What is tripe & the benefits of feeding it?

Tripe has a tendency to stink! and it seems to me that the more horrid something smells, the more your dog will love it! As tripe is all about the stomach it seems only fitting that it should turn ours when we feed it to our beloved four-legged friends. If you have not as yet had the pleasure of feeding tripe in all its glory then you are in for a treat (well your dog is anyway!). Not only will tripe provide immense health benefits for your dog, but it will also take your dedication to feeding raw dog food to an all-new level.

Tripe is the stomach of a ruminating (grazing) animal such as cows and sheep.

The unique stomachs of ruminants have four chambers which systematically break down grasses with a slew of digestive enzymes, gastric juices and amino acids. The same digestive enzymes and beneficial bacteria that help the ruminant animal digest foodstuff will do the same for your dog, providing natural probiotics in abundance in the form of green tripe.

Digestive enzymes are important and provide multiple functions; they aid in digestion, meaning the body does not have to expend as much energy when digesting a meal resulting in your dog getting the most nutritional benefit from his meals. Digestive enzymes also purify and cleanse the blood, improve metabolism and hormonal function, remove toxins, parasites and fungus and boost the immune system.

The gut is inhabited by hundreds of different kinds of bacteria or microflora which are divided into ‘good bacteria’ and ‘bad bacteria’. The ‘bad’ bacteria are those responsible for health complaints and some of their members include e-coli, salmonella, campylobacter and listeria. These are the bacteria contained in foods and the environment and if it weren't for the protection of the 'good bacteria' could result in your dog becoming sick.

Just as we humans have products like Yakult and Activia to assist the promotion of good bacteria then tripe in your dog's diet could be considered to do the same job.

Good bacteria improve immune function simply by outnumbering the bad bacteria and maintaining a healthy microflora in the gut. Green tripe is loaded with Lactobacillus Acidophilus, one of the bacterial ‘good guys’. Your dog’s gut can only feed so many micro-organisms, so the more ‘good’ bacteria he consumes, the less ‘bad’ bacteria will find anything to eat in his gut and they will get crowded out.

Many health issues are caused by an imbalance in the microflora. Older dogs are especially prone to this as they tend to have lower levels of beneficial bacteria in their guts. Supplementing your dog’s diet with lots of raw, green tripe will help him maintain a healthy balance of microflora, manufacture more B vitamins, and prevent many health disorders.

If you have read to the end of this page, you will be pleased to know that green tripe is included in most of the Nutriment Formula Range and has very little smell! and they have also introduced a 'Just Tripe' range too. Manifold Valley Meat also have an extensive range of products with tripe in and all are fairly bearable with the exception of Beef or Lamb Tripe (these are particularly potent!) - if you can feed them without reacting then you deserve a medal!