{"id":5419,"date":"2025-09-15T16:38:06","date_gmt":"2025-09-15T14:38:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ngdcare.nl\/uncategorized\/nutrition-as-a-basis-for-health-in-dogs-and-cats\/"},"modified":"2026-06-26T13:17:42","modified_gmt":"2026-06-26T11:17:42","slug":"nutrition-as-a-basis-for-health-in-dogs-and-cats","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ngdcare.nl\/en\/blog-en\/nutrition-as-a-basis-for-health-in-dogs-and-cats\/","title":{"rendered":"Nutrition as a basis for health in dogs and cats"},"content":{"rendered":"


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NGD Care | Nutrition<\/span><\/p>\n

Nutrition for dogs and cats: the basics of health from nature and Chinese medicine<\/h1>\n

Why the right nutrition is not just fuel, but the foundation of energy, resistance and balance.<\/p>\n

NGD Care | Stefan Veenstra, DVM<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Nutrition is the basis of health, in humans and animals. More and more people are aware of healthy choices, and fortunately that attention is also growing for dogs and cats. Because just like us, animals also benefit from food that is in line with their nature and constitution. <\/p>\n

In this blog, we combine the Western perspective on digestion and the gut microbiome with the perspective of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Two perspectives that, remarkably enough, often lead to the same conclusion. <\/p>\n

Food is more than fuel. It is energy, balance and health. <\/div>\n

\u2014 NGD Care \u00b7 Integrative Veterinary Medicine<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Nutrition in Chinese medicine<\/h2>\n

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, the stomach and spleen play a central role. They convert food into Qi (energy), Wei Qi (defense) and Xue (blood). When these organs are strong and receive the right nutrition, balance and vitality are created. <\/p>\n

If the Spleen or stomach is weakened by too heavy, cold or highly processed food, this can lead to reduced energy, diarrhea or mucus formation. In TCM, foods have a temperature (cold, neutral, warm, hot) and a taste (sweet, sour, salty, bitter, sharp). These qualities influence how the body reacts. For example, kibble is seen as “sweet” and “hot”: stressful for the Spleen and drying for the body. <\/p>\n

The striking thing is that this age-old classification fits in well with what we know from Western physiology:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
TCM concept<\/td>\nWestern correlation<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Qi (energy)<\/td>\nCellular energy production, ATP and mitochondrial activity<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Wei Qi (defense)<\/td>\nMucosal defense (GALT, sIgA and the barrier function of the intestinal wall)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Xue (blood)<\/td>\nBlood formation and the transport of nutrients to tissues<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Spleen Qi<\/td>\nDigestive capacity, enzyme activity, and small intestinal absorption<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Yin (moisture)<\/td>\nMoisture management and hydration of the mucous membranes<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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02<\/div>\n

Carnivores require different nutrition<\/h2>\n

Dogs, cats and ferrets are carnivores. Their teeth, stomach acid and intestines are completely attuned to meat. In nature, they eat complete prey with muscles, bones, organs and intestinal contents. Humans, on the other hand, are omnivores and can digest carbohydrates well. <\/p>\n

Three body features clearly show this difference:<\/p>\n