Digestive aids for dogs have become one of the hottest trends in canine nutrition. But you may wonder– do I really need to give digestive aid or enzymes to my dog? Find out more about best digestive aids for dogs and the best ones in the market today.
Understanding Canine Digestion
The domestication of dogs has had a few repercussions like the change in their diet. The modern dog today eats more like humans and far from what their ancestors feed on. Our canine pals have an omnivorous diet much like their masters and far from the carnivorous diet that their wild wolf ancestors used to have. In fact, protein just makes up a quarter of a dog’s diet as dogs now eat grains like wheat and soy.
Yet the digestive system of our dogs has not been able to adjust to the changes in a typical dog diet. Their pancreas, in particular, lacks natural enzymes to digest and process dog food. This explains why certain dog breeds have problems in digesting wheat, soy, and other grains found in food given to them.
All About Digestive Aids
This explains why digestive aids for dogs have become quite popular as of late. Digestive enzymes for canines are special proteins from the pancreas targeting and breaking down nutrients like proteins, fiber, carbohydrates, and fats.
These canine food supplements contain protease for digesting protein, amylase for digesting carbs, cellulase for breaking down fiber, and lipase for breaking down fat. These four basic digestive enzymes work in the small intestines where most of the nutrients are absorbed by the dog’s body for metabolism.
Canine digestive enzymes are available in different forms like paste, powder, and capsule. It can be sprinkled on food. Others can be simply chewed or ingested by dogs.
How to Choose a Digestive Aid for Dog
In choosing a digestive aid for your pet, keep in mind these pointers:
- Read the label to learn more about the amounts of enzymes in the formula.
- The product should have low amounts of minerals, ideally lower than 70 milligrams. High levels of minerals can lead to health problems for your pet.
- It should be free of flavorings and fillers such as maltodextrin.
- Consider getting digestive aids with probiotics, which can help improve the dog’s immune system while supporting digestion and processing of critical nutrients
- The digestive aid should not have any strong flavor or odor that may turn off your pet
Best Digestive Aids for Dogs
Now let’s take a closer look at the five best rated digestive aids for canines today:
NaturVet Digestive Enzymes with Probiotics
This is one of the more popular digestive aids for dogs today. It comes with enzymes for maintaining the good functioning of your dog’s digestive system. The inclusion of probiotics also aids in breaking down food and assimilation of essential nutrients. This product is ideal for dogs with sensitive stomachs.
It’s easy to administer on dogs even the pickiest eaters. Simply mix this product with dog food. It won’t alter the taste of the dog food. It also has no odor so your dog should be able to eat his food. Suggested dosage is a quarter teaspoon for every cup of pet food.
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After years of struggle and lack of diagnosis until recently, this product has been a lifesaver for our dog. He’s gone from near constant, unstoppable diarrhea and disinterest in eating to recovery and normality in a little over a week. The one thing about this product you need to know is that you really, really need to soak this with the food and some water for 20 minutes before feeding it.
PetVitality Pro 4 Bill CFIUs
If you prefer that your dog eat tablets, then consider getting this supplement. It comes in packs of 60 and 150 chewable tablets so you can get a pack that suits your needs and budget. You might want to get the smaller pack, though, if you’re not sure how your canine pal would receive this.
Aside from containing the essential enzymes, it does have probiotics too that can help in your dog’s digestion.
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This product has been a life-saver! Our 10-month-old Toy Fox Terrier puppy has an EXTREMELY touchy belly- All his stress manifests itself there in various, “less than ideal” ways (you can use your imagination). After we boarded him overnight for the 1st time ever, his digestive tract was severely “off” for over 3 weeks. We tried feeding him rice with boiled chicken, then added some pumpkin/squash, which made his “output” somewhat better, but still, he was having issues, and as we rotated in egg, bananas and finally medicines from the vet, nothing worked to normalize his belly.
Animal Essentials Plant Enzymes & Probiotics
Animal Essentials Plant Enzymes & Probiotics come with the protease, lipase, cellulase, and amylase that your dog needs to break down essential nutrients. It also has other healthy compounds that are beneficial to canine digestion.
This natural digestive aids for dogs is available in powder form. Simply sprinkle it on your dog’s food. Dosage is a quarter of a teaspoon for every serving of dog food. The 100g container can go a long way, up to 3 months for a large dog. There is also a 300g container which can mean more savings.
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My fur-child began having allergy issues soon after she was full grown. It started with the chronic ear infections and led to infections in her feet between her pads. Then the itching began. No amount of trips to the vet every found any cause or solution, other than more ANTIBIOTICS! and “Come back in 2 weeks.”. At the suggestion of a pet store employee, I switched my pup to Grain Free food. The infections ended! When my pup was about 5, we began having non-stop itching issues. We tried different foods and found that gluten-free seems to reduce itching. It was only a few months later though that the digestive issues began.
Enzyme Miracle – Systemic & Digestive Enzyme Formula
This is one of digestive aid to give your canine buddy. It contains 11 enzymes that your dog needs to digest essential nutrients. It can also help in breaking down and eliminating yeast and fungus.
This digestive aid can also help you save. One container can have up to 364 scoops. The recommended dosage is one-half teaspoon for every cup of food that you serve to your dog.
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My dog has pancreatic insufficiency and this product saved his life. I tried raw beef pancreas and it didn’t tolerate it. It made him vomit. Then I tried pancreatic enzymes but those gave him mouth sores. He was so skinny and his ribs were showing. He truly looked like he was going to die. With a bit of research, I found the enzyme miracle. A lifesaver to be sure. Since adding the recommended amount to my dog’s food he’s has gained all of his weight back, and then some, and his stools are formed and firm. This product is indeed a miracle. Thank you so much for saving my dog’s life.
NaturVet All-in-One 4-IN-1 Support for Dogs
Rounding out our list is this 4-in-1 chews for dogs. Not only does this product contain the essential enzymes for proper digestion, but it also has ingredients that can promote good and healthy joints. It also has minerals for good overall health.
Dogs weighing up to 30 pounds are recommended to take 2 soft chews while dogs over 51 pounds should take four soft chews. The chews can be divided for intake in the morning and afternoon.
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This is a miracle!! Hands down, the best product for our 11-year-old baby with severe signs of arthritis. She was in so much pain, and literally cried every time she tried to get up or moved a certain way. Her limp was awful. I read review after review on what to do because I feared her vet would put her on medicine to remove the pain or a steroid, which they have done in the past. This stuff worked within a week. She loves them.
That’s the 5 best digestive aids for dogs that could you give to your dog to improve their digestive health. If you have any best digestive aids for dogs that you use for your dog and we not mention it, please share it to all of us on below comments section.
