Without question, nutrition is the solid foundation on which good health is built. When it comes to our pets nutritional needs quality protein is critical. Within the last 5 to 10 years there have been many advances in pet nutrition and pet food. This has spurred major growth in the "Natural Pet Foods" market. With that growth many questions have arisen along with much debate on the subject of protein in our pets diets. Which protein is best for our companion animals? How much protein should be in our pets diet? Is it possible for our pets to receive too much protein?

First we must have a clear understanding of protein and how it works in the body. Perhaps some of you will remember this from biology class in school. A protein molecule is constructed from chains of amino acids. There are 22 amino acids, 10 of which are "essential" amino acids. Different protein sources consist of different combinations of these amino acids. The 10 essential amino acids must be obtained through diet because our pets cannot create them on their own. Once the protein is ingested it is broken down into the separate amino acids through the digestion process. These amino acids are then transformed into the building blocks required for healthy skin, muscle, and organs. Some amino acids also aid in metabolic functions such as antibody regulation within the immune system or the transfer of impulses throughout the nervous system.

The best protein for our pets comes from animal sources. These proteins are the most complete and are more easily digested. These types of proteins offer a wider variety of amino acids and are more readily used within the body. As a bonus these proteins are also more appealing to our companion animals in terms of taste.

Proteins are granted a biological rating, the higher the rating the more readily that protein is used by the body. Of the proteins commonly used in pet foods, egg whites have the highest rating of 100, next is meat from muscle with a rating of 92, then meat from organs with a rating of 90. Grains such as wheat and corn, which, unfortunately is still used by many commercial pet food companies as filler come with a rating of 60 and 54 respectively. One thing that pet owners may wish to keep in mind when considering these ratings is that cooking meat at the high temperatures necessary for processing pet foods, whether canned or kibble reduces its biological value. For this reason pet parents may want to think about supplementing their animals diet with freeze dried, dehydrated, or even raw meals.

Having a basic understanding of protein, its sources and bioavailability helps in choosing the best food for your pet. However, there are several things to keep in mind when reading the labels on pet foods. Often people believe that if whole meat is listed as the first ingredient on a bag of kibble that it must be of high quality. This is not always the case. Ingredients on pet food labels are listed by weight and whole meat is up to 75% water. If, for example, chicken is listed as the first ingredient and the following ingredient is wheat or corn the major portion of protein in that food comes from grain, which is not easily assimilated. It should be noted that studies have shown that expecting our carnivorous companion animals to fulfill their amino acid needs through grains contributes to pet obesity and grains are also a known allergen for many pets. Here is a simple way to insure that the pet food you are considering has the appropriate amount of protein from animal sources. If the first ingredient is whole meat, (note: this should be a named meat such as chicken, beef, lamb, etc.), the next ingredient should be a named meat meal such as chicken meal, beef meal or lamb meal and not a generic listing like "meat meal" or "by-product meal"

With the understanding that different protein sources have different amino acid combinations the question many pet owners are asking is "Which meat is best for my pet?" To be sure this is a hotly debated subject among pet owners, there are countless blogs and web pages dedicated to this subject and the opinions are wide and varied. However the answer to this question largely depends on your individual pet. William Cusick, well know for his work in the food and pharmaceutical fields, conducted a study which suggests that dogs do well with a protein source that most closely matches that of their ancestors. For example the Border collie breed, which originated in Scotland would do well with lamb, fish and poultry, where as the German Shepard, originally bred in cattle regions of Germany would do well with beef. While this information is all well and good the fact is that many dog owners have the "Heinz 57" breed, in other words a mixed breed and the ancestry of the pet is unclear. Felines are presumed to have all developed on diets of rodents and birds. So, the question of which meat is right still remains. The common answer among "experts" is three different meat sources. Providing a different protein source has two benefits, first it offers a wider variety of amino acid combinations and broader nutritional benefits. The second benefit is the reduction of the possibility of the development of food sensitivities or allergies. Often pets that are consistently fed the same diet for extremely long periods of time will develop sensitivity or an allergy to a particular source of protein leading to problems such as flatulence, loose stools or vomiting. Therefore it is recommended to rotate between three to four different meat sources. Ultimately the best choices will depend on your pet, try different foods and choose the ones your companion does well with.

Is it possible to provide too much protein in a pets diet? This is another point of contention among pet owners. The idea that a pet can have too much protein comes from the belief that excess protein in the diet can cause kidney disease. Research in pet nutrition has shown that this is not the case but the idea persists nonetheless. It is believed that the idea of too much protein being problematic originated when veterinarians would place animals with kidney disease on low protein diets in an effort to lower nitrogen levels. However, today more veterinarians are prescribing a food with a higher more easily digestible form of protein for pets with kidney ailments. With these types of proteins there is much less waste produced through the digestion process easing the burden on the kidneys and lowering the nitrogen levels in the body.

In healthy pets excess protein is normally excreted in their urine, used as energy or converted to fat. It is important when you are feeding your pet a high protein diet to keep a close watch on how much you are feeding so that your companion does not become overweight. Much like the deciding which protein source is right for your pet, how much protein you should be feeding depends largely on your individual pet. Some things to take into account when evaluating the amount of protein to feed are the pet’s lifestyle and activity level as well as their metabolism. In the case of growing puppies and kittens or with pregnant or nursing mothers the protein requirements are higher. This is also true of working dogs. Generally speaking most any premium pet food will provide the necessary fat and protein levels required if you feed a larger portion for their weight. Some pet owners may choose to supplement the diet with a high quality grain free canned food or even raw meat.

Choosing the appropriate diet for your pet may seem a daunting task at times. However if the pet owner keeps a few key points in mind it can be easily accomplished. Remember to read labels on pet foods careful to determine that the pet is receiving a protein from a named meat source. Avoid grains whenever possible. Alternate among a variety of protein sources and if possible try to incorporate some fresher less processed foods. Of course as is always the wisest decision if you have unanswered questions consult with your pets veterinarian.