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Grain and Gluten free 

There are many dog treats and foods are available if your dog has been diagnosed with grain or gluten intolerance. Essentially, grain-free is also gluten free. Some, but not all grains, include gluten.

Gluten is a protein that helps bind food together. Gluten free applies specifically to three grains; wheat, barley and rye.

Rice and oats are also classed as grains, but these are gluten free. Intolerance to gluten and grains is rare in dogs. However, if they do suffer, they will find it hard to absorb nutrients in their small intestine, leading to various health issues.

Sugar free

Sugar

All of our treats and chews are sugar free. Dogs, like humans, need a small amount of sugar to survive, but they can get this from carbohydrates which the body breaks down into glucose. Pure sugar is a recipe for weight gain, tooth decay and the onset of diabetes, among other health issues and best avoided.

Artificial sweeteners

Sugar-free often means artificial sweeteners are used to replace sugar. Sweetener Xylitol is known to cause life-threatening drops in blood sugar and kidney failure in dogs. Other artificial sweeteners, such as stevia, saccharin, sucralose, aspartame, are not poisonous to dogs. We don’t use any artificial sweeteners in our products.

Diabetes

A high fibre low fat diet is best for diabetic dogs. Fibre makes your dog feel fuller and slows the rate at which glucose into the blood.

Sweet Potato Flour

Ground sweet potatoes are low in protein and a good starch source, excellent for digestive health and blood sugar management. Rich in vitamins A and C and carbohydrates, we use sweet potato flour as a healthier binding agent, and the carbohydrate is low enough to make our treats diabetic friendly. However, if it has been recommended your dog avoids sweet potato, we suggest you don’t feed your dog W’ZIS treats and chews.

Low in fat

Less than 10% fat is considered a low fat diet for a dog. 12% of calories should be obtained from fats, equivalent to 5% of crude fat in dry food. Our treats contain less than 1% fat, making them perfect for training, avoiding weight gain or fat-related conditions like pancreatitis.

Pancreatitis

The pancreas is a vital organ that processes enzymes to aid digestion. When the pancreas becomes inflamed, it is called pancreatitis. The cause is not 100% understood, and attacks can occur for no apparent reason. However, too much fat in a dogs diet can be a trigger. Usually, the pancreas releases enzymes in an inactive state, activating when reaching the small intestine. In pancreatitis, the enzymes activate too soon. The resulting inflammation of the pancreas is the pancreas digesting itself. 

Light on Protein

The Association of American Feed Controls (AAFCO) suggest dogs need their food to contain 18% protein to lead a healthy life. Too much protein can be bad for dogs leading to kidney disease and weight gain. Healthy kidneys will extract excess protein and pass it harmlessly away in your dogs’ urine. If you start finding yellow patches on your lawn, it could point to your dog consuming too much protein in their diet. W’ZIS chews and treats contain 2.5% protein, making them a suitable treat for dogs with ongoing kidney issues and weight gain.

One calorie per treat

Our little ‘W’s in a tin, the perfect training treat, are only 1 cal per treat. Even the smallest of dogs can eat their fair share each day.

Our Dubyas and Fangs are larger, and we recommend no more than one chew a day or break in half for smaller dogs.

Below is a quick reference guide for normally active dogs’ daily calorific requirements. If you’d like a more precise number, click the link to this dog calorie calculator courtesy of Kurgo.

Low Purine

Purines are widespread chemical compounds. They are obtained in food and are created naturally within the body — they are essential building blocks of DNA. Other body functions include signalling molecules, providing energy, controlling cell growth, forming part of essential coenzymes and contributing to nervous system function (including neuronal development).

We know that Dalmations should follow a low purine diet. All other mammals, aside from humans and dalmations, excrete purines differently. When purine breaks down in mammals, they produce allantoin, a very soluble compound that’s harmless to the body. In dalmatians and some other dogs, purine breaks down into uric acid, and the acid leaves the system in the dog’s urine. Unfortunately for them, uric acid isn’t so gentle on their organs.

In addition to bladder stones, the uric acid associated with purines can also lead to kidney and liver disease, diabetes and reduced pancreatic function.