Liver

Liver is a rich source of protein for our pets and similarly to kidney and heart, is a rich dietary source of the important amino acid taurine. Taurine is a conditionally essential amino acid for dogs. Meaning that it is critically important for health but can be made by the body, providing its amino acid building blocks are plentiful enough in the diet. In the case of taurine, dogs need enough methionine and cystine in their diet to make this important amino acid that is critical for heart health.

A diet rich in high quality amino acids, such as a raw food diet provide all of the amino acid’s dogs need, including Taurine.

For cats, taurine is an essential requirement from the diet because cats cannot manufacture their own taurine from other amino acids, like dogs can. For this reason, Big Dog for Cats recipes contain large enough amounts of taurine-containing ingredients so that cats have enough naturally occurring taurine in their diet.

Taurine is important for eye health and also enables the digestion of fat from the diet, for the production of energy. Taurine also has an important role in regulating calcium through the body which contributes to its critical importance to healthy heart function.

Liver is also the richest natural source of fat-soluble vitamins for our pets. Fat soluble vitamins are the vitamins A, E, D and K. Fat soluble vitamins are an essential component of our pets’ dietary needs.

Vitamin A is essential for vision and skin health, vitamin A assists in the ability of our pets’ vision to adapt to darkness which is an important evolutionary trait for animals.

Vitamin D has critical involvement in bone growth and structure, ensuring that other minerals such as calcium are deposited in the right place and in the right amount to ensure healthy growth and strong healthy bones throughout life.

Vitamin E is an important antioxidant which protects all cells in the body from damage by free radicals. Free radicals are compounds produced in the body as a part of normal functioning, but if not countered by antioxidants, they can cause damage. Vitamin E binds to these potentially harmful free radicals and neutralises them which stops their ability to cause harm and can be safely metabolised and removed from the body.

Vitamin K is essential for blood clotting as well as working closely with vitamin D to incorporate calcium into bone. Clotting is a critical survival factor as one of the body’s first defence systems in the event of injury. Blood clots at the site of an injury function to prevent potentially life-threatening blood loss.

Liver is a source of vitamin B2, one of the B vitamins not found in meat in quantities other B vitamins are. Vitamin B2 is essential for energy production and the health of the coat and skin of our pets.

Liver is also a source of iron, folate, copper, vitamin B7 and vitamin B12.

A true superfood for our pets, the inclusion of liver in Big Dog recipes is one of the most important ingredients that allows our food to be complete and balanced using only fresh, natural whole foods without the need for chemical / synthetic vitamin and mineral supplementation.

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