*it Happens - Understanding the Role of Fiber in your Pet's Food

You've seen the Guaranteed Analysis on the back of your pet's food but you may not understand what "Crude Fiber" actually means or what it's telling you. 

WHAT IS CRUDE FIBER? - Simply put, it is a part of the insoluble fiber found in the edible portion of the plant cell wall. To determine this number, the sample is oven dried, subjected to sulfuric acid and sodium hydroxide treatment and then what remains is "crude fiber" - which has no nutritional value. This fiber is not soluble in water nor is it fermented inside the digestive tract. 

WHAT IS TOTAL DIETARY FIBER? - This is the sum of soluble and insoluble fiber found in the edible portion of the plant cell wall. 

BENEFITS OF DIETARY FIBER - Fiber normalizes bowel movement, promotes bowel health, can lower cholesterol (hyperlipidemia) levels, control blood sugar levels and support healthy weight.

In order to benefit your pet, their food needs to be formulated with the proper ratios of both soluble and insoluble fiber. While reporting "Crude" numbers is a start, it simply does NOT give you the information you or your veterinarian require in order to make the best decisions for your pet.

At Guardian, we believe in transparency, NOT for marketing purposes but as a tool to help your pet. Our Typical Analysis provides ALL of the numbers you and your veterinarian ACTUALLY need to make informed decisions for your pet's health. You may want to ask your current pet food company why they don't!