |
When you say high protein, what is your number that means high? I disagree that a high quality protein is a stress on the system for a healthy dog. I'm not suggesting 100% protein, but there is a lot of new information out there that suggests at
least 30% protein, instead of the common 20-25% found in some famous dog foods.
The Best Dog Food - What it's Like & How to Find it | petMD | petMD. So when I say high protein, I just mean the new recommended levels that many vets are suggesting.