Intermittent fasting (IF) is not a new age craze for dogs. Wild dogs’ primal ancestors did not eat on timed schedules every day. Sometimes, days would pass trying to find a new food source. So, the dog’s body is designed for intermittent fasting, and it can be fantastic for canine health, provided there are no known health issues.
Intermittent Fasting and the Primal Roots of Dogs
In the wild, meals can be very scarce for canines. On average, wolves eat roughly three times per week if they do well on hunts. So, originally, your canine’s system was designed for stretches of food scarcity. While it seems like these wolves are starving, it helps their bodies rest, restore, and reset. Fasting activates the hormone glucagon, which keeps blood glucose levels balanced by reducing insulin secretion.
Intermittent fasting also enables the dog’s body to get rid of certain imperfect cells through a process called autophagy. When the body is in a fasting process, it starts to become an unfavorable host for certain types of bacteria. The body will attack these harmful bacteria, eliminating them from your dog’s system. It’s a fantastic way to reset gut flora.
Health Benefits of Intermittent Fasting
For dogs that have no health issues, the benefits of intermittent fasting are numerous. These include enhancing the immune system, improving mental performance, helping to lower insulin levels, purging harmful bacteria, promoting tissue regeneration, and aiding weight loss.
Fasting Enhances the Immune System
When a dog fasts, it empowers macrophages, which clear your dog’s body of bacteria and viruses. Macrophages are special immune cells that destroy and consume pathogens and deadly or abnormal body cells. They clear up any cellular debris left behind after inflammation. They also boost the immune system to reduce inflammation and improve autoimmune health.
Fasting Improves Mental Performance
Dog professionals speculate that fasting can lead to neural regeneration, so it keeps their minds sharper than average. It can improve mental focus in dogs.
Fasting Can Help Lower Insulin Levels and Alleviate High Insulin Levels
If your dog has diabetes, you should always get veterinary guidance on managing their illness. However, studies show that intermittent fasting can alleviate high insulin levels, reducing systemic inflammation. So, with your vet’s okay, you can try intermittent fasting. If you notice any adverse reactions, you might need to stop altogether.
Fasting Purges Harmful Bacteria
When your dog’s body is in the process of fasting, the body starts to become an unfavorable host for certain types of bacteria. The body will attack these harmful bacteria, eliminating them from your dog’s system. It’s a fantastic way to reset gut flora.
Fasting Promotes Tissue Regeneration
Intermittent fasting is directly connected with tissue regeneration. It targets abnormal body cells, damaged cells, dead cells, and even tumors. This process makes the body direct its energy to kill the damaged cells and convert them to energy.
Fasting Can Help Weight Loss
When done correctly, intermittent fasting can promote a healthier diet. As your dog gets acclimated to this, its weight can regulate as a result. They can keep their figures fit, muscular, and toned.
Things to Consider
Like any other dietary change, you must do things correctly. Fasting is generally safe for healthy adults, but dogs with specific medical conditions should not have regular meals might negatively impact their systems. Puppies, seniors, pregnant and nursing females need a little more nutrition than the average dog. It’s not positive for them to go long periods of time without eating, so fasting is not recommended in these cases.
Some smaller breeds require small frequent meals to keep up their energy levels. Because they deplete nutrients so quickly, fasting takes a harder toll on their system. It may not be positive for them, so it’s best to ask your vet before taking matters into your own hands.
The importance of proper execution lies with feeding your dog according to your vet’s recommendations. If you plan to fast your dog intermittently, your vet might want to run certain tests to ensure all is well before proceeding. Letting your dog go too long between meals can have major adverse effects that can easily be avoided.
Can Fasting Cause My Dog to Starve?
If you allow your dog to fast intermittently, they certainly will not starve, but it’s important to do it correctly. First and foremost, your dog should have a clean bill of health from your veterinarian. During the fasting process, it is still important that your dog has access to freshwater. Water is far more important in a canine diet, as dogs can survive days without food. Doing intermittent fasting with dogs the right way means restricting the number of hours that your dog receives their daily food.
Conclusion
Fasting can help your dog live a healthy lifestyle and get in touch with their ancestral roots. However, appropriate veterinary guidance is essential. If you have a healthy adult dog, it’s an exquisite thing to do, as it creates a total body reset. Nonetheless, always check with your veterinarian before making any significant lifestyle changes for your dog.
