What amino acids are essential for dogs?

Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins. Proteins are important for many different functions in the body, including the growth and repair of tissues, the synthesis of hormones and enzymes, and the regulation of metabolism. There are many different amino acids, and the body can make some of them on its own. However, there are also certain amino acids that the body cannot make, and these are known as essential amino acids. To get these essential amino acids, we need to include protein-rich foods in our diets, such as legumes or nuts. These foods provide the essential amino acids that our body needs to function properly.

Dogs require certain amino acids in their diet to maintain good health. These amino acids are known as essential amino acids because they cannot be synthesized by the dog's body and must be obtained from food. The essential amino acids that dogs need in their diet include:

• Tryptophan: Tryptophan is an amino acid that is involved in the synthesis of neurotransmitters and hormones, such as serotonin and melatonin.
• Threonine: Threonine is an amino acid that is important for the proper growth and development of the dog's muscles, bones, and skin.
• Methionine: Methionine is an amino acid that is involved in the metabolism of sulfur-containing compounds, such as the antioxidant glutathione.
• Valine: Valine is an amino acid that is involved in the metabolism of energy and the synthesis of proteins.
• Isoleucine: Isoleucine is an amino acid that is involved in the metabolism of energy and the synthesis of proteins.
• Leucine: Leucine is an amino acid that is involved in the metabolism of energy and the synthesis of proteins.
• Phenylalanine: Phenylalanine is an amino acid that is involved in the synthesis of proteins, hormones, and neurotransmitters, such as dopamine and norepinephrine.

Overall, dogs require a balanced diet that includes the essential amino acids in order to maintain good health. Petaluma’s formula naturally contains all essential amino acids, but we opted to further supplement methionine in our diet given veterinary nutritionists’ guidance around bioavailability broadly in the pet food industry. We also supplemented two non-essential amino acids -  taurine and l-carnitine - on the recommendation of leading veterinary nutritionist experts.