Digestive process in dogs – No Manchurian for your munchkin please !!

As pet parents if you are wondering about the digestive system of your pet, then this is the perfect place to find all the answers. The foremost point to keep in mind is that your pet’s digestive system is different from that of humans and that’s why the food you should give them should also be different. The human intestinal tract is a lot longer than a dog’s. Therefore the human body has more time to absorb nutrients from more complex foods such as plant and grain based foods. The digestive tract in dogs is a lot smaller.

Dogs have a mono-gastric digestive system that comprises of mouth, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, and large intestine. All these primary organs get support from salivary glands, pancreas, gallbladder, and liver to breakdown food into smaller particles so that it is easy to digest.

– Mouth and esophagus

The digestive process starts in the mouth where food is broken into smaller pieces by teeth. The salivary glands secrete saliva which lubricates the food. There are certain enzymes that are not found in dog’s saliva which means that they cannot eat all the foods that we humans can consume. The cardiac sphincter, which is located at the base of the stomach, relaxes to allow the food to enter from the esophagus. It immediately closes to prevent the acidic contents of the stomach from backing up into the lower esophagus.

– Stomach

The stomach produces various gastric juices and each of them has a specific role in digestion. The main gastric juices produced are– hydrochloric acid, pepsinogen (inactive form of pepsin enzyme), and the enzyme gastric lipase that help with digestion of food. Hydrochloric acid along with pepsinogen aids in breaking down protein into smaller particles. The enzyme gastric lipase plays a pivotal role in digestion of fats in the body.

– Small intestine

Digestion and absorption of nutrients primarily occurs in the small intestine for dogs. Various enzymes are secreted by the pancreas and the walls of small intestine for digestion of carbohydrates, fats, and protein. Duodenum (the section of small intestine closest to the stomach is responsible for digestion), while jejunum (the middle section of small intestine) and ileum (the terminal section of small intestine) are mainly responsible for absorption of nutrients.

Bile is stored in the gallbladder and is secreted by the liver. It emulsifies fats for better digestion.

– Large intestine

The food from the small intestine then enters the large intestine. Large intestine comprises of cecum, colon, and rectum and is responsible for bacterial digestion of digestive fiber and absorption of water and minerals in the body. Upon complete absorption, feces passes through the rectum and is excreted through the anal canal.

Like humans, dogs need the right nutrition to maintain their health. You can also get in touch with your vet to know about your pet’s dietary requirements based on their life stage, health, and age.

We have created a range of healthy grain free and gluten free  biscuits which are high in dietary fiber ( more than 12%) and great for your dogs digestive health