This is the stuff of most owner’s nightmare’s! Wriggly worms in the poop isn’t exactly heart warming, but fear not, we are going to take look at the different types of worms and how to naturally prevent them. A little 101 on all the worms and how to effectively and safely ward them off and manage potential problems. There are three main groups of worms to consider in our dogs, intestinal worms, these include, roundworm, whipworm, hookworm, tapeworm. Then we have lungworm and heartworm, although heartworm does not exist in the U.K. ROUNDWORMS Roundworms also know as toxocara canis are the most commonly found worms in our dogs. They have the appearance of spaghetti and can reach several inches long! They live in the intestinal tract of the dog and feed off undigested food. Roundworms are very common in puppies. Transmission Roundworms can be transmitted in several different ways. They can be passed from mother to puppy whilst in the womb and through the mothered milk when nursing. Roundworms can also be spread by sniffing or eating infected faeces or eating infected animals like rodents, birds and earthworms, that are of course infected. Symptoms Roundworms are the most serious for puppies and young dogs as they can suffer from malnutrition, weight loss and have pot dog pot bellied appearance, as well as vomiting and diarrhoea. You may also notice worms in your dogs poop or vomit. Diagnosis Faecal screen or visually identifying WHIPWORMS Whipworms also known as Trichuris vulpis, live in the caecum of a dog, this is a blind ended pocket located near the large intestine. They grow to around 30-50 mm in length and get their name from their whip like appearance with a thick anterior and a very long thin posterior. Whipworms attach themselves to the mucosal lining of the caecum and feed on blood and tissue fluids. Transmission Dogs become infected by consuming soil of faeces that is contaminated with whipworm eggs. Symptoms Whipworms cause serious irritation and inflammation of the lining of the caecum, causing watery, bloody diarrhoea, weigh loss, anaemia and lethargy. If infestation is large it can be fatal. Diagnosis Faecal screen HOOKWORMS Hookworms also know as ancylostoma caninum, get there name from their hook like mouth piece, they are around 3mm in size and very difficult to see with the naked eye. They hook themselves to the wall of intestines and ingest blood from the tiny vessels. Transmission Hookworms can be transmitted in several different ways, in utero, through mother’s milk, oral ingestion and the larva can burrow through the skin! Symptoms Hookworms can cause lots of symptoms including pale gums, bloody stools, poor growth, weakness and severe anaemia, that can lead to death. Hookworms can also cause dermatitis and itchy skin especially on the paws where the larva has buried into the skin. Diagnosis Faecal screen TAPEWORMS There are a lots of different species of tape worms, a common tapeworm is taenia echinococcus but the most commonly found species in U.K. dogs is dipylidium caninum, also known as the flea tapeworm. Tapeworms belong to the cestode family of parasitic worms, they are flat in shape. Tapeworms hook/suck onto the intestinal wall of the dog and absorb nutrients directly through their skin. Tapeworms are made up of segments, these are called proglottids that detach from the worm and are essentially a bag full of eggs, ready to infect the environment and their next host. Transmission Tapeworms are carried by live stock and your dog would need to ingest a cyst to be infected, the larva in that cyst would then grow into an adult tapeworm, if it is a flea tapeworm they must first ingest a flea that has been infected with tapeworm larva, that will develop into an adult tapeworm. Symptoms Tapeworms can cause a whole host of symptoms from dull coat, weight loss and vomiting. Dogs will often scoot and bite at their back end, and in some cases you will see a proglottide segment crawling around the anus. Diagnosis Faecal screen or seen proglottides in faeces. LUNGWORM Lungworm also known as French heartworm, Angiostrongylus Vasorum, live in the right ventricle of the heart and pulmonary arteries of our dogs. Transmission Lungworm is transmitted to our dog by either eating a slug or snail that is infected with lungworm larvae, the larvae can also be transmitted to our dogs through the slug/snails slime that is on dogs toys, water bowls or infected puddles. It be noted that not all snails and slugs are infected with lungworm. Symptoms Lungworms can cause serious damage if left untreated. There is lots of symptoms from vomiting, weight and appetite loss, pale gums, bruising and poor blood clotting. Coughing or coughing up blood, as well as other breathing problems such as emphysema and pneumonia. Lungworm also cause heart problems and in extreme cases heart failure, as well as seizures. Diagnosis Faecal screen HEARTWORM Heartworm or dirofilaria immittis is a parasitic roundworm that is a species of filarial worm, that live in the pulmonary arterial systems and heart. They can grow up to several inches long. Transmission Heartworm is transmitted by a mosquito that is infected with microfilariae, an early stage heartworm larvae. The mosquito bites the dog releasing the microfilariae into the blood stream where they make their way to the pulmonary arteries and heart, to develop into adult heartworm. Symptoms Symptoms can be anything from, fatigue, poor appetite, weight loss and coughing to chronic cardiovascular and respiratory disease. In serious cases dog can collapse due to caval syndrome, this is when blood is blocked getting back to the heart due to a high worm burden. Diagnosis Blood test for macrofilariae, these will not be present in blood till after 6 month of initial infection. Antigen test, this tests for a specific protein released by female heartworms, The earliest you can test for this protein is 5 months after initial infection. It is advised to have an annual testing for heartworm. Natural Prevention
Whilst we don’t like to bash pet foods and understand that people are often looking for convenience and economical options, we always feel it’s important to highlight why dry food is not a good option for your pet. Fresher food always prevails in my clinic and there are thousands of people who will testify to the wonderful effects of a fresh food diet. There’s a myth that feeding fresher foods is a lot more expensive. Like anything, there is something to suit all budgets and well we believe, if you have invested your time and love into a furry member of the family, then it’s worth considering the best options to support their health. Before we begin to look at dry foods, its important to understand a little more about our dogs and where they have come from to understand their needs. We have domesticated dogs for around 30,000 years. Dogs are facultative carnivores which means their main diet should be a meat based diet but they can survive on other foods if required. Cat’s are obligate carnivores, meaning they are solely carnivorous and wouldn’t survive without a meat based diet. Dogs are a species of canid but domesticated dogs are the closest related ancestors to the grey wolf. We have changed the shape and size of domestic dogs but there has been very little evolutionary change to the digestive system. A domestic dog’s digestive system is designed to eat fresh raw meat and bones (this is where their high and relative need for calcium and phosphorus come from). The first dry food was only produced in 1957 by Purina and since the 1970s, the average age of a dog has gone from 17yrs to 11yrs. Nutrition is not solely responsible for this drop but feeding ultra processed foods, plays a huge huge part in your dog’s longevity and quality of life. Dry food Is made by the extrusion process, extruded food goes through four extremely high heat processes, so you can imagine what that does to the nutrients. You are left with something that is dead “food” void of nutrients, antioxidants, enzymes, fatty acids and probiotics. The food is then sprayed with a layer of fat and flavour enhancers to make it palatable to dogs, then sprayed with a pre mix of synthetic vitamins and minerals. As if all this is not bad enough, food that contains protein and carbohydrates when heated to high temperatures, causes glycemic end products to be formed. AGE’s have been linked to free radical damage, cancer and premature ageing. The other big issue with pet food is the amount of glyphosates, a chemical herbicide (weed killer) used on crops such as wheat, corn, soy and potatoes, commonly used on ingredients found in pet foods. When certain brands were tested for glyphosates, the amounts were considerably higher than expected. Glyphosates are deemed carcinogenic and linked to cancer and many other diseases. We know one in two dogs will get cancer in his/her life time. Research here Another concern with dry food, is most contain a huge amount of carbohydrates. As we know, our dogs are facultative carnivores and our cats, obligate carnivores, which means they need a meat based diet to thrive. Both cats and dogs have no to little nutritional requirements for dietary carbohydrates. They can obtain everything they require from a diet that contains only protein and fat. Energy metabolism in both cat and dog can be based on fat oxidation and the breakdown of protein to produce glucose. Carbohydrates=sugar and can cause a host of problems including systemic inflammation. If your cat or dog has IBS, IBD, arthritis, allergies, bad breath, constant ear infections, urinary issues, obesity, yeast infections, kidney disease, liver disease, thyroid issues, cancer and more, then the first thing to do is look to the food you are feeding, and go from there. Structurally, carbohydrates (starches mostly) are essential to dry pet food manufacturing as commercial extruded pet foods use these starches to give the food structure and texture. Even some canned dog foods contain a carbohydrate source to create a gelling agent. Frequently used carbohydrate sources used in dry food/pet food include grains such as rice, maize, corn, potatoes, legumes, and fillers such as milled beet. The carbohydrate content is not given in dry food but you can work it rather easily. Some popular fed dry foods have shocking results! In most cases there’s more carbohydrates in the food than protein! Most of these dry foods are almost half a bag of carbohydrates. If you want to work out the amount of carbohydrates in your dogs food add the percent of: Protein Fat Ash Fibre Moisture (if not stated 8%) together then subtract the amount from 100, this will leave you the percent of carbohydrates in the food. Here are some of the most common dry food brands: JAMES WELLBELOVED protein 20% Carbohydrates 48% JAMES WELLBELOVED GRAIN FREE protein 21% Carbohydrates 46.8% MILLIES WOLFHEART LAMB AND VEG Protein 19% Carbohydrates 45.5% EDEN protein 45% Carbohydrates 18.5% WAINWRIGHT GRAIN FREE protein 25% Carbohydrates 40% AVA MEDIUM ADULT protein 26% Carbohydrates 46.6% HARRINTONS GRAIN FREE protein 25% Carbohydrates 44.5% BURNS protein 18.5% Carbohydrates 57.8% ROYAL CANIN protein 25% Carbohydrates 45% CANAGAN protein 33% carbohydrates 32.5% TAILS protein 22.3% Carbohydrates 46.9% AKELA Protein 39% Carbohydrates 20.5% ORIJEN protein 38% Carbohydrates 23% HILLS IDEAL BALANCE protein 23.5 Carbohydrates 44.1% AATU protein 32% Carbohydrates 43% BARKING HEADS protein 26% EDGAR AND COOPER Protein 25% carbohydrates 41% STEP UP TO NATURALS protein 22% Carbohydrates 47.2% BAKERS protein 21% Carbohydrates 50% WAGG Protein 21% Carbohydrates 49.8 PEDIGREE protein 21% Carbohydrates 42.9 The Ideal Omega-6 to Omega-3 ratio for pet food is 4:1. This can go up to 6:1 quite comfortably but reaching a higher ratio than this can cause a huge amount of systemic inflammation. The average dry food offers 20:1 and can go as high as 50:1. This is another blog to venture. A required percentage of moisture in your pet’s food should
I see many sick cats and dogs (mostly dogs) coming through the door at MPN, with owners at a loss as to what to do next. Whilst we see so much disease and every pet is different, there are some set things I always recommend to everyone, that are imperative to your pet’s health. This is to detox their life and GET RID OF THE CHEMICALS. I have heard several sad stories about reactions and disease caused by treatments, mostly neurological damage and death from flea treatments and worming stories where the dog went into fits and endured life long seizures. If we aren’t personally meant to handle these chemicals, then they shouldn’t be going on or in our pet’s bodies. Conventional chemical flea and tick treatments from your vet or over the counter, are highly toxic pesticides that accumulate in the blood, skin and tissue. When you give your dog these chemical treatments, they work systemically (throughout the body). They are absorbed into his/her blood so when a flea or tick feeds on your dog’s blood, they also eat the chemical Isoxazolines, and become paralysed, eventually dying. Both fleas and ticks have to bite and latch on, to suck your dogs blood, before becoming paralysed and dying from the pesticides. It can take hours upon hours before the fleas and ticks die. This allows sufficient time for the fleas to become bothersome and the ticks to spread disease. The problem with these chemicals is to kill the parasites, they have to poison your cat or dog first. These awful chemical treatments can also cause neurological issues and permanent damage in cats and dogs. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) put out a warning on Isoxazoline flea and tick products in September 2018, warning on the potential neurological adverse reactions. The side effects range from, diarrhoea, vomiting, lethargy, seizures, convulsions, skin disorders, ataxia and death. Although this warning has been given, sadly the FDA still states that they work with manufacturers and deem it safe with side effects now listed to make this a known danger? Apparently to note dangers within the labelling and making statements on potential dangers, now makes this a non safety issue. I’m still scratching my head. Any safety data on these products are only tested a few months, so we don’t even know about the long term implications. Those treatments containing Isoxazoline: Bravecto (fluralaner) tablets for dogs Bravecto (fluralaner) topical solution for cats and dogs Credelio (lotilaner) tablets for dogs Nexgard (afoxalaner) tablets for dogs Simparica (sarolaner) tablets for dogs Revolution Plus (selamectin and sarolaner topical solution) for cats and used in the prevention of heartworms Natural Solutions Using a natural preventative is far safer and effective than conventional means. In using chemical treatments, these are designed to kill the parasite once on the host, whereas the natural prevention aims to repel fleas and ticks, so your cat or dog doesn’t even become a host. This is a more effective approach at preventing disease if done appropriately. To protect against fleas, ticks and worms, there are several natural and effective options you can consider so please read on. Flea, tick and worming products Flea products and tick products are incredibly toxic and overload the body when the immune system is already under challenge. Fleas aren’t a great concern although very bothersome and cause discomfort and allergies in your pet, but ticks are a problem. Make sure after every walk you check your dog thoroughly and invest in a tick removal kit if you are in a zone for ticks (there’s a tick key listed down below). They can be dangerous to your dog as they carry disease. There are lots of natural products out there. Rotating them is important as fleas and ticks are adaptable and you need to make sure your pets are not a desirable host. Homemade Itchy Dog Spray of apple cider vinegar mixed spritz potion can be an effective flea and tick deterrent; 1. 250mls of organic Apple cidar vinegar and preferably from the mother (this means Apple cider vinegar that is simply unrefined, unpasteurised. unfiltered and from the mother). Organic AC Vinegar 2. 250mls of distilled water, filtered water, bottled water but definitely not tap water. 3. Fresh chamomile (organic preferably) or a teabag steeped in boiling water for 30 minutes (to be added as part of the 250mls water). 4. 10 drops of Organic lavender aromatherapy oil and/or a few drops of essential oils such as lemon eucalyptus, tea tree, sandalwood, clary sage and patchouli. If you decide to use this on the cat too (avoid the aromatherapy oils due to the phenolics: this can be toxic to cats). 5. Water spray bottle. I prefer brown glass but we don’t have to go fancy here. Just make sure its stored in a cool dry place and if plastic, doesn’t sweat as PCB’s could leak into your lovely potion. Alternatively, you can go for a spray already made up from Greens for healthy pets called Don’t Bug Me! Don’t Bug Me Hedge row hounds offers a wonderful herbal mix called natures bounty, that is easily and safely added to food. Natures Bounty Diatomaceous earth is a good effective option although if your dog has sensitivities, allergies or any breathing problems, tread with caution. Food grade diatomaceous earth is made from teeny, tiny sea creatures, often found in places like the white cliffs of Dover. It dehydrates and suffocates the parasites and their eggs, thus killing them. Please ensure this is a good quality, food grade product as it can have high levels of toxicity. It can be used to sprinkle around the home and dusted through your dog’s coat. Care should be taken not to breath in the powder (caution with your dog too). Diatomaceous Earth Another lovely spray with beautiful essentials, sprayed before you go on a walk and perhaps afterwards, can be helpful in warding off critters. Biospotix do natural spot ons and collars. Biospotix Flea Spray A natural flea collar or
A brilliant guide on how to vaccinate safely, here it is in all it’s glory, everything you need to know about taking care of your pet, not over vaccinating, being responsible and taking care of your pet, based on scientific review. Guidelines from the World Small Animal Veterinary Association are at the core of this article and something many vets ignore or don’t know about. UNDERSTANDING VACCINATIONS, IMMUNISATION, TITER TESTING AND WSAVA GUIDELINES The World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) is a global veterinary community that bases their guidelines on evidence based veterinarian medicine. These guidelines are to give vets the current scientific advice on the best vaccination concept. In this blog we will be discussing core vaccinations, the difference between vaccinating and immunising and WSAVA guidelines on vaccination protocol and titer testing. Core vaccinations are “parvovirus, hepatitis and distemper” this is the DHP three in one vaccination currently in the UK. The only vaccinations you can give on its own is parvovirus. What is the difference between vaccinating and immunisation? Just because you have vaccinated your dog does not mean that your dog is immunised, when we give a vaccination, we aim to immunise. When a dog is immunised it means that the vaccination has worked and the dog has immunity to the diseases it has been vaccinated against. If you give the last vaccination when your pup is too young, they will still be covered by the mothers maternal immunity and the vaccination will not work/take. Then once the mothers maternal immunity has wained they can be unprotected against those diseases. If you have a dog that is a non responder, it is impossible to immunise them no matter how often you give a vaccination, these dogs will always be susceptible to those diseases. WSAVA guidelines on puppy vaccinations The recommendations are for initial core vaccinations at 6-8wks of age, then every 2/4wks until 16wks of age, then a booster at 6-12 months or a titer test 4wks after the 16wk vaccination, to check if the puppy is immunised. If the pup is immunised, then the guidelines say there is no need for the 6-12 month booster. The difficulty is knowing at what age it is best to give the first vaccination as most pups with be covered by their mothers maternal immunity (MDA). Maternal immunity is passed to the pup through the colostrum in the mother’s milk. Maternal immunity can begin to wain as little as 8 weeks but can last up to 14-16 weeks and for this reason, the WSAVA states, there is “No single primary vaccination policy will therefore cover all situations”. When getting a pup, it is important to know if the mother is immunised, if so the pup will have some maternal immunity. If you vaccinate early and give three vaccinations, you risk over vaccinating your pup but if you wait till later to vaccinate, there is a risk of your pup getting one of the illnesses. It depends on your pups circumstances and what risk you see as the greater. My advice is to base your decision on this. If the pup is hand reared, the pup will not have any maternal immunity therefore the earlier vaccinations would be more beneficial. Waiting to give the last vaccination at 16 weeks is important as this is when the dog is most capable of responding to the vaccination, as all of the mother’s maternal immunity will have wained. How often should core vaccinations “parvovirus, hepatitis and distemper” be given? Often these vaccinations are given annually, this should not happen as the data sheet that comes with the DHP vaccine states “once every three years”. Once every three years, is in most cases, still too frequent for most dogs as the science has proven by serological testing and by challenge that core vaccinations can last up-to the life time of the pet. This is why it is so important to always titer test before giving core vaccinations. WSAVA guidelines state not to be given more frequently than every three years. This does not mean to give every three years, it means they should not ever be given sooner that three years. Please see WSAVA guidelines below. WSAVA GUILDLINES ❗️VACCINATIONS SHOULD NOT BE GIVEN NEEDLESSLY❗️ ❗️CORE VACCINATIONS SHOULD NOT BE GIVEN MORE FREQUENTLY THAN ONCE EVERY THREE YEARS BECAUSE THE DURATION OF IMMUNITY IS MANY YEARS AND MAY BE UP TO THE LIFE TIME OF THE PET❗️ ❗️A DOG THAT HAS RESPONDED TO CORE VACCINATIONS MAINTAINS SOLID IMMUNITY (immunological memory) FOR MANY YEARS IN THE ABSENCE OFANY REPEAT VACCINATIONS❗️ ❗️IT MUST BE REMEMBERED THAT EVEN THE THREE YEAR LICENCE IS A MINIMUM DURATION OF IMMUNITY AND FOR MOST CORE VACCINATIONS THE TRUE DURATION OF IMMUNITY IS LIKELY TO BE CONSIDERABLY LONGER IF NOT LIFELONG❗️ ❗️AN ADOPED ADULT DOG (OR PUPPY OVER 16WKS OF AGE) OF UNKNOWN VACCINATION HISTORY REQUIRES ONLY A SINGLE DOSE OF CORE VACCINATION TO ENGENDER A PROTECTIVE IMMUNE RESPONSE❗️ WSVSA statement on giving more than one core vaccination to an adult dog (or pup over 16 weeks of age and restarting vaccinations is….. ❗️THIS PRACTICE IS UNJUSTIFIED AND IS SIMPLY CONTRARY TO THE FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLE OF IMMUNOLOGICAL MEMORY❗️ How does a titer work? To explain titer testing a little more, a titer test is a simple blood test that will look for circulating antibodies in the dogs bloodstream. When you do a titer test, the level of the titer (antibodies) is irrelevant, it doesn’t matter if your dogs titers come back high or low. Any measurable antibodies means the dog has immunity. These titers will go up and down depending what the circumstance is. A high titer doesn’t mean your dog is more immune than a low titer, a high titer can mean one of two things. The dogs immune system has been over stimulated by vaccinations or your dog has just come into contact with a said disease. For example, if there is a parvo outbreak in your area, your dogs
There’s some mixed feelings about mushrooms but they get a lot of press and rightly so. They are wonderful and each have a magical affect with direct correlation and clinical research to immune and organ support. There are a lots of species of mushrooms and not all medicinal but most magical. Mushrooms help to regenerate, prevent, protect and intervene with certain disease states and the research is growing. The magical mushrooms we will look at today are Maitake, Shiitake, Reishi, Cordyceps, Coriolus and AHCC (active hexose correlated compound). These mushrooms offer nutritional abundance and amazing cell and immune function: Minerals such as potassium, selenium, sodium,zinc, phosphorus Sugars such as mannitol, xylose, glucose, galactose, mannose Vitamins such as b complex, folic acid, vitamin D Proteins essential amino acids Lipids such as phospholipids, sterols, free fatty acids, mono-, di- and triglycerides Polysaccharides such as glycogen and beta-D-glucans Enzymes such as proteolytic The most powerful of all of these are the polysaccharide fraction, mainly beta-glucans, responsible for the immune-modulating effects. Fungal beta-glucans have been shown to activate leukocytes, which depend on structural characteristics of beta-glucans. Findings here Polysaccharopeptides are protein-bound polysaccharides (carbohydrates) that are found in many mushrooms. Krestin (PSK) and Polysaccharide Peptide (PSP) are two types of polysaccharopeptides. Both PSK and PSP possess powerful immune-boosting properties. They promote immune response by both activating and inhibiting specific types of immune cells and by suppressing inflammation. Due to their ability to naturally strengthen the immune system, PSP and PSK are commonly used as anti-cancer agents in conjunction with human surgery, chemotherapy and/or radiation in countries like Japan. Maitake (Grifola frondosa); may help to regulate blood sugar, support heart health, boost the immune system, particularly in cancer care. In fact maitake has shown the most promise in helping support cancer patients. In 2004, an in vitro study showed the effectiveness in 3 types of dog cancer, CF33- Mammary cancer cells, CF21-Connective tissue cancer cells and CL1- Lymphoma cancer cells. The significant study showed that the D-fraction of maitake held the ability to inhibit the growth of the CF21 and CF33 cancer cells. Findings here Shiitake (Lentinula edodes); contain ergothioniene, an active compound that provides potent antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and regenerative properties, as well as lentinan, a compound that may help fight against bacterial, viral and parasitic infections. Shiitake is shown to support liver function, lower blood cholesterol levels, help regulate blood sugars, support skin conditions, used in supporting the immune system in prostate or breast cancer. Findings here Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum): a powerful medicinal mushroom that has been found to possess immune-modulating and immune-potentiating capabilities. Reishi has been characterised as a wonder herb, helping with possible inflammation and allergic reaction. Reishi may help with liver function, fatigue, cancer, skin disorders, digestive issues and possible leaky gut. Findings here Cordyceps Sinensis; may help endurance and stamina during exercise, may have anti-ageing properties due to it containing an enzyme called super oxide dismutase. May have a potential anti-tumor effect, may help to modulate blood sugars, support heart health and help to fight inflammation. Findings here Turkey Tail (Coriolus versicolor); contains a variety of powerful antioxidants and other compounds that may help boost your dog’s immune system and even help fight certain cancers. possessing powerful immune-boosting properties. They promote immune response by both activating and inhibiting specific types of immune cells and by suppressing inflammation. A test-tube study found that turkey tail extract modified gut bacteria composition by increasing populations of beneficial bacteria such as Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus whilst reducing potentially harmful bacteria such as Clostridium and Staphylococcus. Findings here AHCC® (active hexose correlated compound); is a natural substance extracted from certain species of basidiomycetes, a class of mushrooms that includes shiitake. Research on a canine study showed AHCC treatment might be effective for improvement of clinical state and anti-tumor effect. Findings here Findings here Mushrooms are a wonderful addition and one to explore if you wish to add them to your pet’s plate. As always, we are here to help, so check out our services, click the link below. Consultations MPN Team x
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
