Protein for Dogs

Protein is an essential nutrient required by dog’s bodies to perform various vital functions. Protein for dogs is necessary for muscle growth, cell production, skin and fur health, and a healthy immune system. Dogs need a well-balanced food that contains optimum levels of protein for proper growth and development. When we talk about dog protein, we should keep in mind that it is not one size fits all. Protein requirements vary based on the dog’s age, size, breed, activity level, and health status.

In this article, I’ll explain the importance of protein for dogs, protein requirements, symptoms of too much protein, the best sources of protein, and dogs’ allergies to animal protein. Read until the end to find out whether you should feed your dog high-protein or low-protein dog food.

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What Does Protein Do for Dogs?

Protein is made up of amino acids. Dogs need amino acids for a variety of metabolic processes, including digestive functions. Dogs require 20 types of amino acids.

Dogs can make 10 types of amino acids in their bodies, which are called non-essential amino acids, while they need 10 types of essential amino acids from their diet.

A good, highly digestible dog food provides these essential amino acids in the form of protein. Dogs break down this protein to gain the essential amino acids for various body functions. Let’s have a detailed look at the benefits of protein for dogs.

Muscle Development

Dog foods usually use animal-based proteins like chicken, lamb, and beef. These dog protein sources are high in isoleucine, valine, leucine, and lysine amino acids. Isoleucine is greatly helpful for healing your dog’s injured muscles. Valine is essential for tissue repair and muscle growth. Leucine and lysine are crucial for building and maintaining muscles and bones. And it may also help with luxating patella, which is common in small dogs.

Skin and Coat Health

The coat of dogs is 95% protein, and 25 to 30% of a dog’s daily protein intake is utilized by its skin and coat. The coat is composed of methionine and cystine. Methionine is an essential amino acid and can be provided through high-protein dog food.

Feeding dogs high-quality protein from chicken, lamb, and beef is important for a shiny coat and healthy skin. This is especially important for show dogs, who need high-quality dog food that is high in protein to improve their coat shine.

Immunity

Studies show that different amino acids obtained from animal protein sources are beneficial for improving the immune response in dogs. Amino acids contribute to the immune system of dogs by making antibodies and cytokines. Also, histidine amino acid is later metabolized into histamine. Histamine helps a dog’s body to respond to allergens.

Energy

Fats are the primary source of energy in dog foods. But protein also provides some energy to dogs. Protein breaks down into essential and non-essential amino acids. Some of these amino acids are responsible for producing energy. However, these are less efficient in terms of energy production than fats. A well-balanced dog food comprising high-quality dog proteins and fats is necessary to keep our furry friends energetic, happy, and healthy.

Weight Management

Proteins make your dog feel fuller for longer. Feeling full allows you to cut the extra calories from your dog’s diet, and your dog will not demand more food. This helps avoid overeating and obesity and is helpful for dogs who need to lose a few pounds.

Lee&Pol continually researches the best treat recipes for dogs by combining the nutritional benefits of dried pollock, good for all ages from puppies to senior dogs, with a freeze dried fruits and vegetables to promote your dog’s health!

How Much Protein Do Dogs Need?

Protein requirements for dogs vary depending on their age, breed, activity level, and health status. According to AAFCO (Association of American Feed Control Officials), adult dogs usually need a minimum of 18% crude protein on a dry matter basis to meet the protein requirements of their body. Puppies and pregnant or lactating dogs require a minimum of 22.5% crude protein on a dry matter basis. Senior dogs need the highest protein levels of 28% protein in dog food because they are unable to build and maintain body muscles.

If your dog’s food is AAFCO-approved, you usually don’t need to worry whether your dog is getting enough protein from commercial dog food.

AAFCO is an organization that sets the minimum standards for protein for dogs as well as other dietary nutrients for well-balanced dog food.

Ask your veterinarian about the right dog food for your pet based on its activity levels, age, size, breed, and health conditions.

Dogs with high activity levels, like huskies and border collies, require high-protein dog food to get extra energy and maintain their muscle mass. Also, large dog breeds like Cane Corsos may need high-protein food compared with smaller dog breeds. In contrast, dogs with chronic kidney disease or liver disease require low-protein dog food.

Dogs are at the fastest growing rate during their puppy stages, so puppies need a high-protein diet to meet this fastest-growing rate requirement.

What Foods are High in Protein for Dogs?

Dogs are omnivores, which means they can eat both plants and animals. Animal proteins are the most beneficial for dogs because they have more bioavailability (the fraction of a given food that the body can utilize) and contain essential amino acids. Meat is the most popular protein source used in dog food. Chicken is the ideal source of animal protein for dogs because it’s low in fat and high in essential amino acids. Let’s have a detailed look at different sources of protein for dogs.

Best Sources of Protein for Dogs

If you want to offer high protein to your dog, then you can use the following source of protein:

Fish

Fish is a highly digestible source of protein for dogs. Studies show that pollock fish is more digestible than salmon and chicken. You can use dried pollock to provide your dog with the best protein source to make him strong, healthy, and good-looking.

Moreover, dried pollock has vitamins, omega-3 fatty acids, and various minerals, while being low in fat. So, dried pollock is best protein source for dogs. Boost your dog’s protein intake with Lee&Pol’s dried pollock treats!

Chicken

The muscle mass and body organs of chicken are excellent high-protein foods for dogs. They are widely used in commercial dog foods. Chicken is one of the highly digestible dog foods that provide most of the essential amino acids. Chicken is loaded with omega-6 fatty acids. It has less fat than beef, so it’s suitable for dogs who need to lose weight. It is also filled with essential minerals, including phosphorus, potassium, pantothenic acid, and iron.

Turkey

Turkey is high in protein, low in fat, and low in calories. It’s a good option for less active dogs or overweight dogs. Just like chicken, turkey is also highly digestible and can be suitable for dogs with protein allergies.

Duck

Duck is a lean protein that is rich in flavor and easily digestible. It can be an excellent option for picky eater dogs and helps build lean muscle mass.

Lamb

Lamb is a high-protein food for dogs who need energy. It’s also rich in nutrients, vitamins, and minerals and a good source of healthy fats.

Beef

Beef is higher in fat than poultry and fish, but it’s also a protein-rich source for dog food. It’s also a common allergen.

Pork

Pork is a novel dog protein source and is considered the best protein for dogs with allergies. Novel sources of protein are those that dogs haven’t eaten because they are less available as common proteins. Pork is a high-protein and nutrient-dense red meat that is a bit expensive.

Venison

With less fat than beef and lamb, venison is an excellent novel protein source for dogs. It is helpful for dogs with allergies to common protein sources like chicken, turkey, duck, etc.

Rabbit

Rabbit is rich in vitamin B12 and is also a novel protein source. It is helpful for managing dogs’ allergies. Rabbit protein contributes to your dog’s shiny coat and healthy joints.

Eggs

Eggs are believed to have 100% digestibility. However, eggs are not able to provide all dietary nutrients alone. Therefore, you should always opt for a well-balanced dog food that has an optimum balance of protein, fats, and other nutrients. However, you can give eggs to your dog as a protein-rich treat.

Plant-Based Proteins

Plant-based protein sources are great for dogs with sensitivities or allergies to animal proteins. Dogs are omnivores, so they can eat plant protein sources as well.

However, we don’t recommend dog food with more plant-based protein sources until necessary because plant-based proteins are not highly digestible and don’t offer all essential amino acids like animal-based proteins.

Some people want to feed plant-based proteins to their dogs for moral or ethical reasons. If you do so, make sure to monitor your dog for protein deficiencies like weight loss, lethargy, and signs of illness. Plant-based proteins do not offer all essential amino acids, which are important for dogs’ health, immunity, and growth.

Here are some common plant-based protein sources used in dog foods:

• Soy
• Lentils
• Chickpeas
• Rice
• Potato
• Barley
• Oats
• Buckwheat
• Quinoa

What is the Easiest Protein for Dogs to Digest?

Animal protein is an easily digestible protein for dogs. Eggs have a digestibility of around 100%. However, feeding eggs alone is not advisable, although they can be given along with well-balanced dog food to improve your dog’s protein intake. A study shows that the digestibility of lamb meal, poultry meal, and fish meal is 71.5%, 80.2%, and 87.0%, respectively. Another study shows that digestibility coefficients are higher for pollock fillet (around 90%) than for chicken breast (around 86%).

This means that fish meal such as dried pollock is the best in terms of digestibility, followed by poultry meal and lamb. One thing to note is that plant protein sources have the least digestibility, ranging from 54% to 75%. That’s why I prefer animal protein sources for dogs over plant proteins.

Dried pollock is the perfect treat for puppies, senior dogs, or those struggling with digestive issues. At Lee&Pol, discover a variety of homemade dried pollock treats that are easy to digest and great for your dog’s health!

Symptoms of Too Much Protein in Dogs

Excess protein intake is not good for dogs and sometimes causes digestive issues.

Too much protein for dogs can also be very harmful if your dog has specific health conditions like chronic kidney disease or liver disease.

Chronic kidney disease usually goes undiagnosed, and high protein levels can put an extra burden on your dog’s kidneys. So, feeding too much protein without the advice of a veterinarian is not recommended. Always consult your veterinarian about the best dog food for your pet based on his age, breed, activity level, and health status.

Allergies to Animal Protein

Food allergies are infrequent in dogs compared with fleas or environmental allergies. According to the 2018 State of Pet Health Report from Banfield Pet Hospital, only 0.2% of dogs face food allergies. However, some dogs can have a food allergy, specifically an animal protein allergy.

Dog protein allergy means that your dog’s immune system considers some animal proteins foreign substances and initiates an immune response against them. This immune response manifests as allergy, and your dog may show symptoms like gastrointestinal distress, skin irritations, and face swelling. Studies show that the most common food allergens for dogs include beef, dairy products, chicken, wheat, and lamb.

If your dog develops a protein allergy, you should perform a food trial under the guidance of your vet. Food trials involve eliminating specific protein sources to find out the cause of the allergy. Alternatively, an IGE blood test can also be performed.

Conclusion

Protein is necessary for a shiny coat, healthy skin, muscle development, and a strong immune system. Protein also provides energy and helps maintain a healthy weight. 18% crude protein on a dry matter basis is required for adult dogs to meet the AAFCO dog protein minimum standards. Meanwhile, puppies, pregnant dogs, and lactating dogs require 22.5% of crude protein in well-balanced dog food. However, the protein requirements for senior dogs are high and could be up to or more than 28%, depending on the health status of individual cases.

Chicken, turkey, beef, lamb, and fish are the best protein sources for dogs. Studies show that fish is an easily digestible protein for dogs. Too much protein is not suitable for dogs as it can cause digestive issues, brittle bones, and worsen kidney disease.

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