Q&A on Prebiotic Health with the Pet Expert

Let’s examine some basic questions that people ask about ingredients in pet food:

Q. Does a dog’s digestive tract have anything to do with their immune system?

A. Yes, almost 70% of your dog’s immune system is found in the digestive tract.

  a. The key function of the digestive tract is the absorption of nutrients.
  b. What the dog or cat eats is processed through the digestive tract; during this process, the
     digestive tract acts as a guardian for the rest of their body.

Q.  What are the benefits of Prebiotics?

A.  Prebiotics are unique among food ingredients in their ability to positively impact a dog and cat’s defenses. Prebiotics are non-digestible food ingredients that are broken down by bacteria that already live in the intestinal tract.

a.   Prebiotics help feed the good bacteria which can help reduce the bad bacteria in the stomach 
b.   P&G Pet Care is one of the first to use both prebiotics and probiotics as an aid to the natural defense systems of the dog and cat. Just as we pioneered the use of fermentable fibers to promote gastrointestinal health with patented ingredients in 1994 and 1997.

The foundational principle that is used by P&G Pet Care for the formulation of food for dogs and cats is to formulate and produce pet food that contains high quality ingredients proven through years of nutritional research to be beneficial to the animal.   We utilize the collective brainpower of over 1000 PhD researchers to ensure that the food we produce not only sustains a pet’s life, but more importantly, helps make their lives long and healthy.   For over 50 years, our nutritional research on Eukanuba and Iams products has been enhancing pet health and well being in dogs and cats around the world.

The key nutritional foundation of all our Eukanuba and Iams products is based on 4 pillars:  Protein, Fat, Fiber and Carbohydrates.  These four pillars are commonly called the Four Corners of a square meal for a dog and cat.  The nutritional benefits of the four pillars are as follows:

a. Protein – Critical building block of the body which helps provide structure for hair, skin, muscles, tendons, ligaments and cartilage
b. Fat – source of sustained energy and structure component of cells in the body
c. Carbohydrate Starch – provides instant or quick energy
d. Fiber – helps to regulate the absorption of nutrients (even water) from the intestine as food passes through, although not digested

It is important to realize that dogs and cats are not “little people in fur coats”; to assume that what is good for us nutritionally is also good for them, is a dangerous way to make nutritional decisions that can affect a pet’s entire health and well-being.   For over 50 years, our nutritional research on Eukanuba and Iams products has been enhancing pet health and well being in dogs and cats around the world.