The protein requirement of the adult dog is lower than that of the growing dog. This needs to build enough protein to his body protein, as protein primarily to build up endogenous protein is needed. Protein is one of the buildings of the cells, blood, muscle or organ cells. The somatic cells are located in a permanent Setup and breakdown, therefore it is important that adequate protein is provided by the food available. Although also amino acids are used, which are free in the dismantling of old cells, but they are not sufficient. Also, you must keep in mind that fats and carbohydrates will be supplied to the body not to low energy, because otherwise the protein not to build up the cells, but as a source of energy is used and therefore missing in the building.

Amino acids

Here, not only the amount plays a role, but also the quality and composition of amino acids. A quality score is the usability in their digestibility. What does us if we feed our dog much protein and he unverwertet passes it? An example anyone? Bones for example have only 33% utilizable protein, whereas fresh meat contains 98% utilizable protein. It is necessary not only on the content of eighth, but also how much can utilize our four-legged friends from it.

Protein requirements of the dog

Minimum requirement is high quality protein in the diet of the full-grown dog at an average 5 percent of the total amount of energy in food. So about 2 to 2, 5 g of protein per kilogram of body weight. The minimum requirement is the growing four-legged friends up to 11.5 per cent, because he needs to build so much body substance.

Special services increase the protein requirement of our dog, these include illness or Rekonvalenz, especially in pregnancy and lactation. The protein requirement of the dog is not improving but through work and sports, how often to read, but then it would be important to give more fat or carbohydrates, because they serve as an energy supplier.

Task of the protein

Protein is, however, not, as often assumed, required first and foremost to energy production, but is rather important for maintaining and building the body substance: to build tissue and body fluids, such as fur, claws, skin and organs. We lead to insufficient energy in the form of fat and carbohydrates, the body pulls the protein from the building unfortunately and is missing so the body. Proteins are composed of 16% nitrogen, which is used to produce endogenous amino acids in the liver. It is called sometimes the fact that the protein requirement represents a need for amino acids plus nitrogen.

Animal protein

Animal protein for our dog usually of greater nutritional value, but also high-quality vegetable protein is digestible for him. Depending on quality, the less we need to feed them, also the degradation of high-quality protein not so burdened the metabolism. Also how high the fat content, affects the protein requirement: the higher the fat content, the more protein, otherwise no nitrogen balance may occur. This is also important if we have to provide a sick or elderly dog.

What kind of meat is best?

One can say that actually so easy not always something is either too much or too little, when we feed on one side? I.e. only a particular meat variety, for example: only lean beef: uih, fine, beautiful expensive and very well used, but do not have enough fat and thus not enough essential fatty acids and also the Calium - phosphorus - ratio is not ok? So the safest way is a mix of different types of meat, so you reach a good balance. You should please note: never raw pork, because of the risk of transmission of the Aujeszkyschen disease (= deadly viral infection). If you want to boil the meat for safety, you can feed with the broth, so the nutrient loss is low. Muscle meat, head meat, poultry, ground beef, beef heart and liver are suitable (with the last two not particularly be given should, because they include the giblets and liver can contain many degradation substances e.g. as detoxification organ).

Milk and milk products

Milk contains all necessary amino acids in ideal composition. Unfortunately many but not very well tolerated they our adult dogs, because it contains also a high percentage of milk sugar. Many adult dogs is missing the corresponding enzymes in order to split the milk sugar, thus this is decomposed only in the colon by bacteria, which then leads to diarrhea. Quark, however, can be given very well, because the lactose to lactic acid is converted and all dogs can handle this very well. In principle, you can use all acidified milk products if the dog can withstand them. There are dogs that have no problems with the digestion of milk or milk products also in adulthood but also lots, this is really varies from dog to dog and therefore one can not in principle claim milk is not compatible for the adult dog. You must try this out because time, if you want to use milk feeding. Apparently it's that when the dog always got milk from small to be fed, he quite the enzyme (= lactase) further produced what he to the breakdown of milk sugar (= lactose) needs.

Eggs

We provide raw egg yolk readily, however, the egg white is better always cooked. In the egg white, avidin is futile (= a glycoprotein: a complex of protein and carbohydrates) contain, which inhibits the absorption of biotin because it binds this in itself and therefore is not usable for the organism. The avidin is destroyed by cooking. There are also opinions, that is in the yolk so much biotin in there, still enough is left, what the dog can still exploit, if you want to feed the dog a whole raw egg. The feeding of the egg shell, we have also is a supplier of calcium.

Fish

Fish can be cooked or raw fed. Pacific - salmon should be avoided because it can be vectors of rickettsia (intermediate type of viruses and bacteria). For our dog all freshwater fish are e.g. eel, trout, salmon, carp, etc tolerated also we humans get along, so There are opinions that freshwater fish should be cooked better, because they contain an enzyme (Thiaminase), which vitamin B1 in your body can break down. The Thiaminase is made harmless by cooking, but also the vitamins are lost. Can be very good raw saltwater fish, however. You need fear because the bones with fresh fish not to have the bones in young fish are still very flexible and soft and not harm our dog. The salt water fish for example include saithe, cod, haddock, plaice, etc.

Vegetable protein carrier

Ideally a mix of 2/3 animal protein and 1/3 vegetable protein is. Soy protein is suitable very well here, because it is one of the high-quality plant. However, soy is often genetically modified, and is often one of the allergenic potential, so also here once test whether your dog can withstand it. It's a cheaper than animal protein and also it is better digestible for our dog, if he gets a mixture of the two, as so not too many toxins are formed, and so that the metabolism will be charged too much.

Causes of protein deficiency

For one if we set too feed protein ;-), but also even sufficient protein intake's can cause a protein deficiency, if certain other food ingredients are missing, e.g. then draws too little fat or carbohydrates, the body the protein energy used, and not to the structure of body substance. The dismantling of this protein is then to degradation products, which must put additional strain on the body and be detoxified. Other causes can be: diseases that bring an increased protein requirement with some dogs can properly digest the protein or to take just do not have enough food.
There are also often a deficiency of protein during the gestation and lactation, therefore you should feed quite special enough the mother dog at this time, to avoid subsequent damage of also the puppies.

What happens when a protein deficiency

Protein deficiency manifests itself in bad fur, skin infections, infectious diseases, diarrhoea and parasitic infestation because of the general condition of our dog altogether. With puppies you realize it usually it, that they are slow and without any temperament. Also shows a reduced growth in young dogs. The older dog, however, reveals a significant reduction of performance, he seems sluggish and apathetic. Females are usually not enough milk.

What happens when an excess of protein

We feed our dog too much protein the body converts this into fat and stores it in the repository. In addition, the excess nitrogen, which comes from the then non-essential amino acids, is converted in the liver in ammonia. This ammonia is in turn converted into urea and excreted by the kidney. As a result the kidney will be charged more with toxic degradation products, which can cause problems in a dog with kidney damage. Here it is particularly important on the quality of the protein source as higher quality protein too much load the Stoffwechesel and hence the degradation. Itching can be another sign of an overdose, this can be but also due to the type of protein source and must not necessarily be the amount of the protein. There are also dogs that react to too much protein in the diet with hyperactivity, whereby here again insisting come whether this constitutes the kind of protein, quantity, but also other causes has ;-)