The Role of Gluten in Dog Nutrition: Ration Formulation and Dietary Management

Abstract

Gluten in canine nutrition should be evaluated not only as a possible component of adverse food reactions but also as a functional ingredient that contributes to the structure, texture, and processability of commercial dry foods and treats. Accordingly, its role should be considered in two contexts: its possible association with gastrointestinal or neurologic syndromes in genetically or phenotypically susceptible dogs, and the technological consequences of replacing gluten-containing ingredients in diet formulation. Current evidence indicates that gluten is not a universal nutritional problem in dogs, although gluten-associated enteropathies and neurologic syndromes have been described in certain breeds. From a nutritional perspective, the main issue is not simply the removal of gluten, but the management of resulting changes in macronutrient balance, dietary fiber profile, starch characteristics, palatability, extrusion behavior, and postprandial metabolic responses. Recent studies suggest that buckwheat, legumes, insect proteins, algae-based ingredients, and food-industry by-products may support the development of low-gluten or gluten-free canine diets. In clinical practice, the most reliable diagnostic strategy in suspected gluten sensitivity remains a carefully controlled elimination diet followed by structured reintroduction. Within chronic enteropathies, gluten should also be interpreted within a broader framework involving intestinal barrier function, immune tolerance, and the gut microbiota. This review discusses gluten in dogs from the perspectives of nutrition science, ration formulation, and clinical dietary management.