How Does Your Pet’s Digestive System Work?

We often treat our pets as members of our family, but understanding their digestive system is necessary to understand what kind of food is right for them and when to give it because a lot of what happens with the dog’s health comes down to its gut. The dog’s digestive system can be looked at as a line from its mouth to the anus. Dog’s teeth have evolved as per the kind of food they naturally sought out and ate, which is also why they have canines to tear and swallow the food. Post this, the food gets to the stomach, which is where the digestion actually begins with the secretion of enzymes and acid needed to break down the food. Once the food has been sufficiently broken down, the mushy food now goes to the small intestine, where nutrients are absorbed by the dog’s body, leaving the waste to be disposed of through the large intestine. Once the waste passes through the large intestine, it is then stored in the rectum till enough pressure builds for the dog to defecate and for the waste to exit the body. This entire process takes about 6-9 hours but depends on several things like digestibility of the food, age of the dog, breed, level of hydration, health condition, type of food etc. 

Digestibility of food refers to the percentage amount that gets absorbed by the dog’s body. For example, a food item with a digestibility of 80% would mean that 20% of the food is being excreted as waste while the rest is being absorbed. Different foods, especially different kinds of meat, have different digestibility. Store-bought food generally has a pretty good absorption percentage since they already contain the required nutrients. However, the same may not be true for homemade foods. This is where pet supplements like Natgut come into play. Healthy dog treats and pet supplements are vital. While they in no way substitute a healthy meal, there are plenty of benefits to giving your pets these supplements. Natgut tablets are digestive supplements for cats and dogs that help in maintaining a healthy gut and are perfectly safe for long term use. Natgut contains natural ingredients like pomegranate, prebiotics and natural soluble fibre that makes it the perfect cat and dog supplement. These tablets have been formulated to help with dietary problems, diarrhoea (when used in the long term), indigestion issues, loose stools, gastroenteritis, reducing foul odour from stools and general gut health. Natgut is safe to use for all breeds of dogs, cats and kittens, although the dosage differs and can be referred to on our bottles and our website as well. To learn more about such healthy dog treats, read about Natgut or buy other products, visit our website here.