Feeding dogs grain-free

In recent years, cereals have fallen into disrepute in both human and animal nutrition. What is behind this and when does it make sense to feed your dog a grain-free diet? We explain!

Why cereals in dog food?

Cereals are primarily used in dog food as a source of carbohydrates but also contains high-quality proteins and vitamins and is therefore a valuable source of energy. Carbohydrates are also an important part of the dog's diet.

Claims that dogs cannot utilise grain due to their relationship with the wolf have already been refuted in scientific studies. Through domestication, the dog has adapted tothe human environment and, according to a 2013 study by a research team, has 10 genes that are responsible for the digestion of starch .

Grain - the cheap filler in dog food?

Grain has fallen into disrepute due to the use of some feed manufacturers as a cheap "filler". But what is behind this claim and how can grain in dog food be realistically assessed and categorised?

Too much grain in food can really makedogs ill. This is precisely why a balanced composition of all components is the be-all and end-all in dog nutrition.

How well can the dog digest grain?

The digestibility of the grain in dog food is strongly related to the production method. Dry food is briefly strongly heated and the starch is Starch is already broken down. This makes it for the dog easily digestible.

Cold-pressed food or wet food is not heated (as much) and is therefore less digestible for sensitive dogs .

When does a grain-free diet make sense?

Basically: Grain is not bad per sebut an important building block in a dog's diet. However, there are dogs that have a Intolerance or allergy to cereals and these must and they must of course be fed grain-free be fed grain-free.

Suspected grain allergy - now what?

If dogs show symptoms of intolerance, they should definitely be taken to the vet . The vet will make a suspected diagnosis based on the information provided by the owner and the clinical picture. In most cases, the vet will advise an exclusion diet . Allergy tests via the blood are unfortunately not yet very conclusive. Therefore, an exclusion procedure is used to try to resolve the problems. Ideally, the dog is fed a protein source that is unknown to the body for at least eight weeks.

IMPORTANT: This diet applies to all food that the dog eats - including treats!

Intolerances in dogs

Food allergies or intolerances in dogs are usually triggered by proteins in the food - in this case wheat protein. Symptoms of a grain allergy or intolerance are:

Diarrhoea
Vomiting

Flatulence
Itching
Changing faecal consistency
Paw licking

The symptoms can occur individually or together.

Feeding dogs a gluten-free diet?

Some dogs do not react to cereal protein but to gluten (gluten protein). In human medicine, this disease is known as "coeliac disease" and describes an inflammatory reaction Inflammatory reaction of the intestine to the gluten protein.

If you research this online, it is often mentioned that gluten intolerance in dogs is very rare. However, a genetic predisposition has been proven in Irish Setters.

The internal analysis of a laboratory shows gluten sensitivity in a fifth of all dogs tested for food allergy (26 out of 129). The result was inconclusive in 24 dogs. However, this can be interpreted as an indication that there are enough dogs whose diet must be gluten-free .

If you want to be on the safe side, feed grain-free because this also means gluten-free. However, it should also be mentioned at this point that gluten is not contained in all types of grain. Millet or rice, for example, are gluten-free cereals that are also tolerated by dogs with gluten intolerance. In the end, an elimination diet usually provides information about what the dog can or cannot tolerate.

The specialist for grain- and gluten-free dog food

PERRO has many years of experience and a great deal of expertise in feeding nutritionally sensitive dogs. In the dry food segment, PERRO offers a large selection of grain-free products with its GRAIN FREE line. In the wet food segment, the majority of products are also grain-free. Snacks and the popular delicacy rolls are also available in grain-free and gluten-free versions. Carbohydrate and starch sources in our grain-free products are tubers such as potatoes and sweet potatoes.

As a further plus point, we also use protein sources (types of meat) in our grain-free products that are rarely if ever used in conventional dog food. This further reduces the allergy potential and increases tolerability.