Corn/Maize

Whole corn provides highly digestible carbohydrates as energy source for dogs and cats. It also contains protein, essential fatty acids (linoleic acid) and antioxidants (vitamin E and beta-carotene).

White rice

White rice is an excellent, highly digestible carbohydrate source for dogs and cats. As well as being an excellent carbohydrate, rice also provides other important nutrients such as protein, vitamins, and minerals. Rice is often used in SPECIFIC™ as an ingredient with exceptionally high digestibility, low allergenicity and without gluten.

Oats

Whole oats are a healthy carbohydrate source, relatively rich in soluble fibres. In selected SPECIFIC™ diets it is used for its low glycaemic index making it an ideal carbohydrate for dogs and cats with diabetes mellitus. The low glycaemic index promotes a gradual release of glucose from the diet, reducing the rise of blood glucose after a meal.

Wheat

Whole wheat is an excellent carbohydrate source which provides energy for cats and dogs. It also contains well digestible, high-quality protein, rich in essential amino acids, and essential vitamins and minerals. Whole wheat is also a good source of fibre, which is important for the function of the gastrointestinal tract.

Soya meal

Soya meal is made from ground soybeans and is used primarily as protein source. However it also contains carbohydrates, fats, fibre and minerals.  

Just as all other raw materials used in SPECIFIC™, the soya meal is non-GMO.

Rice protein

Rice protein is a purified fraction of rice, rich in protein. Rice protein has excellent digestibility and provides essential amino acids, especially the sulphur containing fatty acids cysteine and methionine. Rice protein is used as selected protein source in the hypoallergenic SPECIFIC™ diets because of its low allergenicity.

Potato protein

Potato protein is extracted from potato and provides a concentrated high-quality protein source. Potato protein is highly digestible and has a high nutritional protein value, meeting amino acid requirements of cats and dogs.

Whey protein

Whey protein is a highly-digestible protein source derived from milk, with a high-quality amino acid profile meeting the amino acid profile of cats and dogs.

Maize protein

Maize protein is a concentrated protein source derived from maize. It is a high-quality protein source in pet food with an excellent digestibility. Maize protein is relatively low in minerals and so is especially useful for the formulation of low-mineral diets for the support of a healthy urinary tract in cats.

Egg

A few SPECIFIC™ diets use dried whole eggs as a protein source. Eggs are an excellent protein providing all essential amino acids to cats and dogs.
Eggs are also very rich in the essential fatty acid linoleic acid, which is essential for optimal skin and coat condition. Eggs are rich in lecithin, which acts as an emulsifier, enabling the mixing of water and oil and inclusion of eggs in a diet may benefit dogs and cats with poor digestion.
SPECIFIC™ CDD Food Allergy Management is based on egg and rice as novel protein and carbohydrate sources in order to help with food allergy.

As eggs are very low in purines CDD Food Allergy Management is also beneficial for dogs with urinary urate stones.   

Pork fat

Pork fat is used as a coating on the kibbles of most dry SPECIFIC™ diets. Fat is a good source of energy for cats and dogs and is important for the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins. Pork fat helps the palatability of the foods and supplies the essential fatty acid linoleic acid (essential for skin and coat condition in dogs and cats) and arachidonic acid (essential fatty acid for cats).
Pork fat used in SPECIFIC™ diets is derived from pigs approved for human consumption and is free of pork protein and so will be tolerated by pets with a pork allergy.

Chicken fat

Chicken fat is used as a coating on the kibbles of a few dry SPECIFIC™ diets. Fat is a good source of energy for cats and dogs and is important for the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins. Chicken fat contributes to the palatability of the diet and supplies the essential fatty acid linoleic acid (essential for skin and coat condition in dogs and cats) and arachidonic acid (essential fatty acid for cats).

Fructo Oligo Saccharides (FOS)

FOS are soluble, fermentable fibres which cannot be digested by the cat’s or dog’s digestive enzymes. FOS pass undigested through the small intestine into the colon where they work as prebiotics, supporting the growth of beneficial gut bacteria such as Lactobacilli and Bifidobacteria supporting good digestive health. Pathogenic bacteria as Salmonella cannot ferment FOS.

FOS is extracted from chicory roots.

Beta-glucans

The beta-1,3/1,6 glucans derived from baker’s yeast provide immune support.

The structure of these beta-1,3/1,6-glucans allows them to bind to receptors of immune cells, alerting the immune system and so supporting the immune response.

Psyllium husk

Psyllium husk is derived from the hulls of the seeds of Plantago ovata and contains primarily dietary fibres which have a great capacity to bind water. Psyllium is well known for its beneficial effect on the regulation of the gastrointestinal tract activity. Due to its mucilage-forming property it can form a protective layer on the inner wall of the intestines, Psyllium husk is often used in the management of constipation and diarrhoea in pets.  

Taurine

Taurine has many functions in the body such as the conjugation of bile acids and the function of the cardiovascular system, nervous system and the retina in the eye.
Whilst dogs are able to make Taurine themselves, cats are not, and so must take in Taurine in their diet.

If the diet of a cat does not contain sufficient taurine, the cat will develop cardiac problems and degeneration of the retina in the eye, leading to blindness.

In diets for cats and dogs with cardiac problems extra Taurine is recommended to support the cardiac function.

Yucca extract

The Yucca plant grows in the south-western deserts of the United States and northern Mexico. It is the ability of the Yucca plant to bind ammonia at high concentrations that allows them to survive in these hostile environments.

Nowadays extract of Yucca schidigera is widely used in the pet food to bind ammonia and so decrease odours from stools.