If we look at feeding as a science, surely, we should have the answer by now? If I feed my dog this amount of carbohydrates, plus this amount of fats, she will maintain a healthy body.… we all know that is certainly not the case. Our response to food is incredibly personalised, and our dogs are no different.
The latest science though now shows that one of the strongest determinants of our response to food is the gut microbiome, far stronger than our genetics.
So, what does this mean? It means that we should be feeding aligned to our dog’s microbiome to ensure they are getting the nourishment they deserve, without causing any inflammation along the way. Consider this, two very similar dogs may have very different amounts of the bacteria associated with protein digestion.
The first dog, with lots of these bacteria, is quickly able to digest and absorb the proteins she consumes in her diet. She can do well on a medium-protein diet. The second dog, with far fewer members in their protein digestive army, constantly suffers from inflammation and diarrhea because he does not have sufficient bacteria in his gut to be able to breakdown the proteins he’s consuming. Mum and dad thought they were doing a great job transitioning him to the latest high-protein, low-carb fresh-meat diet, but the results just don’t add up.
OK, so what does it all mean? Nutrition is a science. We’ve just been looking at it the wrong way.
At TREAT, we work with world-leading scientists in microbiome research and personalized nutrition, to help us get the best out of feeding. Join the pack to learn more!