kennel_keeper
Posted : 11/19/2006 1:59:50 PM
Soaking your dogs food is a myth an "ole wives tale" left over from the 1960#%92s -70#%92s and often perpetuated by some of the ole timers who have not kept up with current information. Soaking kibble before serving has nothing to do with preventing bloat and in fact, in the early days of grain based foods, it actually promoted bloat. This was due to fermenting grains since the kibble sat for a while and soaked up the water, which allowed bacteria to develop, then it produced gas in the stomach!
Along these same lines, Dr. Lowell Ackerman, DVM, PhD, states:
"The most accepted theory is that a number of mechanisms can be responsible for decreased motility of the stomach and a delay in the emptying of the stomach contents into the intestine. For example, the pH of the stomach contents is normally low because the stomach produces acid used in digestion. Few bacteria survive in the stomach because of this acid content. On the other hand, when a very large meal is eaten, the stomach absorbs much of the acid and the pH then rises making it more hospitable for bacteria. If the food does not make its way to the intestines quickly, the bacteria start to ferment the food in the stomach. This produces gas and the stomach distends (dilates). If not treated, the dilated stomach can twist, compressing the blood vessels...."
"The goal of dietary management is to create a scenario in which gas is unlikely to accumulate in the stomach at all. It is therefore recommended that you feed your dog an easily digested meal with moderate amounts of protein, fat, and carbohydrates and that you give him smaller meals several times a day.
Also, do not give him water for thirty minutes before or after eating, because this may cause the stomach contents to swell and more time will be needed for the contents to empty into the small intestine...... "
What I get from this is that, by adding water or large amounts of food, you raise (or dilute) the pH of the stomach, which then allows bacteria to grow, fermenting the food and creating gas. I can see this logic.