Are you a pet parent who's still concerned about feeding your furry friend dog food that contains pulses, because of all the hearsay and speculations? If so, worry no more because a groundbreaking study published in The Journal of Nutrition has just been released, and it should put your mind at ease. The study, which was conducted by researchers from the University of Guelph, looked at the effects of including up to 45% whole dietary pulse ingredients in grain-free dog food on the cardiac function, plasma sulfur amino acid concentrations, body composition, and hematological and biochemical indices of 28 healthy adult Siberian Huskies.
Over the course of 20 weeks, the dogs were fed one of four diets that contained different levels of pulse ingredients, ranging from 0% to 45%. The diets were all equivalent in terms of micronutrient supplementation, but pea starch was used to balance the protein and energy levels of the diets. The researchers wanted to see if increased dietary pulse consumption would have any negative effects on the dogs' health.
At the end of the study, the researchers found that there was no difference in the cardiac function of the dogs, regardless of which diet they were fed. They also found that all of the dogs had similar SAA status, body composition, hematological and biochemical indices, regardless of diet. In other words, the inclusion of high levels of whole dietary pulse ingredients did not have any negative effects on the health of the dogs!
People who have been combating misunderstandings about the safety and health of pulses in dog food can take comfort in this positive development. The levels of pulse ingredients used in the study reflect those found in current commercial dog foods, according to Pawanpreet Singh, the study's lead author and a University of Guelph Ph.D. in animal biosciences.
Singh emphasized that the researchers wanted to keep all aspects of the diets the same, except for the amount of pulse ingredients, so that any changes they saw in the dogs' cardiac function could be attributed to the differing amounts of pulses and not nutrient intake. The study's findings reinforce the idea that pulses are a dependable protein alternative for dogs, and that they do not have adverse cardiac effects in healthy adult dogs when incorporated at concentrations as high as 45% in diets that exceed AAFCO requirements.
Of course, it's important to remember that singular ingredients will not provide every nutrient required to maintain health. It's crucial to focus on comprehensive diet formulations that can satisfy nutritional requirements. Dogs, like humans, need a mixture of ingredients to achieve all necessary macronutrient and micronutrient needs.
If you're interested in feeding your dog a nutritionally sound plant-based diet, it's important to consult with a professional who specializes in this area. As a pioneer in Indian plant-based dog nutrition, we can provide you with the peace of mind that with Freshwoof you can provide the correct plant-based diet geared specifically for your dog's nutritional needs with none of the nasties.
