Read time: 5 mins
04 Jan 2023
Looking for the diet that will finally sort out your dog’s dodgy tum? You're not alone. Nearly a quarter of all health-related diet internet searches focus on hypoallergenic options or meals suited for sensitive stomachs.
At Butternut Box, we've been overwhelmed with heart-warming feedback from our customers about the visible improvements in their dogs' digestive health. Imagine seeing frequent diarrhoea disappear and replaced with fewer, healthier poos, and a big reduction in smelly wind. It’s what dreams are made of.
We understand that a sensitive stomach isn't a one-size-fits-all description; it can manifest differently in each dog. While some may experience diarrhoea, others may deal with regular vomiting, reflux, excessive wind, or anal gland issues. The good news is that we've been listening to our customers, and through extensive surveys, we found that 70% of owners saw an improvement in their dogs' digestive health after switching to our meals.
What sets us apart and contributes to this improvement is our unwavering commitment to quality. From carefully selecting ingredients to our gentle cooking process and perfectly portioned meals, these all contribute to one crucial factor: digestibility. Multiple independent studies have confirmed that freshly cooked diets like ours are more easily digestible than traditional extruded kibble (dry dog food).
Digestibility - this simple term plays a massive role in your dog’s nutrition. It refers to the amount of nutrients that become bioavailable to your pet after digestion.
Pet food manufacturers often tout high digestibility as a sign of food quality, and for good reason. After all, it's what emerges from the rear end of your dog that often determines how you perceive the quality of their food. In essence, the 'rear end performance' of a pet food can be just as important as its price or nutritional profile.
Digestibility is primarily influenced by the quality of ingredients, the food processing methods used, and the amount of food your dog consumes. Low digestibility can result in larger, loose stools, while high digestibility often leads to smaller, firmer ones.
At Butternut Box, we're committed to ensuring our meals are not just tasty, but highly digestible too. To this end, we've conducted two thorough digestibility analyses:
In-Home Study We followed the FEDIAF kennel digestibility guidelines but included a larger population of dogs to ensure statistical significance. This real-world study involved pet dogs consuming one type of Butternut meal for a week at a time (for instance, 'Beef It Up' in week one, 'Chicken You Out' in week two). We then collected all their poos over a 48-hour period and sent it to an independent lab for testing. The results were clear:
Lab-Based Study We partnered with an independent research team, renowned as world leaders in protein digestibility, to conduct an in-vitro study comparing Butternut meals with three leading competitors. This was a pioneering study, as this test had never been performed on dog diets before - making Butternut Box a world first in this area. Our crude protein digestibility results were outstanding at 91-96%, rating higher than a popular premium canned brand, another fresh diet provider, and a commonly dispensed veterinary gastrointestinal diet.
These studies underline our dedication to providing not just delicious meals, but meals that contribute significantly to your dog's overall health and wellbeing. If your dog is dealing with a sensitive tummy, the high digestibility of Butternut Box meals could be a game-changer.
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