Many animal-based ingredients not only provide vital animal protein, but functional properties. Foods with a specific purpose are sometimes called functional foods.
Animal-based examples of functional foods include, but are not limited to:
- animal organs and glands
- omega-3 fatty acids
- selenium-rich foods (like shrimp mentioned above)
As with other minerals, selenium is a vital part of the diet. But there are two especially interesting components about this aspect of the dog diet.
First, selenium is recognized for antioxidant, cancer-fighting properties. Conversely, while research is still underway, some studies suggest a synthetic form of selenium called sodium selenite – widely found in pet food – may actually be carcinogenic (cancer-causing).
Therefore, offering selenium-rich foods is a natural, safe way to protect your dog’s body from illness.
Selenium-rich foods for dogs include sardines, turkey, beef liver, halibut, eggs, chicken and more.
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By the way…If you have a golden retriever like I do, you might also enjoy my other site, GoldenRetrieverDiet.com.
