Dog foods must have enough nutrients that are easy for absorption by the animal. Pet owners must serve good food for the upkeep of the pet’s health, and it must be palatable so that the dog relishes the food. The food must have ingredients that ensure good health without any side effects.Hydrolyzed protein dog food is one such food that can serve a variety of health benefits for your dog. This kind of food is veterinary prescription dog food thataddresses specific health issues. Such foods work well for dogs and are the reason pet owners, preferring them.
Knowing what hydrolyzed food means should help pet owners gain more confidence in the food as they would be aware of what good can happen to the pet after taking the food.
What is dog food that contains hydrolyzed protein?
Proteins are critical for dog health and must be one of the compulsory ingredients in any dog diet. Proteins help to build strong muscles, generate hormones and develop antibodies that help to fight diseases. The dog’s immunity level depends on the protein intake, and you must ensure that your dog gets sufficient proteins in the foods. Dogs make use of the proteins available in the foods and break them down to produce amino acids known as building blocks that combine to form proteins. It is the way for the dog to develop its proteins by using the proteins available from foods.
Some animals might experience abnormal immune responses due to dietary proteins. Hydrolysis is the process that uses water to break down proteins into tiny particles so that it does not generate any immune response. The immune system remains inert to the proteins. Hydrolyzed dog foods help address two diseases in dogs – inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and food allergy.
Inflammatory bowel disease
Sometimes it might be difficult to distinguish between inflammatory bowel disease and food allergies as the line separating these is too faint. Many people think that one disease leads to another. IBD in dogs results in excessive inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. The inflammation might be mild or severe, localized or widespread, and the characteristics of the disease can alter over time. It is the reason why dogs with IBD can show different symptoms of varying intensities. Vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, weight loss, loss of appetite or increased appetite, increased gas production, and noisy gut sounds are some of the signs of IBD. Usually, middle-aged and older dogs suffer from IBD, which can develop at any age.
Food allergies
The gastrointestinal tract of dogs allows proteins from foods to enter the body while staving off microorganisms that can cause disease and shields the body from other harmful elements. Sometimes, the body confuses good proteins with some harmful ingredients and considers it a health risk, and the body offers an immune response against it.
Food allergies can have symptoms like hair loss, itchiness over the whole body, skin lesions, and recurring ear or skin infections, together with digestive problems in some dogs. Foods trials help diagnose food allergies, and during this time, dogs must eat only dog food with hydrolyzed proteins.