Digestion

Information about digestion:

The digestive system of a dog is different from that of a human, as it functions differently due to dogs' unique eating habits. Understanding these differences is crucial to providing your dog with the right nutrition and quickly noticing if something is wrong with your dog.

The Mouth

In humans, the mouth, teeth, and saliva play a crucial role in food digestion. However, in dogs, the mouth is designed for biting, chewing large pieces, and quickly consuming food. Dogs have hinged jaws and large teeth, intended for processing large pieces of meat, bone, and fatty products.

Esophagus to the Stomach

Since the mouth is not a significant part of digestion in dogs, the stomach becomes even more crucial for digesting a dog's food. The food passes through the esophagus on its way to the stomach.

Once the food reaches the dog's stomach, it is processed by high hydrochloric acid. This is important as it aids in breaking down large pieces of protein and bones that dogs may ingest. Dogs also have a natural instinct that allows them to vomit after eating poorly processed food and then re-swallow.

Stomach to the Small Intestine

After the meal is partially broken down in the stomach with the help of hydrochloric acid, it moves through the small intestine in a liquid form. This is where most of the digestion occurs, and the food is converted into nutrients that the dog needs.

Small Intestine to Large Intestine

From the small intestine, the unprocessed food moves to the large intestine. The large intestine is the final stop before waste exits the rectum in the form of feces.

Additional Information

Interestingly, dogs have the shortest digestive system among mammals, with the digestion process taking about 8-9 hours on average. Of course, digestion in puppies is much shorter as they do not yet have the digestive system of an adult dog.

Understanding your dog's digestive system is important, and it can serve as a good indicator if something is wrong or if the dog is unwell. Pay attention to your dog's eating habits and frequency of bowel movements. If your dog behaves differently, stops eating, or has irregular bowel movements, there may be an issue, and a visit to the veterinarian is recommended.

While most dogs, like humans, may experience flatulence, an unusually unpleasant odor is often an indication of poor nutrition. This can lead to other problems, so make sure your dog is receiving the right nutrients.

Zoolac probiotics stabilize digestion and balance the intestinal flora.

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Image source: MSD