Crude protein in dog food meaning and evaluation
The maximum amount of crude protein in dog food for pups is 22%, and for adults, it is 18%, which is sufficient for healthy canine growth. Let’s discover more!
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Table of Contents
Written By: Ethan Anderson
Team My Dog Cravings
Disclaimer By The Author:
I am not a veterinarian doctor; I am just a pet parent responsible for more serious issues regarding your dog's health. It would help to visit a doctor and thoroughly research before choosing any food product.
Pet parents are always highly curious about their furry fellow’s nutrition source and nutrients intake. So, looking at the list of macronutrients and nutritional content on dog food labels, it is very difficult to judge how much crude protein is in dog food. Proteins are obtained from different plant-based or animal protein sources. Therefore, each protein in the diet has its own bio-digestibility and bioavailability.
Moreover, the estimated and actual value of protein content may vary greatly due to the water content in dog food. Crude protein is the amount of nitrogen mineral that builds muscle and plays an important role in the shiny texture of hair and fur.
No more worries. Let’s have detailed insight into all the info related to dog food with crude protein.
Do you know?
The crude protein in dog food is measured by multiplying nitrogen mineral concentration with 6.25.
What does crude protein in dog food mean?
It is vital to know what crude protein means in dog food. Actually, the concentration of nitrogen minerals within the dog food dry matter is called crude protein. Nitrogen is a major element of protein that is broken down in your dog’s digestive tract to provide essential amino acids, help maintain your dog’s optimal body balance, and build muscle or cartilage.
According to research, the protein requirement in pups is around 22 % because the muscles are growing inside the puppies bodies, which means they need more protein. In adult dogs, this percentage is 18% because high protein can be harmful for older dogs, which can lead to kidney and liver diseases.
Recommended crude protein in dog food with factors affecting
Knowing the exact percentage of crude protein helps pouch parents to select an ideal diet for canines. Because, according to AAFCO, which monitors all pet foods, every dog food manufacturer should maintain low crude fat and low crude protein values. Too much or too little protein is NOT good for a dog’s health and physical development.
Therefore, all foods that meet the AAFCO’s Nutritional Food guidelines contain the exact amount of protein.
NOTE: Remember that !The amount of crude protein depends on many other factors, such as the dog’s food water content, dog activity level, and protein digestibility. All these things can change the amount of protein, so it won’t be easy to estimate.
Sources of Crude Protein:
The crude protein may be plant-based or animal-based, depending on the type of food. Vegan diets for dogs contain high antioxidants and are plant-extracted to prevent canines from meat allergies . On the other hand, the athletic diets for pouches contain animal-based crude protein.
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Moreover, there are a few sources of Crude protein in dog food :1
Animal-based
| Plant-based
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Note:
Gluten, fish, dairy, and egg crude protein sources are highly digestible, while peas and lamb meat are little digestible.
Factors to consider for crude protein estimation:
It is important to keep in mind how much crude protein your pal needs because it varies between different dog breed sizes and ages. The following factors can help you select the exact quantity of crude protein diet food for your canine and ensure physical and mental development.
Age of furry fellow:
- As puppies are growing creatures, they need a diet enriched with 22.5% crude protein to maintain healthy muscle growth and immune functioning.
- An adult pal needs an optimal protein level of 17-18%, which is high digestibility and promotes body balance.
Activity level:
Canines with athletic routines need higher-protein diets ( 90 g crude protein, 60 g crude fat, and 25 g carb per 1000 kcal) to rebuild their lost muscles during exercise compared to lazy canines.
Body weight:
Obese dogs, with 10 kg more weight than standard dogs, need a more crude protein diet to feel fuller and lose weight compared to slim canines.
Food allergies:
Dogs suffering from a specific meat-source protein allergy need a vet-recommended special single-protein formula diet. Also, many diseases, including Protein-losing enteropathy (PLE) caused by low animal protein content and kidney disease caused by high crude protein content.
Conclusions:
Lastly, Estimating the crude protein concentration in your dog’s food is very difficult. Because the amount of protein depends on many factors such as water content, bioavailability, and bio-digestibility, pet owners always use food that follows the AFCO guidelines or is suggested by a veterinary doctor because e such a diet will still have a proportional protein count. Try to go with Dog food with crude protein that contains no fillers and preservatives. Visit our website for more information.
Recommended wet dog food recipe:
Research By: Brian Mitchell
Team My Dog Cravings
