Support your dog’s or cat’s digestive and immune system with enzymes
If your dog or cat is experiencing persistent digestive issues, an enzyme supplement might make a world of difference. Even healthy pets can benefit if they are eating a diet of cooked or processed foods.
What is an enzyme?
Enzymes are biological molecules that serve many functions in the body; here at All The Best, when we talk about enzymes, we are referring to digestive enzymes, which help the body break down food into nutrients. Like keys and locks, specific enzymes are required to break down specific types of food into smaller molecules that can be absorbed by the intestines.
The four major types of digestive enzymes:
Protease breaks down proteins into amino acids, which become the building blocks of cells.
Amylase breaks down large carbohydrates, such as starches, into simple sugars that the body can burn for fuel. Because dogs and cats are carnivores, they have less of this enzyme than humans do.
Lipase digests fats into free fatty acids and glycerol.
Cellulase, naturally produced by gut bacteria in herbivores (but not dogs or cats), breaks down plant fibers to free the nutrients inside the cell walls of fruits and vegetables.
Where do enzymes come from?
Enzymes are found in raw meat and plants, and are produced in the body by the pancreas. Unfortunately, enzymes are very sensitive to heat, and cooking food destroys enzymes starting at 104°F. Other types of processing and storage also destroy enzymes over time.
While the enzymes present in raw foods help aid in digestion, the bulk of an animal’s enzymes must be produced by the pancreas as part of the digestive process. With cooked and processed pet foods, 100% of the enzymes must be made by the pancreas.
Animals like dogs and cats, who evolved eating raw foods, are not adapted to make all the enzymes necessary to digest processed foods, and over time, this can create strain on their organs. By middle age, many pets experience some level of enzyme deficiency or pancreatic slowdown. Some breeds are also prone to pancreatic issues and can develop enzyme deficiencies early in life.
What does enzyme deficiency look like?
Dry, flaky skin and dull coat—frequently due to poor absorption of fatty acids in the diet.
Allergies, rashes, hot spots, flea dermatitis, and food sensitivities—poor protein digestion can trigger a biochemical chain reaction, resulting in inflammation and severe itching.
Intestinal gas, diarrhea, undigested food in the stool, or stool-eating—slow or incomplete digestion of carbohydrates.
How to support your pet’s pancreas
There are two ways to help your dog or cat’s pancreas do its job: feeding raw food or giving an enzyme supplement alongside cooked or processed foods.
Enzyme supplements are readily available and can come from plant, animal, or fungal sources. Different products contain different enzyme mixes, but the best products for dogs and cats are the ones that mimic their natural food enzymes.
Most enzyme supplements will come in the form of a powder that mixes easily with canned or wet foods. If your pet eats a dry diet, try moistening the food with water first so that the powder sticks. The enzymes will activate as soon as they come in contact with the food. Wait at least 3 minutes (up to 20 minutes) before serving the meal to let the enzymes “pre-digest” the food. The food may become a little mushy, and this is how you know the enzymes are working!
Like with any new food or supplement, you’ll want to start slow; add only a small portion of the recommended amount at first and increase slowly. Don’t go over the recommended dose with enzymes—more is not always better! And with enzymes, quality and consistency are more important than quantity; daily supplementation helps your pet develop a more robust and healthy digestive system over time. Expect to see gradual improvement, not instantaneous!
The bottom line
All pets can benefit from giving their pancreas a break, whether that’s through eating a raw diet that contains endogenous food enzymes or by supplementing a processed diet with high-quality enzyme powder.
The pets who especially benefit are those with known pancreatic insufficiency, older pets whose metabolisms are slowing down, pets with signs of inflammation or food sensitivities, and those who have digestive issues (regurgitation, loose stools, etc.) not otherwise attributed to a medical problem. Research into the benefits of supplemental enzymes is ongoing, so new information is coming out every year!
If you’re wondering if enzyme supplementation is right for your pet, talk to your veterinarian or to one of our Pet Care Specialists. We’ve seen dramatic positive transformations in dogs and cats after enzyme supplementation begins. All The Best carries several powdered supplements that contain enzymes, in addition to our wide range of raw foods, whole food supplements, and digestive aids.
References/Further Reading
Gollakner, R. (2020). Enzymes. VCA Animal Hospitals.
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Brooks, W. (2024, September 11). Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency in Dogs and Cats. Veterinary Partner. bit.ly/4jDP7Bi
Cridge, H., Williams, D. A., & Barko, P. C. (2024). Exocrine pancreatic insufficiency in dogs and cats. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, 262(2), 246–255.
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Jadhav, S., Gaonkar, T., Joshi, M., & Rathi, A. (2023, August 8). Modulation of digestibility of canine food using enzyme supplement: An in vitro simulated semi-dynamic digestion study. Frontiers. bit.ly/4jIsZ97
Villaverde, C., Manzanilla, E. G., Molina, J., & Larsen, J. A. (2017). Effect of enzyme supplements on macronutrient digestibility by healthy adult dogs. Journal of Nutritional Science, 6.
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