Benefits of Digestive Enzymes for animals

I previously wrote about how to choose healthy foods for your pet.  In the article, I said that I was not a proponent of a raw food diet, because I felt that the risks outweighed the benefits.  However, I have because come to the conclusion that feeding raw food is truly the healthiest way to feed our pets.  We know from human nutrition that the less processed our foods are, the better for us, and the same holds true for our pets.  Additionally, cats are carnivores, and as such, they are developed to eat raw meat.   That being said, some pets, especially cats, can be difficult to transition to raw food .  For those pets, the the next best thing for achieving the same results you get from raw feeding may be supplementing your pet’s diet with digestive enzymes.

The reason raw food is so good for our animals is because it still includes all the digestive enzymes.  When food is processed and cooked, enzymes are destroyed.   Enzymes aid in food absorption by breaking food down into simple, soluble substances that the body can absorb.  Enzymes are essential building blocks for a multitude of metabolic functions and can help the body fight the degnerative processes that come with aging, aid in better absoprtion of vitamins and minerals, and help build a healthy immune system.  Enzyme deficiency can show itself in poor haircoat, allergies, intestinal problems, and voluminous stools, often with the fat still clearly visible. 

If you’re not able to feed raw, you may want to consider supplementing your pet’s diet with digestive enzymes.  There are various products on the market.  One I like is Dr. Goodpet’s Feline Digestive Enzymes.  In addition to enzymes, it also includes probiotics.  It also has absolutely no scent or flavor, which can be an issue with cats.  Amber readily accepted it on the very first try and has been taking it for the last few weeks.  the most visible difference so far has been a marked decrease in the size and the smell of her stools. 

The research, and testimonials, for the benefits of digestive enzymes, are convincing.  like animals on raw diets, enzyme supplementation can help your pets  look and feel great.  animals on a raw diet tend to have glossy coats, clear ears and eyes, and better teeth.  They maintain their ideal weight.   They don’t have allergies or intestinal problems.   If you’re not able to feed raw, enzyme supplementation can help you achieve the same results.

As a side note, I wanted to test the benefits of digestive enzymes for myself, so I began taking them best along with Amber (not the feline version, though!  I choose a product developed for humans, Enzymedica Digest).  While I can’t say that my coat has gotten glossier, I’ve certainly discovered an improvement with my digestion!  I’ve also discovered that I don’t get hungry as rapidly as I used to in between meals.   My – completely unscientific – assumption is that it may be due to the fact that my body is absorbing nutrients better as a result of the added enzymes.

Please note:  if your cat is diabetic or immuno-suppressed, digestive enzymes may be contra-indicated.  check with your veterinarian before changing your cat’s diet or adding supplements.

Ingrid King

You might also like:
Benefits of Digestive Enzymes for Cats

Benefits of a Raw diet for Cats

The benefits of Omega-3 Supplementation for Cats

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10 comments on benefits of Digestive Enzymes for Pets

Theresa says:

November 5, 2012 at 12:39 pm

I have 5 cats and a canine who are all raw fed. I got lucky with the cats and had very little difficulty switching them over; however, we do have hairball issues, and I’m not sure how to control the problem. best now, I ‘ giving them access to cat turf every few days and also anytime there is a heaving cat in the house. If nothing else, it typically induces vomiting and helps them expel the hairball so they can get it up before the next feeding. They really like the cat grass, but I wonder what else I might do to help control the problem without resorting to petroleum based products?

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Ingrid says:

November 5, 2012 at 2:48 pm

It’s rare to have consistent hairball issues when cats are fed a raw or grain-free canned diet, Theresa, so there may be something else going on. Do you know whether it’s always the same cat, or does it happen with all of them?

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RickC says:

June 17, 2012 at 7:50 pm

Thanks for the info. I’m a healthy 63 y.o male. I eat the yogurt with digestive enzymes in it rather than what you mentioned. It seems to do the trick. I’ve been eating yogurt because childhood back in the 1950’s. My mother loved the stuff. We used to make our own but it became too much of a hassle (cleaning the jars, maintain the appropriate temperature and time to assure the proper coagulation; and making sure that the culture was alive, etc.) so we just purchased it inullnull