I often hear that potatoes are toxic to dogs. But then how is it possible, that they are often a part of high-quality dog food? Are they harmful, suitable or even beneficial for dogs?
Many people believe that potatoes are harmful to dogs, but not all potatoes are alike! Only raw unpeeled potatoes are toxic because of the solanine they contain in their raw state. Not even boiled potatoes are entirely suitable for dogs, as they digest potato starch poorly and they could cause intestinal problems in large quantities.
So why do potatoes appear in high-quality dog food? The key is the way in which they are processed - extrusion (simplified processing at high temperature and pressure). This radically reduces the content of antinutrients and natural toxins. This means that the dog only gets the valuable and highly digestible components from the potatoes.
The digestibility of starches after extrusion is even similar to the digestibility of animal proteins. In addition, potato starch crystals perfectly clean the surface of the intestines and significantly improve the health of the digestive tract, as well as the immune system.
So what benefits do potatoes offer dogs? They particularly contain a large amount of minerals such as magnesium, potassium, iron, zinc and calcium. They are also rich in vitamin C, A, B and E. Thanks to their carbohydrate content, they are also a great source of energy.
Another advantage is that they don't cause allergies unlike grains, which dogs can't even digest. These allergies result in digestive and skin problems. Potatoes are also less caloric than grains.
Some dog food contains up to 50% of potatoes, particularly for dogs with higher energy demands. Conversely, dogs with diabetes would not be able to eat so many potatoes.
Do you have any experience with potatoes? Have you noticed a difference between potatoes and grains in your dog's diet?
Food is one of the most basic needs of dogs as well as humans. How to make sure your dog has enough necessary nutrients? And if you opt for dry food, what options are there? And what to consider when choosing?
Most of us care about the contents of the packages with dry food but have you ever thought about the packaging itself? Do you know what is used for the packaging of dry food, how different are individual materials and what innovations can you find on...
You can recognize a Burmese cat mainly because of its silky fur and beautiful, deep gloss with typical signs of a colour that is not present in any other breed. Besides its glossy fur, this breed has also a great nature which makes these cats great...
Dachshunds, from smooth-haired, wire-haired and short-haired to long-haired, are popular companions and not only in the Czech Republic but in the world as well. And they are great companions! Even though they are quite stubborn.
Cats may bite from many reasons and if you would like to make this undesirable behaviour stop, it is important to understand why they do it. The fundamental thing is to eliminate the cause but we can also help with other things.
Do you like baking and you have noone to bake for? You probably haven’t thought about your dog companion. However, you might also make some tasty and healthy goodies at home for it as well. I’ll tell you how.
Only a few per cent of loss of water may cause serious problems for your dog. However, we often don’t pay attention to its drinking and underestimate its importance. When there is a risk of dehydration, do you know how to avoid it or recognize it?
Dry food with larger proportion of meat might not only have positive effects on dogs’ organisms, when processed well, it will also make happy even the pickiest gourmets that usually don’t like dry food. Thanks to a holistic approach, you’ll keep the...
The days are getting warmer and our dogs and cat starts to shed. This has a negative impact on your household with all the hair. Have you found a way to reduce the contamination with hair at least a bit and speed up the process of shedding?...
Do you also barely resist the temptation to cuddle a dog, no matter if yours or someone else’s? It’s no surprise, a new study shows that such contact with a dog is like a drug for human brain.
There are plenty of reasons why we get flat-faced dogs. For their specific appearance, great nature, loyal love to their owner... And maybe also for their need of constant attention that makes us feel well. The flat-faced dogs are simply cute....
Brown rats, mice and hamsters as well as other rodents are quite small pets and sometimes, we don’t even think about dealing with them being overweight. However, if we like our pets and we want them to be well and stay with us as long as possible,...
