Here at My Pet Nutritionist, we love to take an in-depth look at all organs and systems within the body in an approach to overall health and well-being in pets. As part of our mission to help pet owners keep their pets in the best health possible, some of our blog posts are designed to target one specific part of the body – this blog post take a deep dive into everything liver! Learn what the liver is, what it does, common complaints we see within our customer base, and how to support the liver through diet and lifestyle changes! Liver Structure The liver is the largest internal organ in the body. It is found inside the ribcage of dogs and cats, just below the diaphragm, and while it is a rough triangle-type shape, it is soft, and takes the impression of the surrounding organs including the gallbladder, stomach, pancreas duodenum and the right kidney. It is a large organ, and consists of 6 lobes. Each lobe is made up of many ‘hepatic lobules’, and each lobule holds a large number of blood filled, sac-like cavities called sinusoids. Due to this structure, the liver is a spongey texture, and is able to hold large amounts of blood, which gives the organ a deep red colour. There are two ways fluids travel into the liver; both major blood vessels! The first, known as the Portal Vein takes nutrient rich blood from the gastrointestinal tract into the liver, however this vessel also brings the not-so-beneficial products of chemicals and drugs into the liver too! The other major vessel is called the Hepatic Artery, which delivers oxygen rich blood from the heart and lungs, into the liver. Just like routes into the liver, there are two ‘exits’ too! Hepatic Veins carry blood out of the liver, whereas the Bile Ducts take bile (a yellow coloured digestive substance made in the liver, and stored in the gallbladder) out of the liver, and into the gallbladder. The liver can also self-regenerate if it is compromised through trauma!’ Findings Here Findings Here Findings Here What Does the Liver Do? The liver has many major functions within the body, affecting various aspects of health. Let’s take a look at these: Bile Production: the liver plays an enormous role in digestion. It produces bile, a yellow coloured digestive juice, which is absolutely essential for the digestion of fats in the small intestine and nutrient absorption. Metabolism: the liver’s role in metabolism includes breaking down protein, fat and carbohydrates in order for the body to be able to use them as energy. The energy gained through this metabolic process is stored in the liver as glycogen which is released when required. Vitamins and minerals are also stored by the liver, and inactive forms of these are made active. Blood Detoxification: the liver is the body’s very own toxin removal system! When there are unwanted substances in the blood, the liver removes them from the body. As part of this function, the liver also breaks down any medications in order to eliminate the toxins. Filtration from digestive tract: not only does the liver filter the blood for toxins, but it also filters blood from the digestive tract. Blood Clotting: the liver is home to a variety of proteins which clot blood. These proteins include various coagulation factors, fibrinogen, and prothrombin. Immune aid: the liver plays a role in the immune system too! Some essential proteins and enzymes used in the immune system are produced in the liver. Blood storage: finally, due to the liver’s texture and storage capacity in the sinusoids, it is excellent for storage of blood which it releases if required. Findings Here Findings Here Findings Here Common Liver Complaints Many of our customers come to us for help with their dog’s liver problems. We have helped to support those with a wide range of liver complaints over the years. Some of the most common complaints we see are: Liver Disease: liver disease has many possible underlying causes including genetics, hepatitis, liver tumours, infections or toxin exposure, including from medications and some plants. Liver disease can have a lot of knock on effects on the body including disturbances in filtering toxins, difficulties storing nutrients, and reduced digestive capabilities. Symptoms include increased thirst (polydipsia) and urination (polyuria), vomiting, reduced appetite, rapid weight loss, and jaundice (yellowing of the skin). Diagnosis is sought via a combination of blood test, imaging, and sometimes biopsy of the liver to discover the underlying cause. Liver Shunts: clinically, these are referred to as portosystemic shunts. Dogs with liver shunts have abnormal blood vessels which bypass the liver, meaning the liver cannot perform it’s job of filtration of, or nutrient metabolism from the blood efficiently. Liver shunts can be congenital defects (present from birth), or caused by some types of liver disease. Symptoms of liver shunts include vomiting, diarrhoea, hypersalivation, stunted growth, reduced coordination, seizures, and behavioural changes. Blood tests and imaging (including ultrasound and CT scans) are used to diagnose a liver shunt. Hepatitis: this condition is a chronic inflammatory condition in the liver, often caused by infection, toxin exposure, or immune dysfunction. There are various types of hepatitis, the most infectious one being Adenovirus Type 1 which is potentially life-threatening! Fever, lethargy, vomiting, jaundice, and enlarged liver are all common symptoms of hepatitis. Lifelong liver damage can occur depending on the severity of infection. To diagnose this condition, imaging, blood tests and often liver biopsies are performed. Liver Cancer: liver cancer can be classed as ‘primary’ in which the abnormal cells originate inside the liver itself, or ‘metastatic’ where the abnormal cells spread from other parts of the body. Reduced appetite, weight loss bloating and lethargy are the initial symptoms one can expect, and these may not be clearly linked to liver cancer. More advanced symptoms of liver cancer are those of liver failure. Biopsies, imaging and blood tests are used to diagnose the condition. Acute Liver Failure: the term ‘acute’ refers
Here at My Pet Nutritionist, we know that a healthy gut microbiome is the most important aspect to keeping your dog healthy all round! There is so much to learn about the gut microbiome – what it really is, what it consists of, what other parts of the body it interacts with, and what happens when it’s not in tip top condition. Many of our readers will notice that most of our blogs mention the microbiome, so this blog post is a full round up of everything gut microbiome related, in one easy read! What is the Gut Microbiome? Every dog has a gut microbiome. It’s one of the most important parts of your dog in terms of digestion and overall health, from joints to skin, to the brain and immunity. The microbiome is a community of microbes, including good and bad bacteria, viruses, and fungi. The gut microbiome is very carefully balanced. Some of the microbes found in a healthy gut microbiome are ones we would typically class as ‘bad’ which have health conditions associated with them, including bad bacteria such as Salmonella, and Clostridia. Viruses and Fungi are typically classed as ‘bad’ microbes too, but are still part of a healthy microbiome. Good bacteria such as Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium and Enterococcus are all found in abundance in the healthy canine gut microbiome – these beneficial bacteria are found in high enough numbers to outweigh the negative impact of the bad microbes found in the gut. A healthy gut microbiome means the ‘good guys’ outweigh the ‘bad guys’. Health problems begin to emerge when the gut microbiome is knocked out of balance, allowing for gut dysbiosis to occur. Gut dysbiosis can lead to a host of health problems including reduced skin and joint health, increased digestive issues, and prominent or mild negative behavioural changes. Findings Here Findings Here Interactions Between the Gut Microbiome and the Rest of the Body The health of the gut microbiome is a huge part of overall health – but why is this? You may be wondering how gut health could impact so many other parts of the body, so let’s take a closer look at these! We can look at the gut as a ‘roundabout’. Roundabouts have multiple exits – these ‘exits’ stemming from the gut are collectively called Axes; and these link to other parts of the body to form a two-way pathway/link from the gut. The main axes are: The Gut-Skin Axis: this pathway connects the gut to the skin, and the skin to the gut. If we start at the gut and work our way to the skin, we can see that poor gut health can cause or exacerbate skin conditions. Going to other way; from skin to gut, we unfortunately have the risk of gut microbiome damage caused by external exposure to toxins, whether they’re from laundry detergents, household cleaning products, external flea and tick medications, or other environmental toxins. The Gut-Joint Axis: this pathway connects the gut to the musculoskeletal system, and the musculoskeletal system to the gut. An imbalance in the gut microbiome can be connected to poor joint health, especially in cases of osteoarthritis due to the increase in inflammation around the joints. In a poorly balanced gut, there is often an increased risk of pro-inflammatory cytokines and inflammatory metabolites being produced, which are the main cause of poor joint health in dogs. The Gut-Brain Axis: this is the bidirectional pathway between the brain and the gut. This pathway has connections both physically, and chemically. In terms of physical connections, the Vagus Nerve is the main avenue for carrying signals between the two locations. Chemically, the healthy gut produces neurotransmitters and hormones, which move between the brain and gut. Mood, response to stress, and digestion are three of the main roles of the gut-brain axis. It is also important to note that around 70-80% of the immune system is found in the gut! Keeping the gut microbiome healthy, and perfectly balanced means the immune system, and therefore overall health of an individual remains stable. Findings Here Findings Here Findings Here Findings Here What Happens When the Gut Microbiome is Unhealthy? When the Gut Microbiome is unhealthy, a host of health conditions can occur. As previously mentioned, an unhealthy gut microbiome is unbalanced; and this condition is called Gut Dysbiosis. Gut Dysbiosis occurs when the ‘bad microbes’ outweigh the ‘good microbes’. Here’s some health concerns that we see a lot in those with an unhealthy gut microbiome: Food sensitivities: when the gut microbiome is unbalanced, food sensitivities are common due to increased gut permeability; known as Leaky Gut. When the gut integrity is poor, food particles leak into the bloodstream which encourages the body to create an immune response, presenting as food sensitivities. Yeast: yeast cells are naturally present in the gut; they’re called Candida. When Candida is present, and there’s not enough of the good microbes to keep these in check, a yeast infection will often occur. Symptoms include rust coloured paws, ears and groin, cheesy smelling feet, and itching among others. Digestive problems: digestive upset including diarrhoea and vomiting is common in those with an unhealthy gut microbiome, due to the abundance of ‘bad’ microbes and a lack of ‘good’ ones to keep the effects of the bad ones at bay. Many dogs also suffer with Small Intestine Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO) which contributes to these symptoms. Bad breath: a lot of owners assume their dog’s bad breath is caused by poor dental hygiene, however this is often not the case. Bad breath can emanate from the gut, in those with poor gut health. When the gut microbiome is unbalanced, the overgrowth of harmful bacteria in the gut results in the production of VSCs; Volatile Sulphur Compounds, which cause bad breath. Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD): when the gut microbiome is unbalanced, inflammation occurs as a result. This inflammation often leads to chronic inflammatory conditions such as IBD. Other gastrointestinal conditions occur due to this too, however IBD
Here at My Pet Nutritionist, we consult for a huge number of families with an enormous variety of health concerns in their pets. Once diagnosed by a veterinarian, our packages aim to support your pet with a more natural view. One of the conditions we are asked about a lot, is Hypophosphatemia. This is a condition that occurs in both dogs and cats, so this blog may be a handy read for both owners of cats and dogs. Hypophosphatemia is the clinical term for low phosphorous levels being present in the blood. This condition is far more common in dogs than it is in cats. Hypophosphatemia is associated with a host of other health conditions, and can cause a variety of health conditions in itself. Some of the conditions commonly caused by Hypophosphatemia include: Bone Diseases: Rickets is a bone disease often caused by low phosphorous levels, and is specifically a bone growth disease – it ultimately causes bone softening to occur, as well as deformities, especially in puppies and kittens! Another common bone disease caused by Hypophosphatemia is Osteomalacia which is a very similar bone softening disease, but found more commonly in adults. Muscle Weakness: muscles may become weaker, and the pet may become more physically unstable, and may appear slimmer with little muscle tone. Respiratory problems: in rare, severe cases, respiratory issues can occur as a result of low blood phosphorous. Heart Failure: another rare condition to come of low phosphorous levels, in the more severe cases. Seizures: again, while rare, seizures can occur as a direct result of severe Hypophosphatemia. Findings Here Findings Here Symptoms and Causes The clinical presentation of Hypophosphatemia changes depending on the severity of the deficiency in your pet. The trickier side of these symptoms, is that they are common in a variety of health issues, not just Hypophosphatemia! This can make diagnosis more difficult. If your pet has mild Hypophosphatemia, you can expect to see some of, or all of the following symptoms: Muscle weakness: a change in gait, difficulty climbing stairs, weakness when getting up from a bed or laying position, or difficulty standing for long periods. Reduced, or total loss of appetite: pets may have a reduced appetite, or stop eating all together. Lethargy: unwillingness to be active for usual periods of time. Pets may be less alert. Disorientation: leaning or wobbling when standing may occur Findings Here If your pet has severe Hypophosphatemia, you may see the above symptoms, as well as some of the following: Seizures: neurological activity can occur due to the lack of phosphorous in the blood. Ataxia: loss of coordination is another possible neurological symptom often seen in those with a severe deficiency of phosphorous in the blood. Constipation: this can occur due to paralysis of the intestines, meaning faecal matter cannot be pushed through the digestive system in order to be expelled. This condition is called Ileus. Irregular Heartbeat: arrythmias can be detected by your vet using a stethoscope. This is a symptom of severe blood phosphorous deficiency. Haemolytic anaemia and Haemolysis: abnormalities in red blood cell counts during bloodwork may show red blood cell destruction. These conditions are a symptom of severe Hypophosphatemia. Breathing difficulties: these often come hand in hand with heart conditions, and are a symptom of Hypophosphatemia. Findings Here When we look into the possible causes of Hypophosphatemia, there are a number of possible reasons for it’s onset. Let’s take a look at them: Dietary Deficiencies: if the pet’s diet is lacking in phosphorous, hypophosphatemia is a risk. This may be found in those fed a poor quality diet. Renal Disease: disease in the kidneys can cause hypophosphatemia through two pathways – increased excretion of phosphorous in urine, and reduced ability to reabsorb phosphorous in the kidneys. Hyperparathyroidism: when the parathyroid gland (which is involved in the calcium:phosphorous ratio) is overactive, phosphorous loss is increased. Cushing’s Disease (Hyperadrenocorticism): phosphorous imbalances are common in those with Cushing’s Disease. Fatty Liver Disease (Hepatic Lipidosis): this disease in cats is a contributor to phosphorous loss. Diabetic Ketoacidosis: severe phosphorous loss can be caused by this condition which occurs as a result of complications in diabetic animals. Poor Intestinal Absorption: in those with poor gut health, absorption of phosphorous in the gut can cause deficiencies. Phosphorous Redistribution: deficiencies in phosphorous occur when there is a shift from extracellular fluid (the blood) to intracellular fluid (the cells in the body) Specific Intravenous Therapies: some IV fluids can cause a reduction in phosphorous in the blood. Findings Here Findings Here Findings Here Diagnosis Diagnosis of Hypophosphatemia is a simple process. Your veterinarian will take a blood sample, and analyse it. The test is called a ‘Serum Phosphate Test’. Once this analysis is complete, your vet will inform you as to whether your pet’s phosphorous levels are within the ‘normal’ range of results. Findings Here Conventional Treatment When it comes to treatment your vet may offer, they will first and foremost look at underlying causes. Each individual cause will have a different treatment plan, so it is important to work with your vet on these. Depending on the severity of your pet’s Hypophosphatemia, phosphorous supplementation will be advised. More severe cases may have phosphorous supplementation intravenously, but most cases will be advised to give oral supplements. Some veterinarians will also advise on changing your pet’s diet to one with extra phosphorous. Frequent check ups will be carried out by your veterinary team to keep an eye on your pet’s blood phosphorous levels. Findings Here Findings Here A Natural Approach to Hypophosphatemia As always, our approach is often supported by veterinary care, so we tend to look at this as a complementary approach as opposed to alternative. Here are some of our considerations: Feed fresh: Poor dry food will most likely be lacking in various micronutrients despite its ‘complete and balanced’ label. Nutrient levels may be affected due to the numerous periods of exposure to high heat and the subsequent nutrient loss. Synthetic nutrients are often sprayed
There are so many reasons why your dog may have diarrhoea. At My Pet Nutritionist, we help lots of owners with dogs with frequent diarrhoea, and some common causes seem to come up more than others during client consultations. In this blog post, you will find information about the most common causes of diarrhoea in dogs. Diarrhoea is generally a symptom of a physiological stressor; a huge amount of conditions come under this. This blog post only touches the most common reasons we see in practice, however the cause of diarrhoea is certainly nowhere near limited to these issues – seeking veterinary attention if your dog has recurring diarrhoea is essential, in order to rule out any longer term, or more serious health problems. Parasitic Burdens Parasitic burdens, whether they’re intestinal worms, or protozoan parasites like giardia, often cause diarrhoea; in fact, diarrhoea is one of the most common symptoms of parasitic burdens. How do we know if our pets have parasitic burdens? So many pet parents are shocked when they’re informed their pet has parasites, purely on the basis that they cannot see them in the pet’s poop. Intestinal worms are only visible in the faeces if the burden is high. Diarrhoea can start to develop as soon as there are parasite eggs in the digestive tract – these are microscopic, so cannot be seen with the naked eye! Now, your veterinarian can run a faecal egg test, but you can also do these at home! There are various companies from whom you can order a sampling kit from. You simply follow the instructions, pop a poop sample in the provided pot, and pop it in the post back to the company you ordered from. Their laboratories will then look at your dog’s sample under the microscope, record the results, and return them via email. Some companies include protozoan parasites as standard, but others require a separate test for these. Lungworm counts are separate sampling kits, and require a pooled sample over the course of 3 days. It’s advisable to test for intestinal worms every 3 months, and lungworm every 6 to 8 weeks. Depending on the result of your wormcount, you may be able to treat it using GSE – we recommend the BioCare Grapefruit Extract. Heavier burdens may require veterinary intervention. You can read more about internal parasites in our comprehensive blog post here. Findings Here Findings Here Food Sensitivities Food sensitivities are an extremely common topic here at My Pet Nutritionist. We help a huge amount of owners overcome their pets’ dietary troubles when it comes to allergies and intolerances. Food allergies are caused by a malfunction of the immune system, whereas food intolerances are usually down to poor gut health, especially in cases of Leaky Gut where the gut wall integrity is poor. The gut microbiome is very fragile, and is ever so important for all round general health as 70-80% of the immune system resides in the gut. The microbiome as a whole, includes everything from good and bad bacteria, to parasites viruses etc, but a health gut microbiome is in perfect balance, where the ‘good guys’ out weigh the ‘bad guys’. When a dog has poor gut health, and in turn has food sensitivities, the ‘bad guys’ start to overrule the ‘good guys’, which then leads to diarrhoea. In order to work on food sensitivities, and rule out problematic ingredients form your dog’s diet, it is advisable to run a full elimination diet, and carry out lots of gut work through the use of mucilage herbs and probiotics, which will help to heal the gut wall, and improve the amount of ‘good guys’ in the gut microbiome, ultimately reducing the risk of diarrhoea and possible bacterial infections. Our Gut Guardian supplement is a high quality blend of mucilage herbs, soil based probiotics, and calming chamomile. Gut Guardian You can read more on running an elimination diet here. Findings Here Findings Here IBD and Lymphoplasmacytic Gastritis Another common topic among our clients in their consultations with the team is IBD – Inflammatory Bowel Disease. An extreme case of IBD can be diagnosed as Lymphoplasmacytic Gastritis. Lymphoplasmacytic Gastritis is a chronic form of IBD, whereby inflammatory cells and cytokines (the substance which stimulates inflammation of cells) penetrate the stomach and intestinal lining. As you can imagine, when inflammatory cells enter the digestive system, it causes havoc! The inflammatory cells invade the stomach and intestinal lining due to having been subject to an abnormal immune response. There is a huge link to the lymphatic system in the gut too; which means a knock on effect to the rest of the body is very likely. Lymphoplasmacytic Gastritis happens most commonly in older dogs, but has been known in dogs as young as 8 months old. There are a number of causes of this condition, including the adorementioned parasitic burdens and food sensitivities, as well as Small Intestine Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO) whereby the bad bacteria in the small intestine’s microbiome overtake the goof bacteria, leading to diarrhoea. As with food sensitivities, gut health is very important in tackling this disease, and got work supplements are highly recommended. Reducing environmental toxins is also paramount in your journey to a better belly! You can read more about Lymphoplasmacytic Gastritis here. Findings Here Findings Here Stress and Anxiety Stress and anxiety can massively affect the gut. The gut is much like a roundabout, with a large number of axes stemming from it to other parts of the body, linking gut health to nearly every other system within the body! When it comes to stress, anxiety, and even excitement (when adrenaline is high), the gut-brain axis is in focus. The gut-brain axis means that stress, anxiety and excitement can affect the gut microbiome, and a bad gut microbiome can also have an affect on brain health and mood. Calm Complex If your dog gets particularly excited or stressed for their walks, you may find they have a loose stool, despite being
At My Pet Nutritionist, we help a lot of worried pets owners who’s feline and canine companions have a condition called Pica. Pica can be indirectly life threatening, so we are here to raise awareness of what it is, why it happens, and how we can reduce risk in your pets! What is Pica, and What Causes It? Pica is a compulsive behavioural condition, whereby the pet craves inedible objects. Being a compulsive behavioural disorder, Pica can be very tricky to combat, and requires the help of one, or many professionals, from force free behaviourists to pet nutritionists like us. Underlying illnesses can very much trigger pica in pets, and this is the side we can help you with most. Some of the items commonly ingested by pets with Pica include stones/rocks, dirt, garbage, paper, socks, other fabric items, even walls and plasterboard, or licking paintwork. Faeces is another, which we delve a little deeper into next! As the items often consumed by pets with Pica are often not digestible, they can cause a host of symptoms relating to gut damage, gastric ulceration, internal blockages, and other internal health worries. Symptoms of a secondary health problem include: Vomiting Constipation Diarrhoea Fishy or metallic breath Excessive drinking Excessive drooling Lip licking ‘Downward dog’ position, denoting gastrointestinal pain Burping Changes in behaviour (dogs will often seem ‘low’, cats will often hide) Lethargy When it comes to underlying medical causes of Pica, there are quite a few conditions that can be associated, such as: Lack of nutritional balance leading to malnutrition (likely the most common cause) Kidney disease Immune Mediated Haemolytic Anaemia (IMHA) Parasitic burdens Inflammatory Bowed Disease (IBD) or Lymphatic Gastritis Iron Deficiency Over active thyroid (hyperthyroidism) Diabetes Leaky Gut/poor gut health Gastrointestinal tumours Findings Here Findings Here Those on certain anti seizure medications such as phenobarbital, some pain medications, corticosteroid medications, and some anti-cancer treatments like chemotherapy may also experience Pica. Findings Here Findings Here If we look at causes from a behavioural point of view, it can be particularly common in those with separation anxiety, those lacking mental or physical stimulation, and those lacking appropriate socialization leading to stress. These are all areas to be worked on with a qualified, force free behaviourist, for which specialists in both dogs and cats are available. Coprophagia, A Type of Pica Now, those who are serial faeces eaters, do still have Pica, but a specific type of Pica, known as Coprophagia. Coprophagy occurs more in females than it does in males, and more commonly in dogs than cats. Coprophagy can be normal, specifically in the case of a mother dog with puppies. When nursing a litter of puppies, mother dogs are instinctively clean, and consume their puppy’s excrement for the first few weeks. It is not normal for adult pets who are not nursing litters, to eat faecal matter – this is when coprophagy is not expected, and needs looking into. Findings Here A Side Note on Puppies We feel it is important to mention puppies, specifically. While Pica is indeed, very dangerous in many cases, puppies do explore the world with their mouth! Puppies will often chew inedible items, and ingest parts of toys, socks, splinters of wood from items of furniture they’ve ‘kindly’ redesigned for you; this is quite normal in young and adolescent puppies, and may not follow through to adulthood where Pica becomes an obsessive problem, where underlying illness should be ruled out. To give your puppy the best chance of not ingesting inedible artifacts, ensure plenty of rest is enforced, as well as plenty of mental stimulation. A strong ‘leave it’ command can be majorly beneficial too, and what a better time to instil this, than as a puppy?! Diagnosis and Treatment If you suspect your pet has Pica, it is important to seek veterinary guidance as your first point of call, as acting on the potential for underlying health conditions is important. Similarly, if your dog or cat is experiencing any of the aforementioned symptoms, veterinary help is likely required to reduce the risk of death due to internal blockage. So how is it diagnosed by the vet? Your veterinarian will look at your pet’s medical history – if you have been able to keep a diary of food and behaviour alongside symptoms, this can really aid your vet! A physical examination may be performed, which will feel everything from your dog’s body condition to their lymph nodes. The dog’s mouth will be checked to rule our dental issues, and their heart and lungs will be listened to via stethoscope. Full panel blood tests, and urinalyses may be carried out too, for a more internal approach to diagnostics of underlying health conditions. If the vet feels a blockage is occurring in your pet, they may perform an ultrasound or x-ray, followed by potential surgery for treatment of this issue. Treatments wise, the suitable treatment for any diagnosed internal, underlying condition will be discussed and prescribed. If your vet does not feel surgery or pharmaceutical treatment will be beneficial to your pet, they will likely refer you to a veterinary behaviourist, or other force free behaviourist. How Can We Reduce Risks? In order to reduce the risk of harm from objects consumed by those suffering with Pica, there are a number of precautions we can look at taking – these stem from both a training perspective, and a diet perspective! Training Aids It may seem obvious, but it is incredibly important that we monitor our pets’ actions, especially if they are known to suffer with Pica. Teaching a solid ‘leave it’ command using positive reinforcement is essential. Discuss this with your trainer – it can be learnt at any age. Muzzle training is important for all dogs! This is trickier for cats, but cat muzzles are available to buy. Muzzle training not only means your dog is comfortable in their muzzle, which acts as a barrier between their mouth and the inedible items they like to consume,
If there’s one thing us dog owners and carers see and handle a lot, its poop! It comes in all different colours, shapes, sizes and textures, but do you know if your dog’s poop is ‘good’, or ‘bad’? At My Pet Nutritionist, we often hear from panicked pet parents regarding their pet’s faeces, and if it looks how it should! This handy guide looks at everything ‘dog poop’, including some troubleshooting tips along the way! Pooh Colours When it comes to colour, dog pooh can vary massively! Different colours can indicate different things, so let’s have a look at common dog pooh colours, and what they might mean! Brown is typically associated with poop. Brown can come in any shade, from very light brown, to very dark brown. Brown is a very ‘normal’ colour for faeces. If you feed fresh food, you may notice your dog’s pooh is darker on darker proteins such as lamb, duck or beef, and lighter, almost cream in colour, on lighter proteins like turkey, chicken or white fish. White pooh is commonly seen for two reasons. If it is an older pooh which has been laying around in the garden, it may be simply that it has dried out or been ‘sun bleached’ – especially if your dog is raw fed. If your dog is producing fresh white coloured pooh, and is raw fed, this can be a sign that your dog is not tolerating bone well. In these instances, you may need to switch to a cooked food using one of our recipes, or look at using a bone substitute. Mixed coloured pooh is a common occurrence in fresh fed dogs, and sends a lot of pet owners into panic-mode! Mixed coloured pooh when feeding a fresh food diet is completely normal! You may observe light and dark brown parts withing your dog’s faeces, which is due to your dog having eaten a variety of different proteins. If your dog has eaten a mixture of light and dark proteins in the last day or so, it’s likely their poop will be multi-coloured! Black pooh is something we don’t want to see, particularly if it is loose in texture too! Tarry stools are caused by the presence of Melena (blood) in the faeces, which can be secondary to a number of digestive issues, parasite burdens, liver or kidney disease/cancer. Black, but solid stools can also denote health concerns such as internal bleeding. Some supplements may darken the stool to an almost-black colour, including some soil based probiotic blends. Yellow/orange stools can also be of concern for your dog. Yellow or orange pooh is often soft in texture, and can be due to a number of health conditions. Those suffering with campylobacter often have yellow faeces. Another common reason a dog may have yellow or orange faeces is an issue with the liver, or bile production. Some intolerances present with yellow or orange pooh too, so an elimination diet may be useful. If your dog has yellow or orange stools, further investigation is required by your veterinarian. Pooh Textures Our dogs’ pooh comes in many textures, from so solid it crumbles, to completely watery. Each different pooh formation tells a different story, so it is important to learn what each type means! When your dog’s poop is extremely hard and/or crumbly, it is often shaped in multiple small pieces, and quite often white in colour. ‘Crumbly’ can also be described as the poop turning to dust upon landing on the ground, or when being picked up. Poops like this, are not desirable! These poops show the digestive tract is unable to cope with the recommended amount of bone in a fresh food diet, or that there is too much bone in the fresh diet you are feeding. If this is the case for your dog, you may need to dilute the bone content in the food you are feeding, by replacing 20g of the complete diet per 10kg bodyweight, with the same amount of boneless mince. Some owners prefer to switch to a bone alternative if their dog struggles to digest the bone content of balanced meals, to ensure they’re still getting the calcium they need, but in a form the dog tolerates better. You may also need to give a gut support supplement such as our supplement, Gut Guardian, which you can purchase here! Additional fibre may also be required in the diet. A hard but not crumbly poop is what we are aiming for! The pooh should be a log-like shape, and should be firm to touch (with a poop bag, of course!), but should not easily break apart. This is a great sign that your dog’s digestive tract is functioning well, and their diet is suiting them perfectly! Keep up with the good stuff! Sometimes you may spot a formed, but soft poop laying around, reminding you of the typical cartoon dog poop! These tend to be produced by those on a higher carbohydrate, more processed food (though not all dogs fed these diets will have this type of pooh!), or by a dog with a little digestive upset, be it an intolerance, or gut damage. A small parasitic burden could also result in this type of faeces. In this instance, you may wish to run a wormcount (order a kit from a reputable company, send off your sample, and await results) to check for intestinal parasites, look at running an elimination diet if your dog is already on fresh food, add in some gut support, some more fibre, and perhaps some extra bone. If your dog is fed a dry. Processed diet, switch to a fresh food diet. If you are unable to feed fresh, switching to a food with higher meat content, or a high quality wet food may help you out! If your dog produces a soft and unformed pooh, this should be investigated as it is a clear sign of some digestive upset, or lack of tolerance for
Here at My Pet Nutritionist, we help customers tackle a host of different health conditions and concerns. Some diseases our customers’ dogs come to us with are common, and simple, others are not so common, and more complex. Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency is one of the not-so-common examples of health concerns we have helped customers with. While it is rare, and not tested for as standard, we are beginning to see more and more cases of EPI, so this blog post will be a great educational tool for those who want to learn more about EPI, as well as those who’s pet has been diagnosed with it. What is EPI? EPI, as its commonly called, is shortened from Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency. ‘Exocrine’ is the system to do with the body’s enzymes. The pancreas is an important part of the digestive system, and also an important part of the exocrine and endocrine systems. The pancreas is an organ, located in the right side of the abdomen, close to your dog’s stomach. There are two parts to the pancreas – the exocrine pancreas and the endocrine pancreas. The endocrine pancreas releases the hormone, Insulin, which controls blood sugar levels. The exocrine pancreas releases enzymes responsible for food digestion, particularly the macronutrient, protein. In those suffering with EPI, the pancreas is unable to produce enough of these enzymes, which leads to major malnutrition, unless treated daily. EPI is an incurable disease, and requires daily management to keep symptoms at bay. Findings Here Symptoms of EPI There are a number of symptoms associated with Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency. Many of these symptoms are common symptoms of other health conditions, which makes diagnosis of EPI quite tricky, but the symptoms can be severe, and in some cases life threatening. Here’s some of the main symptoms you could expect from a dog suffering with EPI include: Rapid weight loss Lack of ability to put weight on Insatiable appetite Chronic diarrhoea Mucus in the stool Vomiting Lethargy/fatigue If your dog has a number of these symptoms, it is extremely important you have your dog assessed by a veterinarian, as EPI dogs can go downhill very quickly. Findings Here Diagnosis of EPI Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency is rarely routinely tested for upon first signs of symptoms, and is regularly misdiagnosed. As the disease is quite rare, and little is taught about it in initial veterinary qualifications, dog owners who suspect this disease often have to specifically request for testing for EPI in their initial consultations. So how is EPI diagnosed? There are two tests carried out in those with suspected EPI. A fasted blood test, and a faecal test. Once the sample has been taken, the test used is called a Canine Trypsinogen-like Immunoassay (or cTLI for short!). For this test, pets must be starved for a minimum of 6 hours – this is usually best done overnight. Trypsinogen is a non-activated enzyme; known as a proenzyme. The pancreas of healthy individuals secretes Trypsinogen into the small intestine with other enzymes in the mix, where it converts to Trypsin – the activated form, which is used to digest proteins. It is very much normal for Trypsinogen to be detected in blood tests of healthy animals, because a little Trypsinogen leaks into the blood stream where it is circulated around the body. How do cTLI results differ for those with EPI? The results from a cTLI of a dog with EPI will show as low to no Trypsinogen when analysed. This is because those suffering with EPI have a reduced functionality of the pancreatic tissues, resulting in less Trypsinogen being secreted into the intestine, and therefore less leaking into the bloodstream, if any. Findings Here Another blood test is usually carried out in cases where EPI is suspected, to test for levels of Vitamin B9 (Folate) and Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin). While these vitamins aren’t directly related to the pancreas, they can easily be affected by a poorly functioning pancreas due to the affect EPI has on the microbiome of the gut. Blood serum analysis for Vitamin B12 will be low, as EPI can lead to B12 deficiency, whereas serum analyses for Folate will usually come back in excess. You can read more about high Folate and it’s relationship with low Vitamin B12, and how these are affected by the pancreas in our blog here. Findings Here Let’s move onto the faecal testing side of EPI diagnosis. The test carried out is called a Faecal Elastase Test. This test is for another of the pancreatic enzymes used during digestion, called Elastase. As with all enzymes, Elastase performs a specific job – it’s role in digestion is to help break down fats, carbohydrates and proteins, for use by the body for energy, growth, and cell maintenance. Healthy individuals with a well functioning pancreas will have elastase in their stools, however those with EPI will not produce as much elastase due to damaged pancreatic tissues, so elastase would be lacking in faecal samples. Findings Here Causes of EPI There are various reasons a dog may have EPI – it can be congenital (present from birth), hereditary (genetically inherited), or acquired (through trauma or disease). Congenital and hereditary causes are self-explanatory – it’s important to source puppies from health tested breeding pairs, with no history of EPI in their immediate or extended genetic lines. If you are opening up your heart and home to a rescue dog, there is a small chance of congenital or hereditary EPI, as you don’t know the history of the dog’s genetic lineage, however it is a rare disease, so it wouldn’t be on the forefront of our minds when considering a rescue dog. Should you experience the symptoms listed in this blog post, hopefully our guide will help you and your rescue dog should the need arise. As with many diseases we write about here at My Pet Nutritionist, there are some breeds which are genetically predisposed to EPI, including: West Highland White Terriers German Shepherds Akitas Border
Malabsorption is something we see fairly frequently in dogs here at My Pet Nutritionist. It can be quite scary for pet owners to witness, but there may be some things we can recommend to help these pets. This blog post will explain what malabsorption is, what causes it, and how you can support the body through diet and supplements. What is Malabsorption? Malabsorption is a condition that affects the patient’s ability to efficiently absorb nutrients from food sources. The dog may be consuming a perfectly balanced diet, but still unable to benefit from the nutrition it provides. This is down to underlying problems between the small intestine, and the pancreas; these underlying problems can be a multitude of ailments, so further investigation into potential underlying issues is paramount and working with your veterinarian to discover these, is important. Regular visitors to our blog, may notice we often list breeds who are commonly predisposed to each condition we talk about, however when it comes to malabsorption, there is no specific breed predisposed. This is down to the fact that different breeds will be predisposed to different underlying conditions, and it very much depends on the condition diagnosed, which is causing the malabsorption. Symptoms of Malabsorption There are a variety of symptoms you may notice if your dog has malabsorption. Here are some of them: Pica (consumption of unusual/inedible items) Weight loss, often rapid Lethargy and fatigue Insatiable appetite/extreme hunger Loose stools and gurgling stomach Flactulance Nausea and vomiting Reduced coat condition If these symptoms are present in your dog, please seek veterinary advice as soon as possible as investigations are the important first step in helping your dog with malabsorption. Findings Here Causes of Malabsorption There are many underlying conditions which could lead to malabsorption. We will go through some of these, and give a brief description of each one. You may wish to take this article with you to your veterinary appointment as some of the conditions are not routinely tested for. Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) Inflammatory Bowel Disease is something we talk about, and see a lot here at My Pet Nutritionist. It seems to be very common in lots of dogs who have poor gut health. Those with IBD have inflamed bowels due to the penetration of cytokines and inflammatory cells to the gut and stomach, causing an abnormal immune response. This then has an effect on the lymphatic system, which in severe cases causes Lymphoplasmacytic Gastritis. When the digestive system is inflamed, nutrient absorption becomes very difficult, causing malabsorption. You can read more about severe IBD here. Findings Here Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO) We see a lot of patients with SIBO. Those suffering with bacterial overgrowth in the small intestine will often suffer with malabsorption. This major imbalance in the microbiome means that some bad bacteria out-competes the good bacteria required as part of a health microbiome. The bad bacteria, of which there are too many in those with SIBO, often release toxins, and massively interfere with the absorption of nutrients. Findings Here Findings Here Intestinal Blockage Blockages of the intestine are a very common cause of malabsorption. These often go unnoticed, especially if owners don’t realise their dog has swallowed something undigestible, or if the dog is unable to tolerate bone as part of their raw diet. When the bowel is obstructed, food is unable to pass through the intestine, and therefore nutrients are not absorbed from the food, leading to severe weight loss, as part of malabsorption. Blockages causing malabsorption require surgery for removal. Findings Here Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency (EPI) This disease is a severe one, and is often not checked for routinely by veterinarians. It may be something to bring up with your vet during your appointment, as though its relatively rare, we are starting to see a few more cases here and there. Your vet may need to do some reading up on it before advising. EPI is occurs due to the pancreas producing less digestive enzymes than needed. Because there is a deficiency in digestive enzymes, foods consumed are not appropriately digested, and therefore nutrients are not absorbed, causing rapid weight loss, large volumes of poor stools, pica, and a variety of other symptoms of malabsorption. This condition is not curable, and dogs diagnosed with it will require regular veterinary check ups, and daily enzyme supplements. Findings Here Findings Here Parasitic Burdens Parasites are another fairly common cause of malabsorption because the parasites compromise the health of the gut, and also syphon nutrients for themselves. Severe infestations of intestinal parasites, or severe cases of giardiasis (where cysts form on the gut following infection from the protozoan parasite Giardia) can lead to malabsorption and severe malnutrition, causing many of the symptoms listed above. It is important to send a faecal sample to a faecal testing laboratory on a regular basis, preferably every 12 weeks, to catch any worm eggs or juvenile worms before large infestations are able to occur. Regular natural worm prevention is also essential for those who tolerate it. You can learn more about natural pest control in our blog here. Findings Here Food Sensitivities Food sensitivities are probably the most common ailments in our customer’s dogs. We deal with a huge number of dogs with food sensitivities, many of which have weight loss as a symptom. Food intolerances are generally coupled with poor gut health, especially cases linked to Leaky Gut Syndrome, whereby the integrity of the gut wall is compromised. When the gut is in bad condition, the microbiome becomes unbalanced, making nutrient absorption tricky. Findings Here Intestinal Growths and Tumours Much like those with an intestinal blockage due to consumption of inedible items, growths and tumours in the intestinal tract are a blockage risk. When these growths or tumours develop and grow, they can create a total blockage of the intestine, which stops nutrients from being absorbed efficiently. While these can be removed by surgery in many cases, some require part of the bowel to removed
Here at My Pet Nutritionist, Liver Disease is something we help pet parents with quite often. The prospect of living with a dog with liver disease can be a daunting one. But we are here to help put your mind at ease, with this handy blog post packed full of useful hints and tips to supporting your pet’s liver, naturally. The Role of the Liver The liver is an extremely important organ in the body. It plays many roles in the overall health of the pet, including digestion, nutrient absorption, metabolism, detoxification, immunity, and endocrinologically. These roles, all link with one another, much like a large ‘loop’ of bodily functions dependent on the liver. Metabolically, the liver detoxifies fats from the body, and is also involved in the conversion of thyroid hormone 3 to thyroid hormone 4, which we can also look at from an endocrinology point of view. When looking deeper into the liver’s role in detoxification, we see that not only does it detoxify the body of excess fatty acids, but also of drugs, steroidal hormones, environmental toxins, and ammonia (as it helps the formation of urea). In terms of nutrients absorption and storage, the liver is involved in the storage of glycogen, which controls blood sugar levels, and also plays a role in the storage and absorption of Vitamins A, B12, D, E and K, as well as minerals such as iron, magnesium, zinc, and copper. If we look at what the liver produces, we see is produces cholesterol, which is an important precursor to vitamin D synthesis, and production of sex hormones, and it also produces bile, which is used for digestion of food, and also helps keep the gut free from unwanted microbes. Looking at hormone production, the liver produces and secretes four main hormones, or precursors for production of other important hormones. These are: Somatomedin (insulin-like growth factor, essential for regulation of growth of bones and tissues in the body) Angiotensinogen (involved in the regulation of blood pressure and balance of fluid) Thrombopoietin (used by the body to stimulate blood platelet development) Hepcidin (used to block the ability of cells releasing iron, which in turn regulates iron homeostasis in the body) Findings Here Findings Here Findings Here Findings Here Finally, the liver is largely involved in the synthesis of some of the body’s most important proteins, such as: Prothrombin (used in blood clotting) Albumin (plasma protein responsible for controlling the flow of fluids through the capillaries, known as Oncotic Pressure) Globulins (used in immune function) Ceruloplasmin (enables healthy absorption of dietary copper) Lipoproteins (used to transport cholesterol in the body) Findings Here Findings Here Findings Here Findings Here Findings Here What is Liver Disease? Liver disease can be any form of problem with your dog’s liver. Generally speaking, most liver problems in dogs start with an enlarged or swollen liver. Due to the strain on the liver when it is inflamed, liver cells begin to die off, while being replaced by scar tissues – tissues that form after trauma, and can be obstructive if they become too thick. The presence of scar tissues in the liver, cause the structure, texture and appearance of the liver to change. It tends to become firmer – the scientific name for this, is cirrhosis. Cirrhosis is not reversible, and can be a death sentence for the dog, as the liver fails. There can be many triggers and causes of liver disease in pets, including use of some drugs such as selected pest treatments, onset of hepatitis (chronic swelling of the liver), cancer, environmental toxins, infection or sepsis, congenital issues, and even autoimmune disease. Symptoms of liver disease include: Lack of appetite Blood in vomit due to stomach ulceration Jaundice (yellowing of skin, eyes and mucous membranes) Fluid build-up in the abdomen/bloat Excessive urination (polyuria) Excessive water consumption (polydipsia) Diarrhoea Fever Neurologic symptoms Issues with blood clotting There are some changes to diet and lifestyle we can make to help those with liver disease – let’s find out about these! Liver Guard Supporting the Liver Gut Health Gut health may seem like an odd connection to liver disease, however the two can certainly be linked! There’s a group of systems, or axes, which link the gut with the rest of the body, acting as a sort of ‘roundabout’ for the microbiome. You may have heard us mentioning the HPA Axis, the Gut-Brain Axis, and the Gut-Skin Axis; well, the Gut-Liver Axis is another! The main vein involved in the interactions between the gut and the liver, is called the Portal Vein. This is a two way path, through which products derived from the gut are transported directly the liver, and bile, and other liver secretions are transported directly back to the gut to be used in digestion. As the gut microbiome is so incredibly important for prevention, and management of nearly all health conditions, a healthy gut is ever so important. Healthy microbial communities in the gut, make for healthy gut-liver axis homeostasis. Having an unhealthy or unbalanced gut microbiome can lead to exposure to microbes which are pro-inflammatory, causing liver inflammation, and consequently, liver disease. Findings Here To keep the gut healthy, we can tweak the diet, and add supplements – which we will discuss next! Diet As ever, when the body is under inflammatory stress, or has any disease, we need to look at tweaking the diet, to ensure the pet is being fed the most biologically appropriate diet, with the correct nutrition to nurture the body depending on the specific health condition(s) the pet may be facing. A fresh diet would be most suitable, whether that’s raw or cooked. Many dogs suffering with liver problems, may do better on a cooked food instead of raw, but many do just as well on raw! Now, when it comes to different liver conditions, there is no one-recipe-fits-all. Those with liver shunts for example, we would recommend sought advice from one of our team, so we can provide
Pancreatitis flare ups are often a concerning time for pet owners. With so many associated triggers, tailoring the individual dog’s routine to their needs is very important. One of the triggers we see a lot here at My Pet Nutritionist, is food sensitivities. Read on to learn more about how food sensitivities can be linked to pancreatic flares. A bit about the pancreas The pancreas is a very important organ in the body; it is part of the digestive, and endocrine systems. It’s role in the digestive system is to produce digestive enzymes to aid the breakdown of foods, with fat and protein being the main targets. Within the endocrine system, the pancreas produces insulin; a hormone which controls blood sugar levels. The pancreas is located in the abdominal region, on the right hand side, near the stomach, and above the intestines. The pancreatic duct attaches the pancreas to the small intestine, and transports the digestive juices made by the pancreas, into the small intestine, to be able to begin breaking food down. Before reaching the intestine, however, another duct from the gallbladder joins the pancreatic duct, and transports bile to the intestine. Findings Here When the pancreas becomes inflamed it releases the digestive enzymes it produces too early, which can result in the body starting to digest the pancreas itself, as well as the abdominal cavity; this is a pancreatic flare. Acute pancreatitis happens suddenly whether it is a mild flare, or a severe flare which hospitalises the pet. Chronic pancreatitis on the other hand, tends to happen for longer periods of time, and intermittently – symptoms are generally milder, but more constant than acute pancreatitis cases. Dogs with enzyme deficiencies, nutritional imbalances or intolerances, or other endocrine conditions tend to get chronic pancreatitis as opposed to acute pancreatitis. Dogs suffering with chronic pancreatitis are often found to be deficient in Vitamins C and E, as well as selenium. The main health condition associated with pancreatic flares, is Pancreatitis. Symptoms of a pancreatic flare are as follows: Vomiting Diarrhoea, sometimes bloody Fever/high temperature Increased heartrate Dehydration Digestive difficulties Abdominal pain (the ‘downward dog’ position, are hunched over back are classic signs of this) Low appetite Pressures on the pancreas For those suffering with pancreatic flares, or pancreatitis in general, it is extremely important to recognise, and understand the triggers of a flare. Let’s discuss the major trigger of a pancreatic flare. Fats More specifically, excess fats, and the wrong type of fats! Fat reduction in the diet is one of the most common things we hear pet owners panic about when their dog has pancreatitis, or a pancreatic flare. While excess fats can be very hard on the already inflamed pancreas, some fats such as fish oils and olive oils have been shown to block cellular mechanisms involved in the development of acute pancreatitis. Massively restricting fat may not be completely necessary long term for pancreatitis patients, but short term during a flare, may be worth reducing. We tend to advise 15% dry matter fat content in the diet of a pancreatitis patient, which is around 5% crude fat. In non-severe cases, the fat content can be gradually increased. Feeding a high fat diet, where the dog is unable to fully digest the fat consumed, can put pressure on the pancreas due to high blood fat content. More digestive enzymes are required for digestion of excessive fats, which causes the pancreas to overwork in order to produce those enzymes. Overworking an organ causes inflammation, which leads to health problems associated with that organ; in this case, a pancreatic flare. Carbs A less well known approach among dog owners, carbohydrates should be kept to a minimum in all dogs, but especially in those with pancreatitis. There is a huge link between high-carbohydrate diets, and an increase in excess blood fat. This is why it is important to steer away from dry food/kibble based diets – these are high in carbs, and the high carb content leads to high blood fat content, which as just discussed causes the pancreas to overwork. Findings Here Findings Here Findings Here Findings Here High carbohydrate dry food diets also lack suitable amounts of vitamin E, due to it being an unstable vitamin, and the long shelf life of dry foods causes the vitamin E content to diminish by around 30% just 6 months from manufacture. As previously mentioned, those with chronic pancreatitis tend to be deficient in vitamin E already, so feeding a high carb, processed diet low in suitable vitamin E may not be a great idea. Vitamin E plays an important role in the removal of excess fat from the body. Less Vitamin E = More excess fat = Pressure on the Pancreas Findings Here Food Sensitivities As the main topic of this blog; food sensitivities can put huge pressure on the pancreas, linking them with pancreatic flares. It is incredibly important to work on your dog’s food intolerances so many reasons, pancreatic pressure being one of them. More on this subject later. Genetic Predisposition As with many health complaints, genetic predispositions are very much a problem with pancreatic flares. Whereas all breeds can suffer with pancreatitis, some breeds are more prone than others, purely down to their breed, and genetics. These breeds include: Miniature Schnauzers Miniature Poodles (and crosses of!) Cocker Spaniels Cavalier King Charles Spaniels Boxers Collies To find out more about pancreatitis, and how dietary changes, lifestyle changes, and correct supplementation can help, have a read of our Natural Guide to Pancreatitis! How do food sensitivities affect the pancreas? So, how do food sensitivities affect the pancreas, resulting in pancreatic flares? Food sensitivities are largely down to gut health, and immune modulation. If you are a regular reader of our blogs, you will notice us mention Leaky Gut a lot as well as inflammation. 70-80% of the immune system lays in the gut, so gut health is always paramount! Leaky Gut As per the condition’s name, leaky gut sufferers
Here at My Pet Nutritionist, we help a lot of dogs who present with regurgitation. It’s not a pleasant sensation for us humans, and it’s no different for our canine companions. Regurgitation can occur for various reasons, which we will take a brief look at in this blog. We will also discuss what is the best food to feed your dog, and what supplements could be considered for your dog suffering with regurgitation. What is Regurgitation? Regurgitation is the expulsion of undigested food via the mouth. Unlike when a dog vomits, when there are ‘warning signs’ such as licking of the lips, drool etc, when a dog regurgitates, it’s very much instantaneous with no pre-warning. One of the biggest risks of regurgitation, especially in brachycephalic breeds, is aspiration pneumonia. When regurgitation occurs, the larynx can struggle to close quickly enough. Being open at the time of regurgitation can cause particles of food to be breathed in, which causes the pneumonia. What Can Cause Regurgitation? There are various reasons a dog may regurgitate. It’s not necessarily a condition on it’s own, but it’s more a symptom of an underlaying illness. It can also be partly down to breed predisposition due to being congenital. Breeds with a predisposition include: Chinese shar pei Newfoundland Miniature schnauzer Great dane German shepherd Labrador Fox terrier Acquired causes (those which regurgitation is a symptom of) include: Acid reflux: the pressure of the chyme in the stomach due to digestive incapabilities, causes the dog to regurgitate. Read more about acid reflux here. Megaoesophagus: peristalsis is unable to occur, so food sits in the oesophagus in the chest. Read more on megaoesophagus here. Laryngeal Paralysis: the larynx is unable to function, so the windpipe and throat may be open at the same time. This causes coughing and gagging, which can lead to regurgitation. Read more on Laryngeal Paralysis here. Brachycephalic Obstructive Airways Syndrome (BOAS): some of the breathing and swallowing pathways which are affected in those with BOAS can cause regurgitation. Food particles can get stuck at various points in the digestive system in these dogs. Surgery is required to open the relevant pathways to reduce the risk of regurgitation. Foreign Body: when something is lodged in the throat or chest cavity, regurgitation can occur, as food particles are unable to bypass the blockage. Cancer: depending on where the tumour is, your dog may be unable to digest food, and/or food particles may get stuck somewhere along the digestive tract, leading to their expulsion through the mouth. Stress: digestive function is compromised when the body is under stress as the sympathetic nervous system kicks in. hypersensitivity occurs during stressful situations too, which heightens the risk of oesophageal irritation, and therefore regurgitation. Incorrect Diet: feeding your dog a diet that does not suit them is a major cause of regurgitation. The body reacts to unsuitable food because the Enteric Nervous System (ENS) causes the digestive tract to become hypersensitive, which leads to regurgitation. Allergies and intolerances can also cause this reaction, so it’s important to get on top of these. Read more on why a dog regurgitates here! Findings Here Findings Here What Should you Feed? Recurring regurgitation can be a huge sign that the diet you are feeding your dog is unsuitable, and needs tweaking. Changing the Type of Food It’s very likely that the type of food you are feeding your dog needs changing if your dog is regurgitating. Of course, we recommend feeding a diet as fresh as possible. Raw food, or cooked food (using one of our balanced recipes). If you are feeding raw food already, and your dog is regurgitating, it may be worth looking into feeding a balanced, cooked diet. Many dogs who regurgitate do better on a cooked diet. Feeding an easily digestible protein such as white fish using our balanced white fish cooked food recipe may be beneficial for a dog with regular episodes of regurgitation. In some cases, the dog requires a lower fat diet. Feeding leaner proteins may help. These tend to put less stress on the digestive tract, and are therefore much easier to digest, reducing the risk of regurgitation. It really is a case of finding what suits your individual dog best! Why would we recommend avoiding dry food? The lack of moisture, and vast amount of difficult-to-digest ingredients in dry foods can cause havoc with the digestive system, which can cause regurgitation. Findings Here Getting on Top of Allergies and Intolerances Working on eliminating foods the dog doesn’t tolerate is essential. The more gut inflammation caused by feeding intolerable foods, the higher the chance of regurgitation. A full elimination diet may be required – this entails feeding one single protein for a prolonged period of time (6-12 weeks), in order to see if it is well tolerated or not, before moving on to the next. Read our blog on Elimination Diets here! Our Transform package is ideal for those suffering from allergies and intolerances! Findings Here Changing the Frequency of Meals Many dogs who suffer from regurgitation require smaller, but more frequent meals. This is particularly useful in dogs with slow digestion, and those with weak peristalsis. Feeding smaller portions allows the body to digest food more thoroughly, causing less irritation in the digestive tract. Better digestion, means less chance of regurgitation. Supplementing your Dog’s Diet There are some supplements which may be beneficial to those suffering with recurring regurgitation. Of course, it’s important underlaying illness is ruled out first, with your veterinarian, but the following supplements may reduce the risk of regurgitation in your dog. Mucilage Herbs Mucilage herbs help heal and protect the gut as well as soothing the digestive tract. Those with regurgitation often have irritation throughout the digestive tract following a meal, so adding mucilage herbs into the regime, helps keep the digestive tract comfortable. Some examples of mucilage herbs include slippery elm, marshmallow root, and deglycyrrhizinated liquorice (DGL). Our product Gut Guardian contains all three, plus calming chamomile, and soil
The long debated question in the world of canines; are dogs carnivores, or omnivores? Here at My Pet Nutritionist, we are ready to put the somewhat controversial question to bed! There may be some fine lines between types of carnivore, and omnivores, so read carefully! Carnivores vs Omnivores: Diet As most of our readers will know, carnivorous animals eat, and thrive on meat and meat products only, whereas omnivorous animals eat, and thrive off a roughly equal mixture of meat and plants. Herbivorous animals eat purely plants, and insectivorous animals eat predominantly insects. ‘-carni’ means meat, ‘-omni’ means all, ‘-herbi´ means plant, and ‘-vore’ means eater in latin Biologically, humans are omnivorous. We are biologically designed to eat both meat, and plant matter. Our feline companions are carnivorous; in fact, they’re obligate carnivores, which means they do not utilise any plant matter well. So where does that leave our wonderful canine counterparts? Canines are facultative carnivores! How does a facultative carnivore differ from an obligate carnivore, and an omnivore, we hear you ask! Think of a facultative carnivore as a step between an obligate carnivore (only eats meat), and an omnivore (eats a fairly equal mix of meat and plant matter). Facultative carnivores eat a predominantly meat mased diet, and need this to thrive, but can benefit from a small amount of plant matter, for which more information is available in our blog: How to Balance an 80:10:10. When we look at Phylogenetics (the system which classifies and categorises every living organism depending on it’s evolutionary history), we can see that domestic, and wild dogs are part of the Canidae Family, and in the Order ‘Carnivora’. Other species in this Order, include Grey Wolves (of which our domestic dogs share 99.9% of their DNA), jackals, foxes, wild dogs and dingoes. Findings Here Findings Here The Digestive Tract When we look at the digestive tract of a dog, or any other carnivore, and compare it to that of a herbivore, or an omnivore, there are differences which further prove that dogs are carnivorous. Because a predominantly meat based diet takes less time to digest, carnivores have a much shorter digestive tract than those who eat a large amount of plant matter. The stomach is an important part of the digestive tract, as this is where gastric juices are mixed with food and kneaded using contractions of the stomach, which breaks the food down, ready for digestion. The carnivores stomach is always single chambered, and takes up around 60-70% of the entire capacity of the digestive system, which allows for consumption of large meals, eaten at a quick pace – many pet owners try to slow their dogs down when eating, however this is not necessary, and is actually very natural, unless the dog has an underlying medical condition, whereby digestive capabilities are poor, and eating too fast causes gas and regurgitation. When we look at the intestines of a dog, or any other carnivore, we see they are incredibly short in comparison to that of a species who consumes a lot of plant matter. As there will be little plant matter to digest, and meat is much easier to digest, the intestine doesn’t need to be longer, in order for it to fully absorb the nutrients gained from the diet. Having a short digestive tract, also ensures bad bacteria consumed in the diet are not able to recolonize. A final part of the digestive tract to look at, is pH – the strength of the stomach acid. The pH of a carnivores stomach is extremely low, making it extremely acidic; close to that of battery acid, when in the presence of food! Having such an incredibly acidic stomach, means they are able to digest meat very easily, as well as fight off pathogens within the food consumed. Omnivores have less acidic gastric juices, and herbivores have stomach acid so weak, it is almost pH7 (neutral), which teamed with a longer digestive tract, aids the gentle digestion of plant matter. Findings Here Findings Here Jaw and Dentition Next, we will look at the jaw, and dentition of the carnivore vs omnivore. Lets take a look at the width of an open mouth. Open your mouth, and look in the mirror. Now watch your dog open his or her mouth when yawning, panting, or eating. You will notice a huge difference in size of the oral cavity when the mouth is open. A large opening enables carnivores to catch, kill and rip their prey apart. Omnivores don’t need to do this, so have a much smaller oral opening. The joint in the jaw of carnivores acts as a hinge, and is very stable; in omnivores, the jaw joint is much more complex, and slightly less stable. The muscles in the face, particularly around the jaw area, are so incredibly powerful in carnivores, that the size of the muscle is what forms the slightly angular shape of the dog’s cheeks/face. Omnivores have a much weaker, and therefore smaller muscle here, which is far less noticeable by eye. The third difference regarding the jaw itself, is that omnivores have plenty of side-to-side movement, as well as backward and forward movement; this allows for the teeth to grind plant matter easily, as well as chew animal based matter. In carnivores, the jaw has extremely limited movement, bar up and down. This allows for the jaw to act almost like a pair of scissors, chopping the meat consumed in to smaller pieces in order to make them easier to swallow. On to the teeth! Both carnivores and omnivores have Incisors at the front of the mouth, followed by incisors, followed by molars at the back of the mouth. These, however, have different qualities in carnivores versus omnivores. The incisors of a carnivore are pointed, and short; this enables them to efficiently catch and disable prey. The incisors of an omnivore are not pointed, and are longer in comparison to other teeth in the mouth. The canines
