As a quick refresher from our earlier blog post, the microbiome is the ecosystem of bacteria and other microorganisms living on or inside an animal, and in this case, our dogs. There can be many microbiomes in a single animal, including the gut, skin, and mouth. Both humans and dogs have microbiome communities like this! The microbiome is extremely complex, and the source of both emerging and ongoing research. Every dog has a gut microbiome that is unique to them. Your dog’s age, breed, weight, exercise levels, genetics, antibiotics taken, and more, can affect what their microbiome is made up of. As you may suspect, diet also has a significant impact on the constituents of your dog’s microbiome. In this article we will...
Your dog’s digestive tract is a mini-world full of biodiversity, with good bugs and not-so-good bugs constantly in a battle for balance. From puppyhood to the golden years, your dog’s gut microbiome has been uniquely influenced by the world around it – diet, environment, and experiences - and plays a huge role in their overall health.1 Approximately 70% of your dog’s immune system lives in their gut, which is one of the main reasons why it’s important for your dog’s microbiome to be balanced. When the microbiome is off balance, our dogs are more susceptible for immune dysfunction like diarrhea, allergies, and obesity.1,2 The immune system is impacted by the relationship between the intestinal microbiota and the dog’s mucosa (GI...
It’s been said that “the key to a man’s heart is through his stomach.” Well, the same can be said for dogs. The gastrointestinal tract is the key to all organ systems, not just the heart, performing at their finest. The digestive system does more than just produce poop, it feeds the body, supplying nutrients like glucose and amino acids, to all cells and systems. Your dog’s heart wouldn’t beat, their tails wouldn’t wag, and their tongue wouldn’t loll without it. So, what does that all mean? It means the better that you feed that digestive system, the better your dog will function. Providing high quality nutrition directly impacts the quality health in your pup. Let’s take a quick journey...
As dog owners, we’ve become overwhelmingly familiar with what’s considered “normal” for our dog’s poop to look like, and that usually doesn’t include anything red. So, when we see a streak of blood or jelly-like pools of it, naturally we tend to be concerned. Fear not, blood in dog stool is not always a cause for an immediate vet visit, but a call should be made. There are two different types of blood in dog stool: hematochezia and melena. Hematochezia is fresh blood, occurring in the large intestine or rectum, which is why it is a bright red color. Hematochezia can be mixed into the dog stool itself or you could see a few solo blood droplets. This bright red...
As a dog parent, healthy, easy to pick up dog poop is an often-overlooked blessing within our daily lives. Nothing can throw off your day quite like Fido experiencing a bout of diarrhea. If loose stool is the only symptom you’re observing, try our top 5 home remedies for acute diarrhea: 1. Try a short term fast Since dog’s have a relatively short digestive tract[1], limit your dog’s intake of food in order to give their digestive system a break. By forgoing the next meal (or two) you give your dog’s digestive tract the ability to settle and recover from potential irritants. Don’t worry about Fido skipping a meal or two – intermittent fasting is actually beneficial (similar to humans!)...
