Although the FEDIAF[1] doesn’t (yet) recognise fibre as an essential nutrient for dogs, studies have shown that the use of fibre in the canine diet can provide benefits[2]. Dietary fibre has been established as nutritionally important in humans and is believed to reduce gut diseases such as IBD and type II diabetes. Evidence is emerging that dietary fibres and short-chain fatty acids are extremely beneficial for the host[3].

Apparently, modern humans would have problems tolerating the high doses of fibre that our ancestors consumed (over 100 g per day compared with current dietary recommendations of around 30 g a day) and would suffer from side effects such as flatulence, bloating and constipation – to name but a few[4]. And dogs would suffer the same symptoms if fed an excess of fibre. In fact, although dietary fibre is recognised to have an impact on gut health, the ideal amount for dogs has yet to be determined.

That said…

“Fibre” isn’t a single molecule but a mixture of compounds of varying chemical composition. Dietary fibre is defined as “edible carbohydrate polymers with three or more monomeric units, including non-starch polysaccharides, oligosaccharides and resistant starch” (Valdes et al., 2018[5]; Cronin et al., 2021)[6].

The benefits of fibre in the canine diet

There is clear evidence of links between fibre intake and the composition of gut microbiota, which is crucial to so many aspects of canine and human health. Focusing on canine studies:

  • Immune function to even neural function and behaviour (in what is known as the microbiota/gut/brain axis[7]);
  • Dietary fibre “aids in the management of canine gastrointestinal disease”[8];
  • Alters the bile acid profile and excretion in overweight dogs[9];
  • Improves faecal quality in dogs[10];
  • Dietary fibre can impact microbiota composition and functionality; and increase genes relating to metabolism and synthesis of nutrients;
  • Polyphenol supplements have been proposed for use in acute diarrhoea in dogs because of their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and “microbiota-sculpting” properties[11].

The inclusion of fibre is an enormous challenge for the pet food industry and is still the subject of research. Although we know that gut health is important and that dietary fibre variations can impact composition and function of the canine gut[12], the optimum properties of fibre in the context of fermentability are still being studied[13].

Not all fibres are equal

A comparison of the impact on adult dogs of fibre sourced from cereals and fruits demonstrated that although both had an impact on digestive function and intestine fermentation, they had a different footprint[14].

Therefore, potential beneficial effects can be attributed to a wide spectrum of fibres, each with different functional properties. Fruit fibres, for example, can have beneficial effects in addition to their impact on fermentation; oats are a good source of phytochemicals and soluble fibre[15] (although not everything relies on solubility, it is a good guideline[16]).

The takeaway

In summary, fibre supports a healthy gut microbiome in dogs by providing essential nutrients and promoting beneficial bacterial growth. This leads to numerous health benefits, including better digestion and nutrient absorption, enhanced immune function, and improved overall well-being.

Variety is the spice of life: it’s not just the level of dietary fibre that is important in the design of healthy diets for dogs, but also the selection of ingredients.

So, where can we look for fibre in natural sources?

Below is a (non-exhaustive) list of dog-friendly sources of fibre:

Vegetables
Broccoli, carrots, Brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes, spinach, cauliflower, pumpkin, kale, green beans, swede, kohlrabi, turnip, Jerusalem artichokes
Fruits
Apples, bananas, blueberries
Grains
Quinoa, freekeh, barley, oats, buckwheat, psyllium
Seeds
Flaxseed, wheat germ, chia seeds
Legumes
Lentils, chickpeas, black beans, butter beans, edamame beans, ground pumpkin seeds, split peas.

And don’t forget that sprouting can increase the bioavailability of fibre in most seeds!

References:

[1] FEDIAF. Nutritional Guidelines from Complete and Complementary Pet Food for Cats and Dogs; FEDIAF: Bruxelles, Belgium, 2021.
[2] de Godoy, M.R.C.; Kerr, K.R.; Fahey, G.C., Jr. Alternative dietary fiber sources in companion animal nutrition. Nutrients 2013, 5, 3099–3117.
[3] Cronin P, Joyce SA, O’Toole PW, O’Connor EM. Dietary Fibre Modulates the Gut Microbiota. Nutrients. 2021 May 13;13(5):1655. doi: 10.3390/nu13051655. PMID: 34068353; PMCID: PMC8153313.
[4] H.A. Grabitske, J.L. Slavin Gastrointestinal effects of low-digestible carbohydrates Crit. Rev. Food Sci. Nutr., 49 (2009), pp. 327-360
[5] Valdes A M, Walter J, Segal E, Spector T D. Role of the gut microbiota in nutrition and health BMJ 2018; 361 :k2179 doi:10.1136/bmj.k2179
[6] Cronin P, Joyce SA, O’Toole PW, O’Connor EM. Dietary Fibre Modulates the Gut Microbiota. Nutrients. 2021 May 13;13(5):1655. doi: 10.3390/nu13051655. PMID: 34068353; PMCID: PMC8153313.
[7] N. C. Wiley, T. G. Dinan, R. P. Ross, C. Stanton, G. Clarke, J. F. Cryan, The microbiota-gut-brain axis as a key regulator of neural function and the stress response: Implications for human and animal health,, Journal of Animal Science, Volume 95, Issue 7, July 2017, Pages 3225–3246, https://doi.org/10.2527/jas.2016.1256
[8] Moreno AA, Parker VJ, Winston JA, Rudinsky AJ. Dietary fiber aids in the management of canine and feline gastrointestinal disease. J Am Vet Med Assoc. 2022 Oct 26;260(S3):S33-S45. doi: 10.2460/javma.22.08.0351. PMID: 36288203.
[9] Alexander C., Cross T.W.L., Devendran S., Neumer F., Theis S., Ridlon J.M., Suchodolski J.S., de Godoy M.R.C., Swanson K.S. Effects of Prebiotic Inulin-Type Fructans on Blood Metabolite and Hormone Concentrations and Faecal Microbiota and Metabolites in Overweight Dogs. Br. J. Nutr. 2018;120:711–720. doi: 10.1017/S0007114518001952.
[10] Wichert B., Schuster S., Hofmann M., Dobenecker B., Kienzle E. Influence of Different Cellulose Types on Feces Quality of Dogs. J. Nutr. 2002;132:1728S–1729S. doi: 10.1093/jn/132.6.1728S.
[11] Candellone A, Cerquetella M, Girolami F, Badino P, Odore R. Acute diarrhea in dogs: current management and potential role of dietary polyphenols supplementation. Antioxidants. (2020) 9:725. 10.3390/antiox9080725
[12] Middelbos IS, Vester Boler BM, Qu A, White BA, Swanson KS, Fahey GC Jr. Phylogenetic characterization of fecal microbial communities of dogs fed diets with or without supplemental dietary fiber using 454 pyrosequencing. PLoS ONE. (2010) 5:e9768. 10.1371/journal.pone.0009768
[13] Pilla R, Suchodolski JS. The role of the canine gut microbiome and metabolome in health and gastrointestinal disease. Front Vet Sci. (2019) 6:498. 10.3389/fvets.2019.00498
[14] Montserrat-Malagarriga M, Castillejos L, Salas-Mani A, Torre C, Martín-Orúe SM. The Impact of Fiber Source on Digestive Function, Fecal Microbiota, and Immune Response in Adult Dogs. Animals (Basel). 2024 Jan 7;14(2):196. doi: 10.3390/ani14020196. PMID: 38254365; PMCID: PMC10812474.
[15] Ferreira L.G., Endrighi M., Lisenko K.G., Duarte de Oliveira M.R., Damasceno M.R., Claudino J.A., Gutierres P.G., Peconick A.P., Saad F.M.d.O.B., Zangeronimo M.G. Oat beta-glucan as a dietary supplement for dogs. PLoS ONE. 2018;13:e0201133. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0201133
[16] Slavin J. Fiber and Prebiotics: Mechanisms and Health Benefits. Nutrients. 2013;5:1417–1435. doi: 10.3390/nu5041417.

Important Considerations:

  • Always consult your veterinarian before making any significant dietary changes, particularly where there are pre-existing health conditions or dietary restrictions.
  • As some commercial foods contain fibre as an ingredient, check the label to see whether it’s in your dog’s food before giving more. Excessive intake of any foods can have adverse effects.
  • Ensure (where possible) that you use high-quality, organic products specifically formulated for pets (or better still, human grade ingredients) to avoid any potential adverse effects.
  • Introduce new foods gradually to avoid adverse effects such as gastrointestinal upset or diarrhoea.
  • I provide nutritional information purely as a helpful guide. Nutritional information on ingredients is obtained from the US Department of Agriculture’s FoodData Central site (https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/index.html) and any nutritional information provided in recipes is based on an online calculator: calories and other information will vary based on brands, ingredients and other factors.
  • Check nutrient levels and recommendations for your dog’s weight, age and activity. For example this nutritional guideline produced by FEDIAF.

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