How Does the Digestive System of Dogs Work?

To understand how nutrition works in dogs, we must know their digestive system well. In today’s article, we explain how the digestive system of dogs works and what the functions of each of the organs that make it up are.

Index:

• The digestive system of dogs: organs and functions of the digestive tract
• Factors that influence the duration of the digestive process
• Nutrition in dogs: why is the digestibility of food so important?

The Digestive System of Dogs: Organs and Functions of the Digestive Tract

The digestive system of dogs is the set of organs responsible for the process of digestion, that is, the transformation of food into nutrients that the body can assimilate. The different stages of canine digestion are determined by each of the organs involved:

• The mouth. A dog’s mouth has 42 sharp, slender teeth designed to tear tougher foods. In the mouth, food is broken down and mixed with saliva to be swallowed.
• The esophagus. After swallowing, the esophagus muscles move the food toward the stomach through a wave-like motion known as peristalsis.
• The stomach. The dog’s stomach has three functions: to store food, mix it with enzymes to begin breakdown, and regulate the flow into the small intestine. After passing through the stomach, food becomes a liquid, milky mass called chyme.
• The small intestine. The small intestine has three parts: the duodenum, which connects with the liver and pancreas through the bile and pancreatic ducts; the jejunum, the longest part, covered with thousands of microvilli that absorb nutrients and remove waste; and the ileum, which connects to the large intestine.
• The pancreas. The pancreas releases digestive enzymes into the intestine: proteases, amylase, and lipase.
• The liver. Bile produced in the liver is stored in the gallbladder and passes into the intestine through the bile duct.
• The large intestine. No nutrient absorption occurs here. The walls absorb water and secrete mucus to aid transport to the rectum.
• The rectum. The residues from digestion are stored in the rectum until there is enough to be defecated.

Factors That Influence the Duration of the Digestive Process

As a general rule, a dog usually takes between 6 and 8 hours to digest food. However, several factors influence the duration of the digestive process in our furry friends:

• Breed
• Size
• Age
• Hydration
• Health condition
• Diseases, allergies, and intolerances
• Digestibility of the food

Of all these factors, the most decisive is undoubtedly the composition of the food itself. For example, wet food digests faster than dry kibble. On the other hand, the quality and digestibility of the food influence both the duration of digestion and the correct assimilation of nutrients.

Nutrition in Dogs: Why Is Digestibility of Food So Important?

Diet directly affects the functioning of the digestive system in dogs. Therefore, when evaluating the quality of food, we must consider its digestibility. Digestibility is a value that helps us measure the amount of nutrients an animal can absorb from the food it eats. A highly digestible food is one that offers more assimilable nutrients per volume of food. In other words, the more digestible the food, the higher its nutritional value and the more nutrients reach your dog’s body.

In conclusion, we can say that good dog food should provide our furry friends with proper digestion and optimal nutrient absorption. That is why, if we want to avoid problems in the digestive system of dogs, we must offer them healthy food made with natural ingredients.

At Amanova we are pet lovers, and we want your dog to have a long, healthy, and very happy life. For this reason, we use at least 50% fresh meat, and our kibble recipes are full of delicious 100% natural ingredients that make our food much healthier and tastier for your furry friend. Discover our range of easily digestible dog foods. A natural, hypoallergenic, and low-fat food for dogs with sensitive digestive systems.