Holistic Basics

Fats & Carbs

Animal fats are the principal source of energy in dogs and cats, which also get some energy from carbohydrates. Humans, on the other hand, get most of their energy from carbohydrates, not fat. Humans not only use carbohydrates more effectively, they have the ability to store them. Dogs and cats cannot store carbohydrates and must use them immediately or lose them. Dogs do need some carbos, but not many, for energy, proper digestion, stool formation and correct functioning of the thyroid gland. A good way to judge if your dog is using the food you are feeding is the amount of stool produced. Generally speaking, stool volume should be about one-third of food ingested.

OK, back to fats. Your dog needs saturated and polyunsaturated fats to maintain good health. Saturated fat comes from animal sources, and is needed to maintain energy. Not enough animal fat can cause lack of energy, heart problems, growth deficits, dry skin and cell damage. Too much, and you have obesity and the chance of some kind of cancers. Polyunsaturated fats come from vegetable sources. If your dog has a dry coat, you may need to add some oil to his food, (but some dogs have difficulty digesting flax seed oil). Too little polyunsaturated fat can cause coarse dry hair, improper growth, thickened areas of skin, extreme itching and scratching and more.