The late and great, Dr. Jeannie Thomason, and I collaborated to make an infographic on the design of a carnivore explaining some of the many ways our dog and cats are, in fact, carnivores. Lolo, my border collie, helped us by being a great model for us to use.
I hope this helps you better understand the anatomy and physiology of our wonderful canine and feline companions as well as (if you haven’t already) help you make the decision to feed your pet what they are designed to eat.
The teeth are designed for slicing meat, not grindings plants. Carnivores have elongated teeth designed for tearing and killing prey.
Salivary amylase is found in omnivores and herbivores, but not in carnivores like dogs or cats. As a result, dogs rely on their pancreas to produce amylase to digest carbs. Feeding dogs carb-heavy foods makes their pancreas work harder.
Unlike herbivores and omnivores that grind their teeth side to side, the jaws operate vertically in a cutting motion.
The stomach of both cats and dogs are incredible. To facilitate protein breakdown and kill bacteria found in decaying meats, dogs and cats are able to keep their gastric pH around 1-2.
Protein from fat from animal sources are quickly and easily digested – hence the short digestive tract of cats and dogs.
The pancreas produces trypsin which breaks down protein as well as insulin which controls blood sugar levels.
