Hannah Zulueta Ingredients · Fiber
What Kind of Fiber to Feed Your Dog
The same word covers very different jobs
Fiber is good for your dog’s gut and belongs in the bowl. But fiber is not one thing, and the kind that fixes diarrhea is the kind that makes constipation worse. Before the what, a little of the why.
Why it matters
Input and output, in balance
In Chinese medicine we look for balance between what goes in and what comes out. A healthy body takes in food and lets go of what it cannot use. The waste leaves. That release is the whole point of output.
When a body stops letting go of what it doesn’t need, it grows congested. We think of it as a kind of pollution. And a polluted body finds ways to show it, from something as small as itchy skin to something as serious as cancer. Fiber is one of the plainest tools we have for keeping the output side moving.
What fiber does
Seven jobs in one ingredient
Start with the dog in front of you
Match the fiber to the problem
Tap what is going on. The right fiber and the dose come up below.
Reach for soluble fiber. It holds water, adds bulk, and slows the rush.
Also goodpumpkin, banana, oats, applesauce, carrots.
You want fiber that bulks, softens, and keeps moving, and that resists fermentation so it stays intact in the bowel.
Focus on insoluble, poorly fermentable fiber. It does not dissolve, does not trap water, and barely ferments, so it will not feed the yeast.
Reach forlignins, wheat bran, cellulose, ground flaxseed.
Bulk it up and move it along.
High-viscosity fiber forms a gel, slows digestion, and helps your dog feel full, which can mean eating a little less.
Reach forpsyllium, guar gum, beta glucans.
Fermentable prebiotic fiber feeds the good bacteria and makes short-chain fatty acids that calm inflammation and crowd out the unfriendly bugs.
Reach forJerusalem artichoke, dandelion, asparagus, green banana, jicama, okra, chicory, arugula, endive.
The core split
Soluble or insoluble
It comes down to one thing: whether the fiber can dissolve in and hold water.
Dissolves in water and holds it. It bulks the stool, slows transit, and smooths the passage of food through the gut. Reach for it when the problem is diarrhea.
Found inpectins and gums, oats, psyllium, flaxseed, and the fleshy parts of fruit and vegetables, pumpkin, banana, carrot, potato.
Will not dissolve and will not hold water. It pushes waste through faster. Reach for it when the problem is constipation.
Found incellulose and lignin, wheat and corn bran, and the skins of fruit and vegetables, kale, celery, mushrooms, peas.
A second property
Viscosity, or resistance to flow
Pour water down a pipe and it races through. That is low viscosity, no resistance. Pour honey down the same pipe and it crawls. That is high viscosity.
Some fibers behave like honey. Psyllium, guar gum, and beta glucans form a gel that slows digestion and helps your dog feel full.
A third property
How fast it ferments
Tap a point on the scale.
Fructans like garlic, galactans like peas and beans, mannans, mucilages, and some pectins. A fast burst of short-chain fatty acids. Excellent for feeding good bacteria, but too much means gas, bloating, and loose stool.
Pectin, hemicellulose, and resistant starch. A middle pace, a steadier release.
Cellulose, some hemicellulose, and psyllium. Slow to break down, so it stays present in the bowel longer.
Lignan and flaxseed. It passes through intact. Useful for moving things along, and a good fit for yeasty dogs.
Keep this handy
Best foods for fiber
Tap to open each list. Feed 2 to 5% of the meal.
Best vegetables
Carrots, celery, parsley, parsnips, cilantro, brussels sprouts, cucumber, spinach, broccoli sprouts, mushrooms.
Best fruits
Apples, banana, cranberries, pears, raspberries.
Microbiome builders
Arugula, asparagus, broccoli, dandelion, endive, escarole, fermented veggies, green banana, Jerusalem artichoke, jicama, okra, radicchio.
Bulk without fermentation
Ground flaxseed, up to 1/2 tsp for every 20 lb, with care not to overdo it. Animal fur and feathers, rabbit pelt or ears, lamb ears, cow ears, pheasant, a piece no bigger than your dog’s paw. (Sourcing is critical. Only feed from brands you trust. The risk of external pathogens is real when you buy from brands that have a bad track record or unclean sourcing. These ingredients are not critical and only an option for those that are open to feeding it.)
Final thought
Start slow.
Adding fiber is like adding cars to a traffic jam. Go too fast and you make it worse. Once you know what fiber is and how it moves through the gut, you can match the type to the dog in front of you, and keep the output side flowing.
Book a video call →Sources: Understanding the prebiotic potential of different dietary fibers using an in vitro continuous adult fermentation model (PolyFermS). Small Animal Clinical Nutrition, 5th Edition.
Hannah Zulueta obtained her Certificate in Canine Nutrition from CASI Institute. She is also studying for her Doctorate in Acupuncture, Traditional Chinese Medicine, and Herbalism from the esteemed Pacific College of Health and Medicine. If you’re as keenly interested in health for yourself, visit her website for human health: Satori Acupuncture and Herbs.
She resides in San Diego with her three dogs, Maggie, Orbit, and Mr. Higgins.
She is available for one on one consultations. She develops evidence-based recipes that meet both NRC and AAFCO nutritional standards while integrating the therapeutic food principles of Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine into her formulations.
Additionally, you can find her sharing free content on Instagram.
