Dedicated research and innovation have provided several new avenues toward ensuring the digestive stability and security of your dog. Health nutrition is the application of this research and the art of formulation to present you with the optimal diet for your dog’s needs. To maintain the health of the intestinal tract, stimulate immunity and maximize the nutritional value of dog foods, several special ingredients have been introduced.

Among those special ingredients are dietary substances called prebiotics, which get their name from their ability to stimulate beneficial flora within the intes­tinal tract. One such prebiotic is fructo-oligosaccharides, or FOS. FOS is a non-digestible fiber that is fermented by intestinal bacteria. It is used to support the healthy intestinal bacteria, enhance intestinal immunity and improve overall digestive health. FOS encourages the growth of this beneficial bacteria such as bifidobacteria and lactobacillus, while at the same time deter­ring the growth of pathogenic bacteria such as Salmonella and E.coli. It directly provides nourishment for the intestinal cells, improving digestion and absorption of nutrients. In nursing bitches, FOS also increases immunoglobulin M (IgM) in the milk, which promotes healthy immunity in the puppies.

Another prebiotic is manno-oligosaccharides, or MOS. MOS is a type of fiber found in brewer’s yeast extract. By competing with pathogenic bacteria for binding sites on the intestinal wall, MOS prevents the attachment and subsequent damage to the intestinal wall by these bacteria. This action can stimulate local immunity in the digestive tract and the activity of immuno­globulin A (IgA), one type of antibody.

Prebiotics aren’t the only special ingredient found to have a positive impact on digestive health. Beet pulp, for example, is a partially fermentable fiber that also benefits the mucosal barrier in the intestinal tract by stimulating the growth of the “good” bacteria lactobacillus and bifidobacteria. These fermentation products are short-chained fatty acids, which directly provide fuel for the large intestine cells.

Sodium silico aluminate, also known as Zeolite, is also known to support healthy digestion. Zeolite is natural mineral salt that is highly porous and is capable of absorbing 50% of its volume in water. It acts to prevent and to treat diarrhea by absorbing a surplus of water and binding toxins and by pro­tectively covering the surface of the intestinal mucosa. One of Zeolite’s benefits that is particularly important to breeders is enhanced absorption of calcium from the diet, which will help breeding females maintain their skeletal health. For that reason, this ingredient is an important component in large and giant breed formulations.