The digestive tract

The dog’s digestive tract extends from the mouth to the anus and is responsible for the transformation, digestion, and absorption of food, in order for it to be used by the cells as a source of energy.

• Oral cavity: It is the first stage of digestion. With the help of the tongue and the teeth, your dog grinds its food into more or less small pieces, which facilitates digestion. Saliva has a lubricating role that facilitates the transit of food toward the stomach.
• Oesophagus: It transports food from the oral cavity to the stomach.
• Stomach: Food that has been chewed and soaked in saliva is stored in the stomach. Gastric juices participate in digestion. The content of the stomach is gradually delivered to the small intestine.
• Small intestine: Enzymes breakdown food into nutrients (digestion) that are absorbed and subsequently incorporated in blood flow and liver in order to be used : this is assimilation.
• Colon: The role of the colon is to collect the water that remain in the indigestible material, and to compact it in the form of stool. Intestinal flora, abundant in the colon, also take part in general and digestive health.
• Rectum and anus.

There also exist ancillary organs, such as the liver and pancreas.