Natural Pet Care Tips For Dogs With Sensitive Gut Health

What if your dog is not doing well with a new diet and has sensitive dog gut health? 

Remember to go back to the principles and go slowly through the following steps.

If your dog is not feeling well, fast them with bone broth for 12-24 hours to allow their digestive tract to rest.  If you're not able to make your own bone broth, here are a few great sources that you can use:

• Honest Kitchen Bone Broth
• Open Farm Bone Broth
• Only Natural Pet Free-Range Bone Broth

When there is diarrhea or GI upset from a transition to a new food, make sure to slow down the transition and follow the below steps to help make the diet change a success.

Step 1 - Remove Inflammatory Foods

Make sure you've removed inflammatory foods and treats that may be triggering dog leaky gut. Here are other areas that could be causing leaky gut in your dog:

• Foods high in lectins
  • Wheat, rice, spelt, soy
• Foods with a high glycemic index (increase sugar levels quickly in the body and can feed yeast and bad bacteria)
  • Potatoes, carrots, wheat, fruits
• Unnecessary vaccinations - ask for vaccine titers for parvo/distemper instead
• Chlorinated water - watch our video on water quality
• Dewormers, flea/tick/heartworm insecticides - watch our video on more natural insect repellant remedies
• Antibiotics
• Stress

Step 2 - Repair, Replace, and Replenish To Heal Sensitive Dog Gut Health

Here's where it can get tricky, because each pet can be different.  However, by identifying key signs of where the imbalances may lay, you can use specific supplements to help your dog's gut health improve.

Most dogs do not have enough stomach acid and have trouble breaking down, digesting and absorbing their food.  This is where assessing the symptoms your dog is showing can help guide you on the best supplements to use.

If you're not seeing results within 2 weeks, there is something that needs to be adjusted.

Start here:

• Does your dog have excessive gas? Do they tend to have more problems with digestion (vomiting, praying stance, diarrhea) after a meal or on an empty stomach?
• Do they have problems digesting fats, even healthy fats like omega-3 supplements?

By answering these questions, you'll have a better idea if you can start by adding in betaine HCl or if you need to focus on soothing the GI lining first.

Here are just a few to get your started if:

• Your dog displays GI symptoms prior to eating:
  • Soothing formulas and foods like - Standard Process Chlorophyll Complex & Standard Process Okra Pepsin E3 (or using chlorophyll alone (10mg/lb) and okra as a food source)  - Okra, plant enzymes, supplements without betaine HCl are better tolerated at this stage.
  • Chlorophyll Complex dosage:
    • Large dogs - 2 2x day
    • Medium dogs - 3 1x day
    • Small dogs and cats - 1 2x day
  • Okra Pepsin E3 dosage:
    • Large dogs - 3 2x day
    • Medium dogs - 2 2x day
    • Small dogs and cats - 1 2x day
• Your dog displays GI symptoms after eating:
  • This is a sign that you need to add betaine HCl and pepsin to help break down and digest protein
  • Standard Process Betaine Hydrochloride:
    • Large dogs - 2 after each meal
    • Medium dogs - 1 after each meal
    • Small dogs and cats - 1 after each meal
  • Standard Process Zypan dosage:
    • Large dogs - 2 with meals
    • Medium dogs - 1 with meals
    • Small dogs and cats - 1 with meals
  • To order Standard Process click here: https://bit.ly/Standard-Process-Supplements

If you're concerned with yeast or bacterial overgrowth issues, then using natural phytobiotic sources of anti-fungal and antibacterial herbs can help re-establish an appropriate microbiome.

Here are some sources of good phytobiotic options to optimize your dog's microbiome:

• Standard Process Canine Enteric Support
• RX Vitamins Nutrigest
• Four Leaf Rover Yeast Guard

Make sure to replenish the microbiome with beneficial bacteria.  If your dog's on chronic medications or is or recently had antibiotics, using beneficial Saccharomyces boulardii can help your dog's gut health tremendously.  Ensuring there is a good food source or prebiotic is essential for optimizing gut health.

Good prebiotics include:

• Inulin
• Chicory root
• Mushrooms like reishi, shiitake, button lightly cooked or using powered options like Real Mushrooms
• Larch arabinogalactin
• Mono-oligosaccharides
• Slippery elm bark

Step 3 - Maintain Optimal Dog Gut Health

Now you're in the long game of maintaining healthy GI support for your dog.

Make sure to rotate foods and add variety.  Limit toxins and chemicals in the food, water and treats. Support optimal digestion following supplement recommendations for digestive enzymes, probiotics and omega-3 fatty acids.

As always, the above information is recommendations, and you should discuss any changes to your pet's care with your veterinarian.  Each pet is an individual and this information is meant for educational use only.

If you're looking for a more guided Gut Health Program to help heal your dog's digestive upset and you're just getting started with holistic pet care, make sure to join our challenge: 21-Day Gut Health Challenge

*Disclaimer: This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace the advice of your own veterinarian or doctor. The information contained in thenaturalpetdoctor.com is strictly for educational purposes. Therefore, if you wish to apply ideas contained in thenaturalpetdoctor.com, you are taking full responsibility for your actions. Please consult your veterinarian for medical advice for your own pets. Dr. Katie Woodley cannot answer specific questions about your pet’s medical issues or make medical recommendations for your pet without first establishing a veterinarian-client-patient relationship.  Links in the blog are typically affiliate links that let you help support us.