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When it comes to feeding your dog, one of the biggest decisions you'll make is choosing between raw food and kibble. Both options have their pros and cons, but a key area of difference lies in the protein content, moisture levels, and essential nutrients like taurine. Let’s dive into these differences and explore why protein in Betty's raw food is often considered superior to that in kibble.
1. Protein Quality and Bioavailability
Raw Food:
In a raw diet, the protein typically comes from high-quality sources like muscle meat, organs, and bones from animals such as chicken, beef, lamb, rabbit, pork, or fish. These proteins are in their natural, unprocessed state, making them highly bioavailable, meaning your dog can easily digest and use them for growth, repair, and overall health.
Since our raw food isn't exposed to high temperatures or extensive processing, the proteins retain their natural structure and nutrient content, including all essential amino acids. This is crucial for maintaining your dog’s muscle mass, immune function, and overall vitality.
Kibble:
On the other hand, kibble usually contains a blend of protein sources, including meat meals (rendered meat products), plant proteins (such as corn gluten and soy), and sometimes lower-quality by-products. The high-heat extrusion process used to create kibble can denature these proteins, reducing their bioavailability. This means your dog may not be able to utilize these proteins as effectively as those from raw food, which can impact their health in the long term.
2. Crude Protein and Moisture Content
Raw Food: Balanced Protein with High Moisture
Betty's raw food contain an average of 18% crude protein. The key advantage here is the quality of the protein and the fact that it’s paired with a high moisture content ofo ver 73% moisture content. This high moisture level is similar to what dogs would naturally consume in the wild and is beneficial for hydration, kidney function, and digestion.
Kibble: Higher Protein Percentage, Lower Quality
Kibble often boasts a crude protein content of 20% to 30% on an "as-fed" basis, with dry matter percentages ranging from 25% to 45%. However, this protein can come from a mix of animal and plant sources, some of which are less digestible. Additionally, kibble is very low in moisture, usually containing about 2% or less water. This means dogs eating kibble need to drink more water to stay hydrated, and inadequate water intake can lead to health issues like urinary tract problems.
3. Taurine Levels and Processing Impact
Betty's Raw Food: Naturally High in Taurine
Taurine is an essential amino acid, especially for cats, but also important for dogs, as it supports heart health and vision. In raw diets, taurine is naturally abundant in animal tissues, particularly in heart and muscle meats. Since raw food isn’t subjected to high heat or extensive processing, taurine remains intact and bioavailable.
Kibble: Supplemented Due to Processing Losses
Kibble often requires taurine supplementation because the high-heat processing used to make kibble can degrade naturally occurring taurine in the ingredients. While manufacturers add taurine back into the kibble, the bioavailability might not match that of naturally occurring taurine in raw food, which can be a concern for the long-term health of your pet.
4. The Role of Amylase in Carbohydrate Digestion
One more important distinction between humans and dogs is the enzyme amylase, which plays a critical role in digesting carbohydrates. Humans produce amylase both in the saliva and pancreas, allowing us to start breaking down carbs as soon as we begin chewing.
Dogs Lack Salivary Amylase
Dogs, however, lack salivary amylase and rely solely on pancreatic amylase, which is secreted into the small intestine. This means that dogs are less efficient at digesting carbohydrates compared to humans. Their natural diet is higher in protein and fat, similar to that of their wild ancestors, and they are not as well-equipped to handle large amounts of starches and sugars. This is another reason why the quality of protein in their diet, particularly in raw food, is so important.
Conclusion: Why Raw Protein is Superior
In summary, when comparing raw food to kibble, raw diets offer higher-quality, more bioavailable protein, which is easier for dogs to digest and use. The high moisture content in raw food also supports hydration and overall health, while naturally occurring taurine levels are preserved, reducing the need for supplementation. Meanwhile, kibble, though convenient, often relies on lower-quality protein sources, with reduced bioavailability and nutrient content due to high-heat processing.
Why do vets say to feed a low protein diet
Protein in the dry or wet food is of low quality, as they rely heavily on plant-based proteins like soy. H
1. Low-Quality Protein Sources in Kibble
Plant-Based Proteins: Many dry foods and wet foods use plant-based proteins, like soy, corn gluten, and pea protein, to boost their crude protein content. While these ingredients are cheaper and help meet the protein percentage on the label, they are less biologically appropriate for dogs compared to animal-based proteins. Plant proteins often lack some essential amino acids or are less digestible, meaning the dog’s body can’t use them as effectively.
By-Products and Meat Meals: Kibble can also include lower-quality animal proteins, such as by-products (parts of the animal not typically consumed by humans) or meat meals, which are rendered products from animal tissues. These sources may vary in quality and can be harder for dogs to digest and utilize fully.
2. High Protein Diets with Low-Quality Protein
Strain on Kidneys and Liver: When dogs consume a high-protein diet made primarily from low-quality proteins, it can put additional strain on their kidneys and liver. This is because these organs have to work harder to process and eliminate the by-products of protein metabolism, especially when the protein isn't easily utilized by the body. Over time, this can potentially lead to kidney or liver issues, particularly in dogs that are already vulnerable or have pre-existing conditions.
3. The Vet’s Perspective
Low-Protein Diets: As the majority of vets do not specialize in nutrition their understanding of a low protein diet comes from representatives of dry and wet food. To minimize the potential strain on a dog's kidneys and liver, especially in older dogs or those with health issues, veterinarians may recommend a lower-protein diet. This advice is often given when the available protein is of lower quality and plant based, in this case kibbles and wet food. By reducing the overall protein intake, the dog’s organs are less burdened by the need to process large amounts of low-quality protein and plant based.
Better Options: When high-quality protein is provided (e.g., from fresh, raw, or well-balanced cooked diets), the concerns about protein levels are often less pronounced. The protein is more bioavailable, meaning the body can use it efficiently without overburdening the organs. In such cases, a higher-protein diet can be beneficial and is less likely to cause health issues.
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