Holistic Basics

Fats & Carbohydrates

Animal fats are the principal source of energy in dogs and cats, which also get some energy from carbohydrates. A way to judge if your dog is using the food you feed is the amount of stool produced. In general, stool volume should be about one-third of food ingested.

Your dog needs saturated and polyunsaturated fats to maintain good health. Saturated fat comes from animal sources, and maintains energy. Not enough can cause heart problems, growth deficits, dry skin and cell damage. Too much, and you have obesity and the chance of some cancers. Polyunsaturated fats come from vegetables. Too little polyunsaturated fat can cause coarse dry hair, improper growth, thickened areas of skin, extreme itching, scratching and more.