DO OUR PETS NEED CARBOHYDRATES? How To Manage Your Dog Or Cat's Weight With Their Diet

Quality INGREDIENTS = BETTER FOOD!
Help your pet thrive with the power of protein-rich recipes that nourish as nature intended.

Weight management is an important area of your pets needs and their diet is the best way to ensure they stay healthy and happy! Dogs and Cats are ancestral carnivores, so they need a Biologically Appropriate diet which is rich and varied in whole animal ingredients. A diet packed full of protein and fibre supports lean muscle mass while promoting peak conditioning and healthy weight.

Lets Break It Down...

Nourish As Nature Intended

The gray wolf (Canis lupus) is the ancestor and closest relative of all domestic dogs (Canis lupus familiarius), sharing 97% of their DNA, while the Near Eastern wildcat (Felis silvestris lybica) is the closest relative of domestic cats (Felis silvestris catus). Despite years of breeding, the internal workings and anatomical capabilities of domestic dogs and cats remain the same as their wild cousins, so it’s no surprise their food requirements remain the same too.

why do some pet foods contain such high levels of cereal grains and carbohydrate?

If dogs and cats are carnivores, evolved for an almost exclusively meat-based diet, then why do other pet foods contain such high levels of grain, cereal and carbohydrate? Dogs and cats have no nutritional need for carbohydrates and are evolved to use protein and fat as energy sources. The natural diet of a dog or cat contains almost no carbohydrate at all, and the small predigested grains, fruits & vegetables in the stomach of their prey animal make up a very small fraction of the total diet. Unlike ORIJEN which has richly nourishing protein and 85% whole animal ingredients, today‘s high carbohydrate pet foods lead to blood sugar fluctuations, insulin resistance, and are widely considered as a leading cause of obesity, diabetes and a host of other health problems in cats and dogs. Conventional dry dog foods have a very high carbohydrate content, with most foods exceeding 40-50% in total carbohydrate content. Almost half of typical dry dog foods is non-essential, simple sugars! This important fact is often lost on consumers as pet food makers are not required to claim carbohydrate content on their packages. Carbohydrate intake above the daily needs of the dog (which regularly occurs with conventional pet foods) prompts internal enzyme factors to store the extra carbohydrate as body fat. The Association of American Feed Control Officials‘ (AAFCO) nutrient profiles show that carbohydrates are not essential for dogs and cats, and that no minimum level of carbohydrate is needed in their diets. 

ORIJEN Fit & Trim has richly nourishing protein and 85% whole animal ingredients from free-run chicken and turkey, wild-caught fish, and cage-free eggs, all delivered to our kitchen. Two-thirds of our animal ingredients are FRESH or RAW, for a concentrated source of protein. Infusions of freeze-dried liver add a boost of flavour that your dog will love, while naturally providing the nutrients they require to help them stay happy, healthy, and thriving. 

Orijen fit & trim: 85% QUALITY ANIMAL INGREDIENTS | 15% VEGETABLES, FRUITS & BOTANICALS