The Chemistry of a Dog

by Janet Angel, PhD

Unlike humans, dogs have more of a challenge in breaking down certain kinds of foods that require mastication. The jaws of a dog do not allow for grinding action, or side-to-side movement like the human jaw does so breaking foods down into smaller sizes is more difficult. Foods such as dried dog foods or grains require more chewing and grinding to pulverize. And, although grains were never meant to be part of a dog's regular diet it is often the biggest component in many dog food lines.

In human biochemistry and nutrition we know that people who have lost a number of teeth often develop health issues because the mixing of saliva with our food is extremely important to complete breakdown. The longer we chew, the better our digestion is because saliva contains enzymes that help the breakdown of foods before they make their way to the stomach.

Contrary to humans, a dog's saliva does not contain enzymes!  Saliva in a dog may act solely as a lubricant for swallowing and to moisten food before it reaches the stomach. Most certainly it does not aid digestion at all in a dog. How do I know this to be true? Well, I've read some very interesting books and performed some biochemical tests on over 17,000 human beings, as well as some animals over the years.

My findings were not unique. If you would collect about 1/4 cup of saliva from a human being in a cup, you would see that it is capable of fully dissolving a piece of apple, pear, banana or other simple fruit usually within 24 hours. Even pieces of meat will begin to transform into a gooey mixture after 48 hours, not breaking down completely, but beginning to change into a more manageable form that is softer.

Now if you were to place the same amount of dog saliva into a cup and added an apple and a piece of meat you would find that both food forms would not change one single bit! What does that tell me? It tells me that nature provides well, but human beings mess things up even for their animals. It seems that we will feed our dogs some kibble (dried dog food) because it is convenient and makes a dog's stool easier to pick up and disintegrate.

Most of the enzymes produced in a dog's body are produced by its pancreas and become available in the small intestine, but others are produced by small glands present in the stomach wall itself. The enzymes produced in a dog's body is much more acidic than in a human body. Dogs generally require stronger enzymes because they do not have enzymes present in their saliva. The enzymes produced are also stronger because their stomachs must work harder to breakdown larger pieces of food.

So why do animals have gas and bowel problems, skin problems, allergies, aches, pains, and other digestive upsets? Because we have introduced modern technology that has removed the live enzymes normally present in a dog's original diet. You see, foods in nature contain the enzymes necessary to breakdown all of their own particles. But as soon as they are heated or processed they lose these enzymes. Dogs need enzymes in order to get all of the nutrients they need for a healthy body.

How do you know if your dog might be malnourished or lacking enzymes? Here are some possible indicators: Your dog may eat feces, is lethargic, has itchy skin, heat spots, stool problems, allergies, is overweight or underweight, has fragile bones, joint problems, or other conditions.

What can be done to help improve digestion for your pet?

Add RITEZYME Canine Formula to your dog's daily feedings. Just 1/4 teaspoon added to each cup of food is adequate to help breakdown the fats, carbohydrates, fruits, vegetables and proteins you may be feeding.

The enzymes present in the proprietary RITEZYME Formula will help to hydrolyze triglycerides found in fats: starches present in carbohydrates; proteins found in such foods as beef, chicken, fish, turkey, duck, veal, eggs, and lamb; and cellulose found in vegetables and fruits.

RITEZYME is the perfect complement to every dog's diet. RITEZYME will ensure that your pet is getting more nutrients from the foods it is eating. To help maintain a higher level of wellness purchase RITEZYME Canine Formula today!

Call Natural Nutrients today at 1-847-464-5505 and get RITEZYME Canine Digestive Formula for your dog!