Every day, our pet’s bodies are exposed to toxins. They are produced internally in the body which includes things like lactic acid and waste products from gut microbes, hormones, and neurotransmitters, but they are also found externally, like air pollution, chemicals from cleaning products or volatile organic compounds from the plug-in air diffuser in your lounge. What’s really sad is that the number of eternal toxins seems to be increasing year on year. The concern is that these toxins have the ability to disrupt essential biological structures in the body. We can’t avoid toxins, because as we have noted, they are also produced internally from normal metabolic processes, but we can limit our pet’s external exposure to reduce the burden on their detoxification systems. Let’s take a look at how these detoxification systems work and why it’s so important to consider how exposed our pets truly are. What is Metabolic Detoxification? Detoxification is carried out by a range of mechanisms and this comes in particularly handy if one pathway is overwhelmed, another can pick up the slack. We can think of it like a waterfall, water will always find a way down. In a healthy system, toxins will be able to find a way out. Initially, the body will attempt to detoxify at source. These locations include the intestinal mucosa, the respiratory mucosa, the microbiome, and the skin epidermis. Whilst these also provide a physical barrier to prevent toxin transport, they also express a range of enzymes which are essential in sweeping toxins away. Detoxification falls into three phases. The first two phases are concerned with breaking down the toxin in the body, and phase three is concerned with excreting it. For the body to manage a toxic load, all three phases need to be working optimally. Phase I Detoxification Here we are mostly concerned with a range of enzymes like MAOs or monoamine oxidases dealing with neurotransmitters (those chemical messengers involved in mood and behaviour amongst other things) and PON1 or paraoxonase 1 dealing with pesticides and oxidised lipids. The names aren’t important, but the point is that at this stage the body needs to be efficiently producing these enzymes to metabolise the toxins. Most of this occurs in the liver, so for healthy detoxification processes, the liver needs to be functioning well too. A Brief Guide to Liver Function in Pets This stage is particularly nutrient-demanding and sufficient levels of key vitamins and minerals are essential. They include: Vitamin A Vitamin C Vitamin E Vitamins B1, B2, B3 Iron But amino acids like cysteine are also important. Free Radicals and Detox This phase also generates high numbers of reactive oxygen species, or ROS leading to oxidative stress. So, supporting the body’s antioxidant defences is also important. Does My Dog Need Antioxidants? Once toxins have passed through phase I, they are not completely finished with. Intermediate metabolites are produced and they sit in the body. It’s almost like putting your rubbish in the outside bin, but missing collection day. The rubbish remains. This is where Phase II comes in. Liver Guard Phase II Detoxification Within phase II there are a number of pathways and they are all responsible for detoxifying different compounds. The pathways include: Methylation Sulphation Conjugation Glucuronidation Acetylation The process of methylation deals with heavy metals, plastics, medications, mould, histamine, and hormones, amongst others. Methylation Nutrient Needs: Vitamin B9 Vitamin B6 Zinc Magnesium The process of sulphation deals with heavy metals, heavy smoke, hormones, neurotransmitters, plastics, phenols, and medications including antibiotics. Glutathione conjugation deals with heavy metals, plastics, mould, heavy smoke, pesticides, and medications like steroids. Glutathione is a master antioxidant so is also important in neutralising the reactive oxygen species produced in phase I. Glucuronidation is involved in managing heavy metals, sex hormones, neurotransmitters, plastics, mould, smoke, medications including paracetamol, non-steroidal anti-inflammatories and immunosuppressants. Glucuronidation Nutrient Needs: Vitamin B3 Vitamin B6 Iron Acetylation supports the detoxification of smoke, halides, neurotransmitters, histamine, and medications including antibiotics. Phase III Detoxification At this point, we move into phase III, where we need to ensure the excretory part of the process is working as it should. This includes the function of the gut, skin, liver and kidneys. For optimal excretion of toxins through the digestive system, gut health is vitally important. Maintaining the mucosal barrier is key for gut health along with supporting motility. What Is The Gut Barrier? The Dog’s Digestive System Here functional ingredients can help lubricate the digestive tract, promote regular motility, aid elimination, and support the microbiome. Some useful ingredients include: Slippery elm De-glycerised liquorice (DGL) Glutamine N-acetyl-glucosamine Gut Guardian What Can Help Gut Dysbiosis? Adequate hydration is also important along with limiting stress where possible. Can Stress Affect My Dog’s Digestive System? The Importance of Water Top tips to support detoxification: Support detox at source – ensure skin and gut health The skin provides an effective physical barrier to prevent toxins entering the body, so its structure and microbiome is key. Feed a diet that includes bioavailable protein and fat and reduce exposure to grooming products that can skew the microbiome of the skin. We also need to take steps to optimise gut health. 7 Steps to Optimal Gut Health For Pets Feed a nutrient dense diet Each phase of detoxification requires certain nutrients, and the processes are quite demanding. Ensure you are feeding a diet rich in the following nutrients: Vitamins A, C, E B Vitamins: B1, B2, B3, B6 and B9 (folate) Minerals: Iron, Zinc and Magnesium. The first phase also produces high numbers of free radicals so include antioxidant foods in the diet too! Perfect additions include: – Berries – Nuts and Seeds – Green Leafy Vegetables – Oily Fish – Eggs – Liver – Meats – Peppers – Strawberries – Broccoli Reduce the toxic burden The best way to support the detoxification system is to not overload it in the first place, so avoiding toxins wherever possible. This isn’t easy,
You’ve probably heard that most of the immune system is found in the gut or at least that the gut trains immune function, but you may not know how. We thought we’d pop together a brief guide to GALT or gut associated lymphoid tissue and how we can use nutrition to optimise it’s function. What is GALT? GALT stands for gut associated lymphoid tissue and is another subcategory of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue. GALT is present throughout the lining of the intestine. It consists of a large population of plasma cells and makes up about 70% of the immune system by weight. Your Pet’s Immune System Being so close to the microbiome and in immediate contact with food, GALT is continually exposed to both ‘normal’ and potentially dangerous antigens. This means that GALT develops in a manner that allows non-pathogenic substances, such as commensal bacteria, to survive and enables tolerance to food antigens, whilst at the same time it protects the host from pathogenic organisms and other potentially toxic substances. In short, GALT matures through exposure, based on this idea of immune tolerance. Do We Need To Boost Our Pet’s Immunity? This distinctive biological feature of GALT is believed to be crucial to good health. Deregulation or dysfunction of GALT is thought to predispose to inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) and more. What Can Cause Dysfunctional GALT? The gut microbiota plays an important role in the development of the normal mucosal immune system (humoral and cellular), including the development of gut-associated lymphoid tissues. Under normal physiological conditions, symbiotic association of gut microbiota with gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT) contributes to immune balance. Dysbiosis continuously and adversely agitates GALT to promote sterile inflammatory response and sensitises the host for chronic gastric disease. There is increasing evidence that suggests changes in intestinal microbiota results in changes in the intercellular tight junctions. In addition, evidence suggests that dysbiosis is associated with inflammatory bowel disease through its influence on GALT. What Influences The Microbiota? Diet and geographical location play a major role in determining the microbial diversity in the gut. In addition, uncontrolled use of antibiotics also (both prescribed and indiscriminate usage) often kills a broad variety of sensitive gut microbes and leads to dysbiosis which warrants the inclusion of pro- and/or prebiotics to repopulate the gut and modulate the gut microbiome. The following also deserve due thought: – Overuse of certain medications like proton pump inhibitors and antihistamines – Poor liver function – Poor motility – Digestive disorders – Poor pancreatic function – Inflammation in the gut – Stress – Environmental toxins – Dietary choices Whilst exposure is crucial for immune system maturation, we can’t ignore that nutrition also plays a role. Amino Acids and GALT Health The importance of individual amino acids to gut function and immunity has become apparent in recent years due to studies that have supplemented amino acids to animals/humans fed: 1) intravenously (total parenteral nutrition – TPN), which demonstrates not only the importance of GALT but also the importance to immune functions beyond the intestine; 2) during weaning, which demonstrates the importance of these amino acids to the normal growth and development of the intestine and GALT; and 3) during infection or chronic inflammation, which has demonstrated the role in regulating inflammation and infectious challenges. Amino Acids of Interest: Glutamine is an important energy substrate and precursor for other amino acids and derivatives in immune cells and enterocytes. In immune cells, particularly lymphocytes, neutrophils and macrophages, glutamine is used rapidly. In addition to its role as an energy substrate, glutamine is important for intestinal development and function, including maintaining the integrity of the gut barrier, the structure of the intestinal mucosa and redox homeostasis. Overall, animal studies have shown that glutamine is required to maintain a healthy intestinal mucosa and support several GALT functions during weaning, infection and other intestinal inflammatory states. Glutamate is thought to modulate the intestinal epithelium. It is thought to play an essential role as an oxidative substrate to both enterocytes and immune cells. It is also a precursor for the synthesis of GSH (glutathione), which is required to protect the intestinal mucosa and optimise immune cell function. Finally, glutamate is a precursor for arginine, the substrate for the synthesis of NO. A high rate of NO synthesis by neutrophils is required during the innate immune response to infection which is an important role of the immune system in the intestine. Studies have shown that arginine supports the growth and the development of the intestine and mucosal barrier in animals. There is considerable support that in health and stressed conditions, ingestion of arginine has a beneficial effect on GALT, with particular improvements in aspects of the acquired immune response. Arginine is thought to support the growth, development and maintenance of a healthy intestinal mucosa during critical periods of development and under certain health conditions. Whilst protein intake is essential to immune function, the availability of specific dietary amino acids, in particular glutamine, glutamate, and arginine, and perhaps others, are essential to optimising the immune functions of the intestine and specific immune cells located in GALT. These amino acids modulate their effects by maintaining the integrity, growth and immune functions of the epithelial cells in the intestine, as well as improve T-cell numbers and function, the secretion of IgA, and regulate inflammatory cytokine secretion. Sources of Glutamine: Grass-fed meat Eggs Organ meats Leafy greens Sources of Glutamate: Meat Mushrooms Sources of Arginine: Meat Fish Nuts Seeds We would always advocate a fresh food diet to provide the nutrients necessary for healthy immune functioning in your pets. If you would like any support in optimising your pet’s health, check out our services to see how we can help. Thanks for reading, MPN Team
We’d say 99% of pets that we support here at My Pet Nutritionist require a gut healing protocol. No matter the issue they present with, when we track through their history, we can see the benefit of supporting their gut health moving forwards. So how do we support a pet’s gut health? We follow the 4 R’s. Not sure what they are? Well, we’ve popped together a brief guide! Remove – carry out an elimination diet An elimination diet, also known as exclusion diet, is a diagnostic procedure used to identify foods that an individual/animal cannot consume without adverse effects. Adverse effects may be due to food allergy (IGE), food intolerance (IGG), other physiological mechanisms, or a combination of all of the above. How? Raw or lightly cooked food is the best way to do this. Cooked foods can take pressure off the digestive system – which has often taken a bit of a beating in these cases. Start with novel proteins (proteins your dog’s immune system has not seen before) –horse, ostrich, kangaroo and hare are generally well tolerated. Horse meat is lean too, so a great option if digestive function isn’t where it needs to be, yet. Feed this novel protein for 4-12 weeks. Ideally if you land on a novel protein that helps the itch/digestive discomfort or doesn’t make it any worse, we recommend remaining on this protein for 12 weeks -the time it takes for an intolerance to change. Then introduce other novel proteins. Remember, no more than one per week and stick to single source. Treats need to match too! If there are signs of intolerance, then remove that protein and go back to a protein you believe is best tolerated. Notice that it’s called an elimination diet, and not an elimination lifestyle. The overall aim is to eventually maintain a strong diversity in the diet, as we know this supports optimal gut health. We would be looking to reintroduce more common proteins as time went on – but this takes time. We also practice the same process of reintroducing any fruit or vegetables – one at a time, over time. It can also be worthwhile opting for a low-histamine approach when reintroducing, check out our low histamine blog here. Check out our article on elimination diets here. Repair – support immunity and gut healing with a range of helpful compounds These include: Slippery elm De-glycerised liquorice (DGL) Glutamine N-acetyl-glucosamine Slippery elm is a deciduous tree found in forests of the eastern half of the USA and Canada. Slippery Elm is related to the American Elm (ulmus americana) and is sometimes called Red Elm or Moose Elm. It is best used in the digestive tract, where it serves as a soothing, protecting and lubricating demulcent and general astringent at the same time. It creates a mucilage lining where it soothes the passage of food, inflammation and is believed to protect and heal the mucosal lining. The inner bark of the Slippery Elm is not only packed with nutrients like vitamins A, B complex, C, K, calcium, magnesium and sodium, but it is thought to have anti-inflammatory properties. Sadly, the tree is declining so slippery elm should be reserved for circumstances where alternatives are ineffective. In many instances slippery elm can be substituted with plantain (Plantagosp.) If a more mucilaginous remedy is needed, marshmallow root (Altheaofficinalis) is an excellent alternative. Sustainable sources should always be sought after. DGL has been shown to promote mucus activity. This extra mucus may act as a barrier to acid in the stomach and oesophagus. This barrier can allow damaged tissue to heal and has been thought to prevent future occurrences of acid reflux. DGL is thought to increase: The blood supply to the damaged mucosa The number of cells producing the mucus that protects the mucous membranes The amount of mucus the cells produce The life span of the intestinal cell Not only that, but glycyrrhizin has been shown to inhibit experimentally induced allergenic reactions. In gut physiology, glutamine promotes enterocyte proliferation, regulates tight junction proteins, suppresses pro-inflammatory signalling pathways, and protects cells against apoptosis and cellular stresses during normal and pathologic conditions. N-acetyl glucosamine (NAG) is a natural compound that supports healthy digestive mucus production. NAG has also been shown to support the growth of bifidobacteria, a type of gut-protective bacteria. In human studies, glucosamine has been shown to reduce the inflammation caused by the inflammatory bowel diseases ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease. It is also important to consider how existing medications are affecting gut healing for example, steroid use impairs intestinal absorption which is linked to several gastrointestinal dysfunctions. But, because of their anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive activities, they are often prescribed in cases of allergies or intolerance. Findings here Restore – support the microbiome As the microbiome is key in the development and maintenance of the immune system and more, supporting this is essential, however, the introduction of specific pre and probiotic foods or supplements is sometimes best left for a few weeks into your plan. To learn more about supporting the gut microbiome, check out our blogs below: What Can Cause Gut Dysbiosis? What Can Help Gut Dysbiosis? Replenish – support digestive function Indigestibility of food proteins can also contribute to their antigenic nature, so consider any long-term medication use. For example, proton pump inhibitors affect gastric acid secretion. Ensuring HCL, pepsin and digestive enzymes are in good supply will help get the digestive system back to doing what it does best! If you would like support tackling your pet’s gut health, check out our services to see how we can help. Thanks for reading. MPN Team
We know that there is a clear physiological response to stress, but if this response is the same from body to body, and therefore human to human, why do some of us seem more stressed than others? Our perception of stress can be influenced by environmental, psychological, and genetic factors which all affect our stress load. Most of us are familiar with the phrase “the straw that broke the camel’s back,” or more technically termed, trigger stacking, so let’s take a look at stress load for the pet owner and considerations to make in reducing it. Stress Load There is this concept of allostasis and it is the process of maintaining stability in response to demands – it’s similar in sound to homeostasis, which as we know is the body functioning as it should. Allostatic load is therefore the cumulative burden of stressors; think of it like overload – it is when challenge exceeds the ability to cope. This is generally where the problem lies for many of us. If we are faced with one stress at a time, we manage it, once we miss our alarm, smash a coffee cup, run out of milk, lose the car keys and then get our jumper stuck on the door handle; we get particularly annoyed at the door handle for being there. If we had simply ran out of milk that morning, we would have just made a note to call for some on the way home. But this concept can also happen on a much bigger scale; when we are facing difficult relationships with friends or family, if we are managing a chronic illness of a family member whether this is human or animal, if we are worried about finances or dealing with the loss of a loved one (human or animal). Whilst it’s impossible to “size” stressors, these chronic situations are always lingering in the background – they are always weighing down that one side of the seesaw; making it harder to balance it out on the other side. We already, consistently, have a stress load. Stress as a Contagion Stress is also contagious. This isn’t something we need to notify the World Health Organisation about, but it’s true. It is deemed as co-regulation as species. In an evolutionary sense, it improved survival. If someone in our tribe became aware of a threat, the more sensitive we were to that meant that we too, could act quickly and avoid or manage it. The issue is that we are social beings, and whilst we’re no longer faced with an intruding predator or tribe, we still mirror others. For the most part, this is often described as being an empath – and we’ve all met (or are) those who seemingly take on the stress of others – but it will all add to our load. This also occurs with our pets. We mirror our pet’s stress, just like they mirror ours. Many studies have shown that when tested, pet’s have increased cortisol levels alongside their humans. On the subject of evolution, we also have our genes to thank for how well we manage stress. Inherited Stress Epigenetics is the area of study that looks at, despite DNA remaining constant, how certain exposure can alter gene expression. DNA is like a PDF document and gene expression is like the PDF writer. What the document editor does is largely dependent on their working conditions like environment, nutrition, lifestyle and more. What’s particularly interesting is that in cases of post-traumatic-stress-disorder or PTSD, these individuals could pass on epigenetic changes to their off-spring. In short, trauma could be inherited. This may not be a surprise if you have ever come across a pet who was seemingly raised in the perfect home, but is still a nervous wreck! Could their trauma be inherited after all? This isn’t a cop out – but it’s useful information when understanding our own feelings and behaviour. Stress Genes We have also identified certain genes that can help us understand our response to stress. We know that certain hormones and chemicals are released in the body in response to a trigger; they do their job and then what? Well, they need to be broken down and removed. But the right parts of the body need to get the right instructions for this to occur. The body is relying on that PDF document again. The COMT gene, or more technically known as catechol-O-methyltransferase gene, codes for the enzymes to break down neurotransmitters like dopamine, epinephrine and norepinephrine (that occur in the stress response), and like everything in life, this can be coded slow, fast or just right! The slow variation is more associated with HPA axis dysfunction – meaning you are more sensitive to stress. The catecholamines linger, meaning they have longer to do their thing. If you have a fast variation, you are less stress sensitive, because they are broken down quickly and excreted, but equally, as dopamine is involved in memory and attention, you can have a shorter attention span. There are positive and negatives for both variations – the slow variation may make you more stress sensitive, but you’ll likely have better attentional control. What’s also super interesting is that this genetic coding occurs in our dogs too – so we can have more stress-sensitive dogs, or less stress-sensitive dogs. And whilst we can’t change the gene, we can change how it is expressed – so even if we have fast/slow metabolism of our stress catecholamines, we can make lifestyle choices to support this. As it’s a methylation gene, adequate B-vitamins in the diet are essential, along with appropriate levels of magnesium. A diet rich in leafy greens is one of our favourite tips to support stress responses. In the case of a slow COMT, excess oestrogen can further burden it – so it can be useful to limit oestrogen boosters like xenoestrogens (plastics, pesticides, and chemical compounds), dairy, parabens and often soy. Exercise also requires methylation and increases
We’re all guilty of it, when we bring pets into our lives, we pull out all the stops. We research everything because we want to give them the best life possible and whilst our bank account may be empty, our hearts are full. But, in this process, we often forget to care for ourselves. This is especially true if we are supporting a poorly pet. The issue here is that we can’t pour from an empty cup. The reality is that if we want to care for our pets in the best way possible, we must also care for ourselves. We wanted to share our three non-negotiables when it comes to supporting pet owner health. Sleep! Sleep is vital for health. Sleep not only supports immune function, brain health, muscle recovery and more but it also plays a key role in optimal mental health. Poor sleep is regularly linked to depression, anxiety and other mental health challenges. Sufficient REM sleep facilitates the processing of emotional information too, which can be even more important for us owners supporting a poorly pet. Practicing good sleep hygiene is essential, but we can also consider how our own nutrition influences our sleeping too! Chrononutrition is the study of how when we eat influences our health – for example, shift workers eating during nighttime have reduced insulin tolerance compared to those who eat during the day. Furthermore, rising early, and feeling alert when doing so is linked with better dietary control. In other words, we are more likely to make good food choices if we rise with the sun, and go to bed with the moon. This is particularly important when we consider how our food choices in turn affect how we feel and behave (we’ll look at this a little later). Top Tips for Improved Sleep: – Try grounding – Studies have shown that walking barefoot outside (where safe – think on the grass in the garden) improves both sleep and mood. – Try blue blockers – artificial light suppresses melatonin production and this is the hormone that helps us feel sleepy. Most of us head to bed with our phones or shortly after watching TV for a couple of hours. Consider looking at blue blockers for screen time and try to disconnect from technology completely for a couple of hours before bed. Engaging in that heated discussion on social media just before bed results in your body amping up, not calming down, so be realistic on whether it’s the blue light keeping you awake or what you’re exposing yourself to. – Increase oxygen in your bedroom – some of the best “oxygen boosting” plants include: English Ivy, Aloe Vera, Areca Palm, Snake Plant and Peace Lily. – Avoid excitotoxins in your diet – you tend to find excitotoxins in processed foods, but they do go by a range of names including: carrageenan, MSG, aspartame, E numbers, BHT and other preservatives. Just like the name suggests they ramp up activity in your nervous system – which isn’t ideal if you’re trying to settle for the evening. What’s really interesting is that studies have shown (in the absence of worry and anxiety about said pets), that having pets in our lives improves our sleep efficiency and quality too! We can often get into a much better routine when we have pets in our lives, and routine is key to optimal sleep! Move More! Being dog owners, we tend to head out in all weathers anyway, but this really is so important for our health. Not only the cardiovascular benefits of physical exercise, but just simply being outside in nature. Our species has existed for thousands upon thousands of years – but even the oldest cities have only been around a fraction of that! What this means is that we largely evolved in nature, and this environment therefore shaped our brains – for want of a better phrase, going back to nature almost takes us back to our roots. – Being in nature is seen to improve sleep scores – Spending time in green spaces simply makes us happier – Mental stress scores significantly reduce when we live in urban areas with increased green spaces – Time in nature improves our relationships with others and also cognitive functioning It’s easy to look outside at the pouring rain and opt for some enrichment games instead, especially if your ever-expanding to-do -list is staring back at you, but we know that being in nature supports our stress resilience and tolerance. Heading out for that brisk walk could be just what you need. Regular physical activity can also support our own digestive health. Exercise is known to increase blood flow to our digestive system and it can also modulate metabolism. Not only that but physical activity can help relieve stress, meaning our digestive system can do what it does best with the resources it needs. Regular exercise has also been seen to reduce symptoms of conditions like irritable bowel syndrome in humans. Eat Well! Every cell in every body has a job to do, and to do that job, it needs certain compounds. We get those compounds largely from the diet. If we want to be functioning well enough to care for our pets, then we need to nourish ourselves too! For us owners caring for a poorly pet, we can feel many emotions. Feeling overwhelmed is a form of stress and we know that stress increases the demand placed on the body – you can think of it like a dump of nutrients. Whenever we are stressed, we use nutrients to produce the stress related hormones, and then our body uses many nutrients in order to break them down and safely eliminate them. In cases of chronic stress (and anxiety and depression), we regularly see deficiencies in Omega-3 fatty acids, along with B vitamins, zinc, magnesium and more! Not only that but we regularly see depression and anxiety in those who eat low
Our feline friends can often be left out when we talk about enrichment for pets – we notice plenty of top tips for our dogs, but sometimes end up a little lost when it comes to our cats. So, how can we enrich our cat’s life? We’ve popped together some ideas. Species Appropriate Diet Cats have evolved as hunters that consume prey containing high amounts of protein, moderate amounts of fat, and minimal amounts of carbohydrates. The cat has seemingly evolved as a strict or obligate carnivore; meaning the nutrients they require are found in animal tissue. As such, the consensus is that there is no current nutritional basis for energy to be supplied by carbohydrates; providing other nutrients are being supplied. There is also evidence that there is limited amylase activity in the pancreas and small intestine (even compared to dogs), which may explain why some cats will not tolerate high starch diets. The fact that cats are also defined as hypercarnivores (small carnivorous mammal with a proportionally large brain) indicates they have a high brain glucose demand. This high demand simply could not be met by carbohydrates present in a natural prey diet; and so, cats therefore have a higher rate of gluconeogenesis (the production of glucose from non-carbohydrate sources). It is considered that due to the limited intestinal enzyme capacity, consumption of excessive amounts of digestible carbohydrates will not lead to glucose absorption, but rather a substrate for increased microbial fermentation, causing gastrointestinal adverse effects. In similar tests to dogs, cats are able to target their nutrient intake. When given the choice, they will specifically aim for a high intake of protein. In times of low protein, they will opt for an increased fat intake to achieve balance. When carbohydrate intake was high, this limited intake of other nutrients and resulted in deficits – for that reason, a carbohydrate ceiling was proposed for the cat. What this means, is that your cat will thrive best on a fresh food diet, high in protein and moderate in fat. If you find you have a fussy eater, sometimes engaging in play before mealtimes can mimic you cat’s natural prey drive and increase interest in food. Findings Here Limit Toxin Exposure Whenever the body is exposed to something, it must do something with it. In the case of toxic substances, it must make it less toxic, hence the word detoxification (de=remove or reverse). Detoxification pathways fall into three phases. The first two phases are concerned with breaking down the toxin in the body, and phase three is concerned with excreting it. For us to manage ours and our cat’s toxic load, all three phases need to be working optimally. Phase one is particularly nutrient demanding, and it produces a lot of reactive oxygen species in the process (those cheeky things that result in oxidative damage which destroys and damages cells). Phase two is also nutrient demanding, but drafts in many different processes depending on the compounds being detoxified. Phase three deals with getting rid of them once and for all, and occurs in the gut, skin, liver and kidneys. So, it stands to reason that optimal organ function is helpful here. The issue is that the cat is playing catch up. They aren’t as efficient at these processes as other species, like us, and when we are increasing the toxin burden year on year, it becomes problematic. They have even demonstrated a total inactivation of certain genes responsible for certain phenol detoxification. So, whilst limited toxin exposure is important for us all, it’s even more important for our cats. Where possible, limit exposure to: Plastics Mould Smoke Air pollution Heavy metals VOCs – air fresheners, cleaning products, fabric softeners The Struggle of The Cat in Our Toxic World Is Your Toxic Home Affecting Your Pet Allow Them To Engage in Normal Behaviour All cats are different. They have different energy levels and how they behave will depend on their age, breed and past experiences. But there are a few things that we need to ensure for all cats, no matter what. make sure your cat receives enough mental, social and physical stimulation to satisfy their individual behavioural needs provide your cat with safe toys and regular opportunities to play with friendly people and by themselves make sure that your cat can rest undisturbed if they want to make sure your cat has opportunities to exercise each day provide suitable indoor activities to keep your cat active, if they don’t go outside make sure that your cat can reach all the things that it needs (for example bed, food, water, litter or outdoors) without having to get too close to things, people or other animals that may scare them make sure children allow cats to exhibit normal behaviours too. Let Them Hide Cats get stressed. There is no denying that. But they are often a little more subtle in their anxieties than other animals. As in humans, cats will have the same response to stress. They may choose to fight, flight, or freeze. When they fight, they become aggressive and defensive. Flight will see them withdrawing from the threat and perhaps running away. When cats freeze, they crouch, lie still, and try to avoid any attention. There is a ladder of response in most animals, and this is no different in cats. They will often show subtle signs of discomfort or stress. If the trigger doesn’t disappear, the behaviour will progress. You may start with the flat ears, then the pupils will dilate. You may have a low growl or a silent hiss. Them running off or lashing out with their teeth and claws may be a few steps up the ladder. For some cats, there are triggers which they can’t easily escape from. The most common is a multi-pet home. It is well-established that those cats exposed to dogs report higher stress-hormone levels in their urine. However, some cats have incredible relationships with resident dogs. Generally, if the cat
We’ve all been there, we’re out on a walk and trying to encourage the nose-driven pooch from the scent trail they’ve found. Whilst allowing dogs to sniff is super important for their health, if we’ve already been out 20 minutes longer than planned and cutting it very close to being late for work, we can often wonder if we can use this skill in other ways. Well you can. If you’re stuck in on a rainy or hot day, or simply want to enrich your dog’s life, you can use their incredible nose for some very specific brain games! Read on to learn more about our top five games for nose-driven pooches! 1) Burrito Time! A super-easy one to set up. Grab a towel or a blanket from your closet and grab some treats or freeze/air dried food. Fold the blanket or towel into a fan. So, fold 3-6” of towel back onto itself and continue until you have done it with the whole towel or blanket. Stuff treats or food into the folds. Introduce your dog to the towel or blanket and encourage them to sniff out the treats or food. The idea isn’t to simply drag the towel/blanket, emptying it as you go, but to sniff and nuzzle to get each individual piece of food. 2) Treasure Hunt! With your dog in the same room initially, hide treats or food around your lounge or kitchen. Make them easy to access, so on top of a box or table, or just under a chair. As your dog is seeking them out, label it “hunt” or “seek.” As they understand the purpose of the task, you can make it harder, by placing treats or food in harder to reach places so they need to use their nose; maybe behind a cushion or down the side of a chair etc. Increase the difficulty as they progress. 3) Pot Luck! Start with two plastic cups or plant pots. Hide a treat or piece of food under one of the cups. Encourage your dog to seek out where the food is. They will use their nose to track it. As they get the hang of it you can increase the number of cups or pots and also place the food under more than one cup/pot. You can also leave your dog in another room, set the cups up then let your dog in; here they will only be using their nose as they couldn’t watch where you placed the food. 4) Which Hand? This is a great game if you have kids in the home. You can all get involved. Start with one person having a treat in one closed hand. Your dog will likely seek it out. As soon as they do, reward them with the treat. Then introduce another person, but again only have one treat in one closed hand. You can slowly add more and more people so there is a wall of hands for your dog to seek who is holding the treat. 5) Where’s Your toy? It’s easy to think that those nose-driven pooches will only seek out food, but they will actually seek out their own toys too. Teach your dog the name of their toy by throwing it for them, then as they retrieve it, label the toy. Once they know the name of their toy, you can hide it around the home and ask them to seek it. Place it in easy to reach places initially before working up to harder locations, and don’t let any other dogs play with that particular toy to contaminate it with other scents. As much as you may curse your sniffing dog when you’re running late on a walk, it can be a blessing in disguise when you are looking for new and creative ways to keep them stimulated or enriched. Be patient and set them up to succeed. Progress at their pace but above all, have fun! Let us know if you try any of them – and tag us in your attempts on social media! Thanks for reading, MPN Team
Whether it’s a trail of slobber across your face or you’re sitting in wonder at your dog licking the slate around the fireplace, dogs like to lick. Everything. We find it endearing and a sign of affection when we get a tongue to the ear, or we just assume they’re practicing good hygiene when they are licking their paws. More often than not, only your dog knows why they are licking that rock in the garden. But there are occasions when there is more to licking behaviour. Let’s delve into the world of allergies, stress, pain and just good old-fashioned grooming. Why do dogs lick their paws? If you made a tally of a day in the life of your dog, licking paws would come in pretty high. More often than not, dogs will lick their paws to groom themselves. So, if they’ve come in from their walk or even just from a mooch around the garden, you’ll find them preening themselves and even having a little nibble. This is generally expected behaviour. However, this can become excessive if your dog is irritated by something they walk through or on. Grasses, pollens and toxic chemicals can all cause irritation to their sensitive paws. You also run the risk of salt or antifreeze exposure during extreme weather. Not only does this irritate them externally, but through grooming, they ingest it and can cause subsequent damage internally. It’s always best to rinse your dog’s paws when returning from a walk and give them a towel dry. In extreme climates you can even apply an all-natural paw balm or simply some coconut oil. Dogs will also lick parts of their body that are painful or stiff; so, if your dog has strained or sprained their leg, they may start licking their paw of the affected leg. Long nails can cause pain too, so check your dog thoroughly if the licking is a new behaviour. Dogs In Pain Excessive licking is usually identified by a reddening of the hair on the area being licked, so it’s pretty easy to notice. This is thanks to a protein found in the saliva which stains the hair. It’s not blood, don’t worry. However, excessive licking can cause trauma to the hair and skin, leaving inflamed, red and sore patches. This is why the underlying issue needs to be tackled as soon as possible. Why do dogs lick people? Some dogs lick people, some dogs don’t. How they have been raised plays a huge part in this. Quite often, if a dog has been allowed to lick their owner, they may lick other humans. If, however, an owner doesn’t want this behaviour, then they will ignore it. The dog won’t get a response and often will cease to do it. Those of us crazy dog owners who couldn’t care less whose canine slobber we get covered in, usually become jovial, we smile or laugh. The dog, even in the absence of a “food” reward, is receiving positive reinforcement. Dogs can read human emotion and, maybe, if they think we like being licked, they figure it’s just something they should keep doing. Why do dogs lick faces? It’s impossible to know for certain why dogs like our faces, but we think it comes from their puppyhood. If you notice how Mum Dogs behave with their puppies, they spend a huge time licking them, grooming them. The great thing is, the more a Mum Dog does this, the more resilient her puppy is as they grow. They are also less reactive to stress. It is believed that this behaviour reduces the amount of stress hormones in the puppy’s body. So, we could argue that our dog licks our face because they are imitating the behaviour they experienced. We could also argue that our dogs do it to help soothe us (do they do it more if we are stressed?) The less endearing explanation is that actually, as a dog’s sense of smell is so great, they’ve sniffed out a crumb or remnant of food/drink around our mouths and actually just want a taste. Why do dogs lick your feet? Most will agree, feet are the smelliest part of the human body. In terms of biology, this is pretty accurate. Human feet have more sweat glands per inch than anywhere else on the body. Wearing tight fitting socks and shoes also keeps moisture and heat in, providing a great environment for bacteria to multiply. Dogs have a great sense of smell, so when there could potentially be a great mixture of water, ammonia, potassium, nicotinic acid, magnesium, chloride, sodium, creatinine, uric acid, ascorbic acid, thiamine and riboflavin (also known as sweat) and then a whole host of different bacteria, why wouldn’t your dog have a lick and see what they could find? Dog’s explore their world through smell and sight. Maybe they’re just drawn to the smelliest part of the human body? (we’re not saying you have smelly feet, they can just find more information there). Why do dogs lick the air? Whilst dogs do explore their world through smell, and smell contributes massively to taste experience, it’s unlikely that when your dog is licking the air, they are trying to “taste” the air. They are more likely, stressed. Licking is a stress behaviour for canines. Notice when your dog is licking the air; what is happening in their environment. Is someone touching them? Has someone new come into the home? Are you near their food? Is someone near their toy? Are kids nearby? Have you made a fuss and touched a certain part of their body? This could indicate pain. It’s important to notice the trigger and also watch for other stress behaviours like; drooling, panting, yawning, pacing, head flicking or turning away from the stressor/trigger. Find the trigger and remove it. Licking is a warning signal; ignorance often leads to escalation. Why do dogs lick their nose? Like we mentioned above, this is most likely a sign of
Sadly, there are a colossal number of dogs that suffer with their skin, whether seasonal, or 365 days of the year. So, what on earth is going on? Let’s take a look at the skin in a little more detail, what it is, what its function is and what can go wrong. The skin is actually the largest organ of your dog’s body. It consists of three major layers: The Epidermis – this is the outer layer of skin, the protective layer. The Dermis – this layer supports and nourishes the outer layer. It provides strength and elasticity. Here you will find collagen fibres, sweat glands, sebaceous glands, and hair follicles. Here you will find cells and compounds involved in inflammatory response and therefore allergies. The Subcutis –this in the innermost layer of the skin, here you will find fat and muscles. Subcutaneous fat provides insulation, padding and storage for reserve energy. Not only does the structure of the skin prevent water and electrolyte loss to help maintain body homeostasis, but it forms a protective barrier which helps protect against infections, parasites, and the elements. In dogs, their hair also forms a barrier, therefore hair health is synonymous with skin health, and a dog’s coat type can actually influence skin status. Could My Dog’s Coat Type Contribute to Skin Issues? This protective barrier in fact forms part of the immune system. It is the first line of defence. It does this in two ways: – Through its physical structure – Through its microbiome Gut Guardian The Physical Structure As we have noted, the skin has three layers. Keratinocytes are produced in stem cells and they push their way up through the layers; being smothered in lipids as they go. When they reach the epidermis, they harden and form a tight structure. These eventually shed, and new cells make their way up. Issues arise when this tight structure becomes fragile. We can think of it in a similar thread to leaky gut. What Is The Gut Barrier? In cases of leaky gut, it becomes permeable to larger proteins or pathogens. In short, things from the gut get to places they shouldn’t really be. In leaky skin, the tight structure hasn’t formed, and so potentially harmful compounds can get through the skin layers and go to places they shouldn’t be either. When ours, or our dog’s immune system senses non-self-compounds (those that have gotten through its first line of defence), it mounts an inflammatory response resulting in swelling, itching, pain and so on. If we consider the itchy dog, they gnaw at their paws because they are itchy, this then compromises the skin structure causing further inflammation and so the cycle continues. The other way in which the skin serves to protect is through its microbiome. Not surprisingly when there is dysbiosis in the microbiome of the skin, conditions like atopic dermatitis often ensue. Dysbiosis simply means out of balance. There are good bugs, and bad bugs, and the aim is to keep them in balance. Tackling Atopic Dermatitis In Pets We know that in the canine, there are different species found on different areas of the skin. We also know that the populations found differ between allergic and healthy dogs and that lower diversity is often observed in recurring skin issues in the canine. So, what affects the diversity in the skin microbiome? Colonisation occurs during and immediately after birth. As the newborn puppy moves through the birth canal, he is exposed to a variety of bacteria from the Dam. Once puppy is born and grooming begins, Mum passes even more over to her offspring. What is important to note is that grooming behaviour is significantly reduced in the stressed Mother, and so less microbes are therefore shared with the offspring. This again demonstrates the need to fully research where you have your puppy from. In humans it is thought that the microbiome stabilises somewhat in the first 2-3 years of life, but there isn’t yet a clear answer on this time frame in the canine world. Given the development of a puppy compared to a human child, we can say for certain that those first few months of life are incredibly important. There is also a clear distinction between male and female microbiome, therefore suggesting hormonal influences. This poses food for thought in the neutered pet and how their microbiome is subsequently affected. The environment has a huge impact on the microbiome of the skin. There are noted variations in skin microbial communities between those living rurally and those in urban areas. There is also an increase in chemical use associated with urban living, which also influences the composition of the microbiome. Diversity is significantly reduced with the use of detergents and antibacterial cleaning products. Potentially pathogenic taxa is also increased as there are fewer good guys to keep the bad guys in check. This is why skin issues like acne or dermatitis are deemed western diseases; they simply just aren’t found on the skin of indigenous tribes or on that of individuals from non-industrialised societies. Findings Here Unnecessary use of antibiotics also affects the microbiome, along with excessive use of grooming products and of course nutrition. Does My Dog Have a Gut-Skin Axis? Skin Dysfunction When the physical barrier is broken, non-self-compounds can invade the body, kick-starting an inflammatory response. This results in redness, swelling and so on. These can be pathogens, but they can also be irritants. These irritants need to be managed by the body, but in some cases the burden can be too high and so the body remains in a state of chronic inflammation. This is why removing environmental exposure to toxins is so important in managing skin issues. Does My Pet Need To Detox? Skin issues often go hand in hand with food sensitivities, and so an elimination diet here is essential. Elimination Diets For Dogs But skin issues can also be a result of pain. Some dogs will nibble and chew at
Let’s take a trip back to the late 1800s. Whilst Coca Cola was sold in bottles for the first time in 1894, we still hadn’t made that much progress with animal testing. Marie De Manaceine was fascinated with sleep deprivation. She had established that mental disturbance resulted from partial insomnia, but she wanted to know more. So, in her Lab, she recruited puppies. 10 to be specific; aged 2, 3 or 4 months old. Whilst they continued to be fed by their mother, she kept them in constant activity. In short, she deprived them totally of sleep. After 96-120 hours, the puppies were irreparably lost. What is interesting (despite it being macabre), is that when puppies were starved, they could be saved after 20-25 days. This wasn’t possible when they were sleep deprived. Sleep is an essential part of your puppy’s life. Why Sleep Is So Important For Puppies Returning to Marie’s study, she found that sleep deprivation significantly affected the puppy’s brains. When they were starved, the brain was left almost spared. But, in the absence of sleep, fat degeneration, blood vessel abnormalities and haemorrhaging occurred. In short, when the rest of the body is negatively affected by malnutrition, to an extent it can be saved. However, when the brain is affected, it is fatal. The brain is the command centre for the nervous system. It is divided into three main sections; the brain stem which controls basic life functions, the cerebrum, which is responsible for decision making and the cerebellum which controls movement. We know how a diet limited in lipids can detrimentally affect the brain and contribute to neurological disease, but sleep deprivation still had a worst impact in these puppies. Findings Here Sleep is essential to many vital functions. It plays a part in energy conservation, brain waste clearance, immune system modulation, cognition, performance, disease and psychological state. Many studies since Marie’s, have demonstrated that sleep loss (not deprivation) during development can result in reduced brain mass, neuronal death and subsequent behavioural problems. Impaired sleep is also a contributing factor in cases of cancer and diabetes. It can also affect how an animal responds to infection and heals wounds. The long and the short of it, sleep is essential to life. Without it, it massively affects the control centre that is your brain and can cause a range of knock on health problems further down the line. This is even more vital for puppies. It is clear that puppies undergo much more rapid development than the equivalent human child/baby; for example, the average 7-week old puppy would be as developed as a 9-month old human baby. Dogs are also said to be fully matured anywhere between 1-2 years of age (depending on breed). Human brain maturation doesn’t occur until around 25 years of age. Findings Here Dogs have a lot more developing to do in a shorter period of time than us humans. For us to reach full maturation, as with dogs; we undergo cognitive changes, emotional challenges and physical transformations. Sleep is necessary for all of the above. Puppies need to consolidate what they have learnt that day. Whether it is a new trick or simply to avoid chewing the legs of the chair. Puppies need their bones to grow and their muscles to recover from that mad dash around the garden. Puppies eat most things they can get their muzzles around. Some of it may not be particularly nutritional, but they need their immune system strong to fight off any bacteria they accidentally pick up in the park when licking the bench! Puppies need to store memories. That lorry at the end of the street isn’t as scary as it seems and the vacuum is perfectly safe, just a little noisy. Sleep helps them do this. Puppy Sleep Habits This is why puppies spend a most of their first months, asleep. It’s purely down to the colossal amount of developing they need to do in such a short period of time. Adult dogs, in a laboratory setting, when left, will sleep on average for around 13 hours per day. They are diurnal, which means they are active during daylight hours. Rest occurs during dark periods with activity increasing the two hours before light. Dogs have a natural rest period around noon and then reduced activity during the afternoon. Findings Here Puppies can sleep anywhere between 18-20 hours per day. Again, you will notice higher activity in the morning and then rest, with reduced activity around noon and into the afternoon. Puppies will sleep generally after they have been playing or learning new skills; if they have just been out for a walk or have just eaten. The important thing is to follow your puppies lead. And, leave a sleeping puppy, sleep. Interestingly, the experiences that your puppy has can affect the type and quality of sleep they experience though. Studies have found that after a negative experience, dogs will fall asleep more quickly. It is thought that this is a protective sleep in response to stress. This should be in the forefront of your mind throughout your puppy’s development. It’s all too easy to attribute an “exhausted” dog to the busyness of the day. Be mindful, their sleeping habits could be more indicative of their experience. Findings Here Night Time Sleeping vs Day Time Napping Many owners see official sleep time as that experienced during the night. This is more appropriate for adult dogs because puppies need the same consideration throughout the day too. Where you want your dog to sleep is entirely personal preference. Some owners would rather crate train, some would rather not. Some owners are happy having their dog sleep in bed with them, some are not. Just be mindful, if you intend on crate training and you work; that is a huge part of the day that your dog will be spending in a crate. Crates are great for keeping your puppy safe when you are unable to supervise,
Speak to any dog owner who has had the pleasure of those puppy years and you will hear about how that lapse in attention resulted in a chewed leg chair or a demolished sandal. Owners will say, “they’re just teething!” or “It’s just how they make sense of the world!” Is this true? We wanted to explore why puppies bite, nip and mouth and share some top tips on how to stop them. So, why do puppies bite? If you pay close attention to puppies playing, they use their mouths. All the time. There is a good reason for this, but to understand fully, we must look at their teeth in a little more detail. Puppy Teeth 101 Puppies are born without teeth. At 2-3 weeks old, a puppy’s milk teeth will start to come through. These will be the incisors. Puppies should have a total of 12 incisors, 6 on the top and 6 on the bottom of the mouth. 4 weeks will see the development of their 4 canine teeth. These are those sharp long teeth. At any time between 3 and 6 weeks old, you should see them develop their pre-molars. By the time they reach 8 weeks old, your puppy should have a complete set of milk teeth. 28 in total. 12 incisors 4 canines 12 pre-molars 14 in the upper jaw and 14 in the lower jaw. That’s a lot of teeth for a small puppy! And so sharp! Why are puppy’s teeth so sharp? There are two reasons for this. Anyone who has been nipped by a puppy will remember those pin prick teeth. Consider the nursing Mother. When those first sharp teeth start coming through, they will start to irritate the Mother making her reluctant to nurse and want to move away from her puppies, leaving them to search for alternative food sources. This is when the weaning phase starts. Those sharp teeth are the first step for those puppies becoming independent. They learn that they need to seek out other food sources. Their survival depends on it. Sharp teeth don’t only irritate their Mother, they also annoy their siblings. Which leads us into the other reason puppies bite and why you will constantly see puppies using their mouths whilst playing. Puppy biting aids the learning of bite inhibition. It is crucial that puppies learn bite inhibition, this is where they learn to limit the force and strength of their bite. It teaches them that other dogs and humans are fragile. A dog has one defence and that is to bite. Every dog is capable of biting out of fear and anxiety, bite inhibition is a vital technique to limit the damage a dog can do. When puppies are playing together; chewing and nipping, if they bite just a little too hard, those sharp teeth will hurt their sibling. You will often hear a loud squeal or yelp. This tells the offending puppy that it was a little too hard. Play after this interaction will usually stop, so by trial and error, puppies learn that when they bite hard, play stops (the good thing goes away). So if they want the good thing to continue, it’s in their interest to not hurt their sibling. Findings Here So those sharp teeth kick start the weaning phase through their Mother’s reluctance to nurse and they also aid the learning of social etiquette. The reason this learning starts so young can be explained through their further development. Specifically of their jaw formation and also growing their adult teeth. From 8-12 weeks onwards, your puppy should start losing their puppy teeth. This is due to the adult teeth forming and pushing the milk teeth out. You may find some around the house, but most puppies tend to swallow them. This can be a pretty painful time for your puppy, so offering puppy safe things to chew and soothe is super important. Frozen carrots or cucumber are great soothers! This is a good time to double check the adult teeth are forming properly and also to check they have a normal bite. The normal bite of a dog is termed a “scissor bite.” This is because the upper incisors sit in front of the lower incisors when the mouth is closed. However, it is common for short muzzled dogs to have a reverse scissor bite where the lower incisors sit in front of the upper incisors. Most of their teeth will have fallen out by the time they are 6-8 months old and they should have a mouth full of adult teeth. 42 teeth in total. 12 incisors 4 canines 16 pre-molars 10 molars You will notice that the molars are new. Puppies don’t need molars, but adult dogs do. Incisors are needed to rip meat and scrape it off bones. Canines are for puncturing prey. The molars are for grinding and crushing. With the extra teeth and the addition of those for grinding and crushing, it is possible to see why bite inhibition in puppies is so vital. No one wants to be bitten by any of those teeth! It’s not just the teeth that we should be worried about, it is also the strength of the jaw. Thankfully, puppies have weak jaws. They haven’t developed fully. Jaw-adductor muscles generate the main biting force in dogs. As puppies grow, these muscles get stronger. Bite force therefore increases. Findings Here So we can see why learning bite inhibition at an early stage is important. Dogs who learn how to use their mouth gently are less likely to bite hard or break skin if they do ever bite a person out of fear or anxiety. But outside of mother and sibling interactions, how do we teach bite inhibition? If your puppy nips or mouths at you during play, withdraw attention. Turn away from them. Remember that trial and error, when I bite hard, the good thing goes away? Whilst your puppy is playing appropriately, let play continue. You
Obesity is a huge problem in the pet world. Whilst official figures are quite reserved in their rates, the true number of pets who are obese or overweight is worrying. Being overweight increases the risk factors for developing: Cancer Diabetes Heart disease Osteoarthritis and degeneration of joints Urinary bladder stones Surgery complications Respiratory difficulties Kidney disease All things considered, it’s easy to see why obesity significantly reduces lifespan and why it is something that really needs to be addressed. What is Obesity? Obesity is defined as an accumulation of excessive amounts of adipose tissue. It is generally a state of positive energy balance. When food is ingested, it is digested and metabolised. The body uses the nutrients it needs and converts the main macronutrients to energy. On a simplistic level, it could be argued that obesity is the result of eating more food than is needed to carry out normal daily activities. However, we know that obesity is far more complex than this. Whilst this can be an issue for some pets, we must also consider other factors which contribute to weight gain in pets. Obese Microbes When we said obesity is multifactorial, we weren’t kidding. Studies have demonstrated that transplanting the microbes from an overweight mouse to a lean mouse, would subsequently make the lean mouse, fat. Findings here The suggestion is that the presence of a particular gut microbial community may affect how much energy is extracted from the diet. Antibiotics of course play a role in this. Studies have shown that treatment with antibiotics markedly influences body composition. In short, low diversity in the gut is associated with marked overall adiposity. There are a range of factors that can contribute to low diversity in the gut including: Maternal grooming behaviour Newborn environment Medications/antibiotics Diet Environmental toxins Stress Microbes can also drive hunger. In short, they secrete proteins that generate cravings for the substances they thrive on. Many processed foods are calorie dense but not nutrient dense. This is worth considering for the hungry dog who never appears to be satisfied. Predisposing Genes There is also a polymorphism found on four genes that can contribute to canine obesity. Not surprisingly one particular variant is found in some Labradors. This variant regulates how the brain recognises hunger and feelings of being full. Findings here This doesn’t mean that these dogs are destined to be obese, what it means is that their environment needs more modification than those dogs who don’t possess the variant. Hormones It seems that, on a simplistic level, certain hormones cause fat cells to suck up fatty acids more readily than they otherwise would or slow down the rate at which triglycerides are converted back. Both oestrogen and testosterone have been shown to decrease the rate at which certain cells take up free fatty acids, which results in keeping the fat cells relatively small (and why in humans you will notice differences in fat gain between males and females). This is why after neutering your pet, you are advised to monitor their weight as more often than not, they gain weight. Thyroid Issues The thyroid gland releases hormones that regulate your dog’s metabolism, so a thyroid condition could cause your dog to rapidly gain weight if it reduces the amount of hormones being produced. This condition is known as hypothyroidism and can cause weight gain, lethargy, dull or dry coat, or oily, greasy skin. Hypothyroidism in Pets Cushing’s Disease Cushing’s disease in dogs, also known as hyperadrenocorticism, is a condition where a dog’s body produces too much of the stress hormone cortisol. Hyper meaning too much, adreno meaning the adrenal gland and corticism refers to the outer part, or cortex of the adrenal gland. Cushing’s in dogs is the opposite to Addison’s disease, which is when the body doesn’t produce enough hormones. Cushing’s Disease in Dogs Generally if your dog is gaining weight over a period of time, it is worth looking at their food intake compared with their activity levels. If you see a more rapid onset of weight gain, it could be worth getting your dog checked over for any underlying health issues. Check out our blogs for managing obesity in pets: Obesity in Pets – Part One Obesity in Pets – Part Two If you are concerned about your pet’s health, then check out our services to see how we can help. Thanks for reading, MPN Team
