Let’s get talking about gastrointestinal health. There’s a lot involved in keeping your pet healthy and the main area to focus on is the digestive system. We haven’t talked about pooh for once, which is a relief. I’m sure you will agree…. Intestinal issues and disorders are among the most common reasons for trips to the vet whether it be diarrhoea, constipation, IBS and IBD’s and so forth. So, having a healthy gut is more than firming up dog poop and preventing those night time rumbles. It is central to health and one of the eight key factors to functional medicine. It is connected to everything that happens in the body and that’s why we always look to the gut when we start helping pets with chronic health problems. Poor gut health can be linked to allergies, arthritis, autoimmune disease, itching and rashes, fatigue, anxiety, cancer, and so much more. In short, if the gut isn’t functioning at full capacity then neither is your pet’s health. What the Gut does for you and your Pet Intestinal health could be defined as the optimal digestion, absorption, and assimilation of food. It helps to regulate and promote functions throughout the entire body as it absorbs nutrients that support all bodily functions from energy production, hormone signaling, skin health, mental health, immune signaling and toxin and waste elimination. Before we leap into the 7 steps for optimal digestive health, I want to cover the 5 elements to the function within the gut (ecosystem, immunity, gut-brain connection, detoxification and assimilation and absorption). Ecosystem; there are bugs in the gut that form a diverse ecosystem of friendly bacteria that must be in balance for your pet to achieve optimum health. The term now coined for your gut ecosystem is the microbiome. It refers to the collection of genomes from all the microorganisms in the gut environment. This includes bacteria, virus and fungus. Here we will focus on the good bacteria; prebiotics, probiotics and postbiotics. Prebiotics are types of dietary fibre that feed the friendly bacteria in your gut that are often found in certain fruit and vegetables (such as asparagus and bananas), chicory, dandelion greens, flaxseeds, konjac and some fermented foods. To obtain therapeutic effect, prebiotics found in these foods are often extracted and given as supplements (these being Inulin, FOS, GOS, Arabinogalactans and so on). These beautiful prebiotics help the gut bacteria produce nutrients for your pet’s colon cells such as short chain fatty acids such as like butyrate, acetate and propionate. These fatty acids can also be absorbed into the bloodstream and improve metabolic health such as diabetes and hyperlipidemia. Be warned they can cause gas and should be ventured carefully. Then we have good bacteria often referred to as probiotics (probiotic strains). They are live, good, friendly bacteria that help to promote balance in the intestines. They work by increasing (stabilising) the number of good bacteria in the gut, providing a network of communicating bacteria that help support and induce certain functions in the gut. Dietary nutrients may be converted into metabolites by intestinal microbes (probiotics) that serve as biologically active molecules affecting regulatory functions in your pet. They can help to protect the gut mucosa, preventing gut inflammation, leaky gut and other intestinal or systemic disease states. Good bacteria can also attach to the cells and release substances that help prevent bad bacteria from accumulating. In fact, their function is wide and still a lot unknown. If too many of the wrong bacteria, parasites and yeasts can proliferate by a poor digestive ecosystem, this is where issues begin creep in in terms of symptoms (gas, bloating, diarrhoea, itching), yeast infections, food intolerances, leaky gut syndrome, inflammation and then ultimately immune dysfunction where we start to see disease creep in. We then have postbiotics, they are the non-viable bacterial products or metabolic byproducts from pre and probiotic microorganisms that have biologic activity in your pet. Research indicates that postbiotics can have direct immunomodulatory and clinically relevant effects in the body of animals and humans. So in a nutshell this is the ecosystem of the gut. Immunity; approximately 70% of the immune system resides in the gut, so making sure your pet’s digestive system is in tip-top condition is essential. Gut immunity is the ‘one cell-thick layer’ lining of the gut that protects your pet from the toxic environment. Although composed of only a single cell layer, the intestinal epithelium forms a barrier against penetration of bad microbes. Defects in barrier function contributes to the development of inflammation of the gut. Epithelial cells of the small intestine are coated in a glycocalyx of mucins and other glycoproteins that can interact with and trap bacteria in the mucus. If that barrier is damaged and your pet gets ‘leaky gut’, he can become intolerant to foods, that usually may be digested perfectly well. The immune system will become overactive, and it will begin producing inflammation throughout the entire body. Filtering out the good molecules from the bad molecules and protecting the immune system is another important factor in gut health. Gut-brain axis; there is the second brain, gut-brain connection. Did you know that your pet’s gut actually contains more neurotransmitters than the brain? In fact, the gut has a brain of its own. It is called the “enteric nervous system” and it is a very sophisticated. Messages constantly travel back and forth between the gut-brain and the head-brain and when those messages are interfered with in any way, health will suffer. This is often how food and digestion can have a massive impact on behaviour in animals. Detoxification; the gut has to get rid of all the toxins produced as byproducts of your pet’s metabolism (see how I didn’t mention pooh?). It can also help get rid of certain pathogens and toxins that are ingested on a daily basis. The liver supports digestion by processing the nutrients absorbed by the small intestines and secretes bile into the small intestine to help emulsify and digest fats. The bowel is required to metabolise and detoxify this matter with the
These babies hold such wonderful health and anti-inflammatory effect, mostly known to support joint health. GLM’s contains around 90 different fatty acids, glycosaminoglycans (chondroitin sulphate), glutamine (a glycosaminoglycan precursor), vitamins C and E and minerals including zinc, copper and selenium. The synergy of these nutritional components work in perfect harmony to support joint and mobility issues in pet. When looking at joint health you need to consider all mechanisms responsible for the disease and then how to address them. These 4 corners of joint health are all well covered by GLM’s: Inflammation; it’s generally the inflammation and rubbing of joints that create pain and stiffness. The fatty acids in green lipped mussels with EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexanoic acid) are the most abundant. These are the important fatty acids that are known to reduce inflammation. GLM’s are natural COX inhibitors just like NSAIDS (non-steroidalanti-inflammatory drugs), so they can obtain the same pain free results without the negative side effects. They are also natural LOX inhibitors too. Degradation; is the main reason for the breakdown of the joint matrix. The joint matrix and connective tissue need to be supported by components that replicate the structure of joints, naturally. GLMs are rich in glycosaminoglycans and glycosaminoglycan precursors, known as GAGs. An important GAG found in GLMs is chondroitin sulfate a well-documented structural ingredient for joint support. Oxidation; free radical damage can create more degradation and inflammation so we need to support this with natural antioxidants found in GLM. Vitamin C and E are both abundant in GLM’s and essential for joint care. Joint Lubrication; synovial fluid within the joint matrix is incredibly important to support cushioning and movement. Alterations in synovial fluid (SF) lipid composition have been linked to both osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA). GLMs provide polysulfated glycosaminoglycans (PSGAGs), the building blocks for cartilage and joint fluid. There are many things to consider in joint health and diet is primary. If you need to know more, please check consultations. Caution must be taken if you think there could be a shellfish allergy. If not, your pet just got real lucky! In our professional opinion and years of using this ingredient, we can safely say it’s totally groovy and a much safer and effective alternative to NSAIDS in joint support! A blog that, for a change, is short and sweet, just the way you like it! MPN Team x
Yeah That’s right baby…. The ultimate guide to dog sh!***%t! It’s all we ever seem to talk about morning, noon and night. My Pet Nutritionist get random pictures of dog pooh on our phones at all hours of the day from some people who have never contacted us before. Does this look right, it’s sloppy, a weird colour, there’s undigested stuff in it? It goes on and on and to be honest we love it, yeah you heard us, we love it. So the topic is a little different when you consider my last blog on genetic methylation and DAO production but it’s needed and perhaps handy to know. It’s going to be short and sweet…smelling we hope! Healthy pooh in colour and consistency can vary dependent on the kind of food you feed and any other issues or circumstances your dog can find itself in. Stress and anxiety can cause an intense effect on the bowels, as can overeating, under eating, eating poor foods, reactive foods or other environmentals, dog’s with IBS (often linked to the point before), EPI (exocrine pancreatic insufficiency), bowel disorders and what I deem liver insufficiency. Around 70% of the immune system lies within the gut and our immune system is called upon all day every day so there’s a lot that comes into play when we talk about faeces. We release, as do our dogs, a huge amount of hormones, some very inflammatory to digest food. However, in general terms there are certain things to look out for and particular looking poohs, especially if consistent, that can tell us a lot about possible health and may need to be checked out by the vet. Normal Dog Pooh As I say, it varies dependent on what you feed and although I advocate general fresh feeding, I always see the best poohs on a raw food diet. It can vary from dog to dog and breed to breed. In general, colour should be medium brown, dry and almost chalky looking. Dog’s should extract a lot of moisture through the bowel rendering the pooh rather dry but not too hard. Boom a perfect pooh! Red/Bloody Dog Pooh This can indicate bleeding in the GI tract but usually from the intestines and anus. Streaks of blood may indicate rectal bleeding from straining, it could indicate inflammation such as colitis. In this instance there is usually mucus that streaks through the pooh also although this can be intermittent. It could also mean an anal gland infection or something more serious such as a tumour (please don’t worry this is far more rare). It’s always good for your vet to check for parasites also. Blood means inflammation which could have a number of causes. Always check with your vet if this is consistent. Black/Dark Dog Pooh Black stool in dogs may have a “tarry” type consistency and could be a sign of gastrointestinal bleeding from an abrasion, stomach ulcer or intestinal ulcer. It is usually from the stomach bleed as the fresher and brighter the blood the lower down the small intestinal tract it tends to be. Always check with your vet if this is consistent. Pinky Purplish Dog Pooh Please do remember that if you feed beetroot or poorly digested strawberry,raspberries etc, this can affect the colour of your dog’s pooh making it look pink/purplish. Anything that looks pink and jelly like could be something serious that could indicate hemorrhagic gastroenteritis (HGE). The latter isn’t meant to be ignored as dogs can die from this if left unattended. Green Dog Pooh Dog green pooh can be common if your dog eats large amounts of grass or a lot of undigested plant matter from their food. Grass is often eaten to cleanse, add additional chlorophyll, vits and mins in the diet and of course is just yummy to chew. However green pooh can also be a parasite or certain poisoning. If your dog has consistent green poop for a few days, you must see your vet. Grey Dog Pooh These soft,voluminous, often grey and sometimes greasy looking stools can indicate Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency (EPI,) also referred to as maldigestion. This is far more common than you can imagine and owners seem to get used to it as if it’s the norm. EPI is a disease in which the pancreas does not produce the necessary enzymes to digest fat/closely correlated with liver function. If your dog has consistent grey poop, you must see your vet. Orange Dog Pooh Orange pooh can indicate a liver issue, gallbladder or biliary disease. Bile is what changes pooh to the usual brown colour. If transit of pooh is too fast, it can be rather undigested and fat metabolism is not completed. In this case psyllium can be wonderful. If your dog has consistent orange pooh, you must see your vet. MPN Team x
If you, like me are looking forward to a bit of pumpkin carving and a spooky dress up, then you can put the extras to good use and make some treats.
The Royal Society Open Science has decided to document microbial findings and supposed linked articles/research to explore and implode the concerns about raw feeding for cats and dogs. We had to comment so hopefully we don’t bore you too much. We’re not the most avid raw feeder you’ll ever find. We find merit in different ways of feeding cats and dogs but we are a big raw fan and in all our years of practicing pet nutrition, we have not found anything negative (only positive) linked to raw food feeding. Royal Society: “Raw pet food has become increasingly popular among dog owners seeking to feed their pets on what is perceived as a natural and healthy diet. Health claims include benefits to canine vitality, the digestive tract and the immune system, but currently lack scientific evaluation [1].” Alison: Evaluation of the efficacy of raw food for our pets has been difficult as many pet food companies run these scientific based studies for their own financial gain. There is however a movement on non-biased research that has positive outcomes with regards to feeding a raw diet. In Finland at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at Helsinki University, they found negative health markers of homocysteine (linked to many disease states) from blood and urine samples in dry food verses raw fed dogs. Here’s a brief video on the findings as opposed to putting up a research paper to wade through. Video Here Royal Society: “Raw meat-based diets (RMBDs), also known as biologically appropriate raw food (BARF), consist mainly of raw muscle meats, organ meats and meaty bones. Some diets additionally contain vegetables, fruits or grain. Like conventional pet food, most RMBDs are based on the by-products of animals slaughtered for human consumption; however, they do not contain additives and supplements such as preservatives, stabilisers, gelling agents, sweeteners,flavours or vitamins and minerals, potentially posing the risk of nutritional imbalances and deficiencies such as skin and thyroid problems [1,2].” Alison : Firstly, I am not sure how sweeteners, preservatives, gelling agents and stabilisers promote your pet’s health? I agree that if fed a home prepared diet that hasn’t been thoroughly considered and balanced this can be a risk overtime. However, I have worked with many raw food companies who absolutely add in supplementation based on the raw food analysis and to ensure the cat’s and dog’s nutritional needs and requirements are met. Please ask your raw food company what they add in terms of vitamins and minerals and indeed for analysis for your piece of mind. Arguably if we are focusing on imbalance of supplementation added to food and possible health risks, here are some stats based on research carried out in 2017 for mineral content of complete pet food (wet and dry) in the EU. I believe there were some 177 different brands. Here, mineral composition of complete wet (n = 97) and dry (n = 80) canine and feline pet food sold in the UK was measured to assess compliance with EU guidelines. A majority of foods complied with ≥8 of 11 guidelines (99% and 83% for dry and wet food, respectively), but many failed to provide nutritional minimum (e.g.Cu, 20% of wet food) or exceeded nutritional maximum (e.g. Se, 76% of wet food). Only 6% (6/97) of wet and 38% (30/80) of dry food were fully compliant.Some foods (20–30% of all analysed) had mineral imbalance, such as not having the recommended ratio of Ca:P (between 1:1 to 2:1). Foods with high fish content had high levels of undesirable metal elements such as arsenic. This study highlights broad non-compliance of a range of popular pet foods sold in the UK with EU guidelines (94% and 61% of wet and dry foods, respectively). If fed exclusively and over an extended period, a number of these pet foods could impact the general health of companion animals. Findings here Royal Society: “Furthermore, although the production of raw pet food is subjected to strict microbiological hygiene criteria (the EU animal by-products regulations 1069/2009 and 142/2011), pasteurisation is by nature not undertaken, raising questions regarding bacterial contamination [3–5].” “RMBDs have also been shown to be a significant source of Salmonella in healthy dogs and cats that consequently shed the organism at higher rates than animals fed conventional diets [10,12], with implications concerning public health. Case reports of human illness associated with pathogens in RMBDs are still scarce,and illnesses are probably under-reported [12]. However, four cases of an ongoing outbreak of Salmonella Reading in the USA were linked to raw pet food [13].” Alison: Let’s focus on dry food contamination findings that far out weigh any raw food findings. The detection of Salmonella during routine tests on dry dog food uncovered an outbreak linked to a rare strain that had been known to sicken 14 people in nine states,the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said it was due to dry pet food contamination proven to be in Diamond Pet Foods (a recall was issued). Also an outbreak, which started in 2006, marks the first time that dry dog food has been confirmed as a source of the bacterial infection in people. The dog food had been traced to a Mars Pet care U.S. plant in Everson, Pa and the company announced a recall of approximately 23,109 tons of dry dog and cat food sold under 105 brand names. This was a time that prompted owners to look at other options. This became an epidemic around the world and the first time around 2007 that consumers started to question dry and commercial companies as their only option to feed their pets. Royal Society: “and recently, an outbreak due to Shiga toxin producing Escherichia coli (STEC) O157:H7 in the UK was attributed to exposure to contaminated raw pet food [14].” Alison: The outbreak argued due to Shiga toxin producing Escherichia coli (STEC) O157:H7 in the UK being attributed to exposure to contaminated raw pet food is irrelevant due to the fact that the source of infection in the first case was not identified and so pet food
Oh my goodness this is an exceptional question and one food does not fit all. However there are lots of things to consider and hopefully we will be able to point you in the right direction. First a little about some basics to get you searching. In short we find the fresher the food the better. We are not a fan of the highly processed foods that you mostly find on the supermarket and veterinary shelves! Rule of thumb is, if you don’t recognise the ingredient on the pack, don’t buy it! If you are feeding dry food, no matter how good the ingredients are, we strongly suggest you ditch the bag and look for an alternative, if you can afford to. Even if it is grain free it contains a lot of starch to help the composition and structure of the dry food. Starch equals sugar and as we know sugar is bad for us, and our pets’ do not have a high requirement for carbohydrates in their diet. Deceptively some of the dry food can contain almost 40-50% carbohydrates and the worst thing is, it doesn’t have to be stated on the pack. So there you are, feeding your grain free superfood blend thinking you are ‘rocking it’ only to find you are non-the wiser to it’s awful health implications. Yes your cat or dog might seem ok now but what about in the future.. nutrition is investment in your health right? So it’s incredibly important what you feed to your pet as to what they may suffer later down the line. Part of the reason of wanting to consult in a different way and try and prevent issues is because we see many, many sick pets coming through our doors and we don’t always think it’s necessary. There’s plenty that comes into play with our health and our pets. Genetics has a huge part to play but these genetics are majorly influenced with how we and our pets interface with the world. This includes nutrition, the environment, vaccinations, flea and worm treatments, physiological stress and so on. But if you get the baseline of nutrition right, then you are giving your pet a better chance at good health. With consistent toxins and technology exposure we need to consider supporting detoxification too. My specialty is how nutrition can interplay with genetics,switching genes on and off. Using diet and supplements to help ward off issues but also to help manage them when they have arisen. So far so good? Here are some of the foods we recommend. This is very broad and dependent on each pet but as a rule of thumb, we like these types of foods and the brands mentioned as a starting point. Raw food/BARF We started off as an avid die hard raw foodies! As time has gone on, we realised that this doesn’t suit all and to promote this being done at home, even well, is a risk as food alone does not give your pet everything he or she requires. That doesn’t excuse us from the raw food gathering and revolution. We often suggest raw as a commercial food, from a reputable company who do it well. There are no nutritional shortfalls and an overall balance is offered. We might upset some raw foodies here but on average even those cats and dogs who come to me home raw food and ‘well considered’, a good 50% of them have nutritional deficiencies. Home cooked food This is a wonderful alternative to raw feeding. It’s fresh and lightly cooked and we offer recipes to follow if you wish to DIY. We love home cooked meals delivered to the door also. You can get this for your pet too. Raw and dehydrated food This is a great solution if you don’t have a freezer or much freezer space, going on holiday or even keep something in the cupboard as a back up. This is often raw or lightly cooked, fresh food that has been air dried, dehydrated or freeze dried. All processes are slightly different and freeze dried is the least processed but the most expensive. Canned and Dry food We avoid dry food and canned food if possible. Often canned food is irradiated whilst in the aluminium tin. This is rather dangerous longterm and offers dead nutrition! If you are going to buy tinned food I urge you to ask the company how they process at the final stages. Our Ultimate Raw Feeding Guide and Ultimate Puppy Guide provide balanced recipes raw and a list of brands we recommend. MPN Team x
Many dog owners ask My Pet Nutritionist, why their dog is eating grass. The truth is, eating things that are not deemed a food, is rather common among dogs and often not a concern and referred to as pica. However, there are certain health related reasons why pets can be prone to eating grass. It’s known as an emetic and helps to purge and rid the body of unwanted substances such as foods. Here are some reasons why your dog may be dining out on grass! Grass is an emetic Most of you may be well aware that dogs will sometimes eat large amounts of grass in an attempt to make themselves throw up. After they consume a large amount of grass, they’ll often display some nauseous behaviour and then they’ll vomit. It’s completely normal for your dog to vomit occasionally but if this is a general occurrence then this must be looked into. Dogs are intuitive and selective and know what’s for them best in terms of intentionally ridding their system of something that could be toxic, or making them poorly. In short, a dog may be eating grass due to illness or eating something unsuitable. Dogs may eat grass to fulfil a nutritional requirement. This could be to enrich their diet with fibre. On a natural and raw diet, vegetation can add so much fibre, prebiotic and nutritional diversity. This is essential for a good functioning gut and nutritional status. We know that grass contains an abundant source of fibre and since grass is a living green food it contains phytonutrients. It’s high in potassium and also contains chlorophyll that helps aid in cleansing the body. It could be a way of easing nausea, gas or digestive issues and disease. Grass has soothing properties that can aid digestive comfort. If you suspect it could be digestive issues and grass eating is also accompanied by other symptoms such as diarrhoea or constipation then get this checked out. I always consider a natural enriched diet that is appropriate for dogs. They may be suffering from parasites such as intestinal worms. Plant material may increase intestinal motility and help to eliminate intestinal parasites. Being an emetic this may help expulsion of unwanted parasites via vomiting also. Its instinctive and enjoyable. Some dogs consider this pastime fun and may eat grass to occupy themselves. Please note vomiting grass and food on a weekly basis is not within the normal remit. Always consider the quality of the food your feeding and mental stimulation you are providing your dog. To ensure a happy and healthy dog my recommendation is always to look at natural, home cooking (researched and balanced), raw diets and better commercial home style diets, raw diets and raw dehydrated. Probiotics and prebiotics help repopulate and fortify the beneficial bacteria in your dog’s gut, while digestive enzymes provide what the entrails or the guts of their prey species would provide. These enzymes provide a rich source of amylase, lipase and protease, which can help your pets process food much more successfully. Chlorophyll in liquid form can help reduce grass eating and provide a slight detoxifying effect that your dog may require. It is full of trace vitamins and minerals and very much mimics the nutrition offered from grass. Wheatgrass is also a wonderful thing to grow in your garden or apartment, for your dog to graze on and obtain the pleasure and benefit from a nibble here and there. We hope you found this beneficial. MPN Team x
