These days, it's not just humans who have to deal with leaky gut, It can also make your dog sick!
This can lead to different health problems as larger particles slowly leak into the bloodstream and enter areas of the body that are not made to deal with these external elements.
In this post, we will tell you all about the webbing intestine syndrome in dogs and how you can treat and prevent it.
What is leaky gut syndrome?
It is known as the "great imitator". It's what happens when your dog's intestinal lining becomes inflamed, more permeable. This mucosal lining is what causes food to pass into the bloodstream to feed the body.
So leaky gut syndrome is when the protective wall of the stomach and intestines becomes so weak and deteriorated that everything that should stay in those areas, such as bacteria, toxins and undigested food, leaks into other areas of the body.
Once these substances are filtered into the bloodstream, the liver will have to make more effort to filter what it can out of the dog's body but over time these foreign substances will become more and more and your dog's liver and immune system will not be able to handle it all.
This inflammation is the driver of chronic diseases such as heart disease, autoimmune disease, diabetes, arthritis, liver disease, cancer and others.
Causes of leaky gut in dogs
Vaccines: because many of their ingredients are highly inflammatory such as mercury, aluminum and formaldehyde and other ingredients derived from other species, such as calf whey or albumin. In addition, vaccines deregulate the immune system, which leads to further inflammation.
Antibiotics: they indiscriminately kill both harmful and good bacteria, upsetting their balance and wiping out the entire colony, leaving only the resistant germs, which can grow and multiply.
Even if your dog does not take antibiotics, if he is eating food from animals that have consumed antibiotics in excess, he may also be affected.
Diet: if your dog consumes processed foods or diets rich in carbohydrates he will have an unbalanced intestinal flora.
Carbohydrates with a high glycemic load are the preferred food for many harmful bacteria and can cause an overgrowth of fungi and yeasts. Dairy products, preservatives, dyes and chlorinated water can also damage the microbiome.
Genetically modified foods: produce inflammation in the intestine because they are foreign and the dog's body does not recognize them. These foods eprogram the genetic expression of pets, to the point that they change critical biological processes fundamental to the body's health.
Gluten: is highly inflammatory. It produces a glue-like coating on the intestine and then does not allow it to function properly.
Stress: If your partner spends long hours alone or suffers from other chronic stressors, this will make him more susceptible to having an unbalanced microbiome.
Anti-inflammatories and other chemicals: inhibit the growth of good bacteria.
Vitamin D deficiency: vitamin D is essential to prevent leaky gut, as it is responsible for strengthening thin tissues, especially those in the gastrointestinal tract.
Leaky gut symptoms in dogs
Some of the most common symptoms of leaky gut are recurring discomfort or problems in the stomach, such as:
- Recurrent bloating and gas
- Chronic diarrhea or constipation
- Skin allergies or rashes
- Nutritional deficiencies
- Recurrent bladder inflammation or problems with the bladder
- Irregular coat
- Drastic behavioral changes such as aggression, depression, anxiety or self-morbidities, etc.
- Poor autoimmune responses or disease
- Seizures
- Eye problems
- Food intolerances
- Peptic ulcers
How is leaky gut treated?
If your dog has a leaky gut it is best to consult with your veterinarian, as the recovery process depends on each individual case.
However, the best is prevention and reducing exposure to its main causes. Here are some options and treatments you can do at home.
Vaccinate your dog only for lethal viruses such as distemper, adenovirus and parvovirus, and after the injection at 4 months of age, one month later give him the rabies vaccine.
Have your pet only have access to cucumber-infused filtered water, this will help eliminate heavy metal toxicity.
Avoid feeding processed foods, especially any food containing grains or ingredients such as beet and pea powder.
Walk your dog for sunshine and vitamin D absorption and exercise him daily for at least 20 minutes.
Avoid unnecessary medications, ideally find an integrative veterinarian who also considers alternative means of healing.
Reduce your dog's stress, although it is not critical to the health of his microbiome, reducing stress is good for him.
Safe Guard Detox + probiotics
Another way to help your dog is to use Safe Guard, an ideal product to deal with leaky gut as it will help his immune system, feeds beneficial bacteria and is high in antioxidants.
Prebiotics are the food for the beneficial bacteria in the intestine (probiotics) and facilitate the production of fatty acids that protect the mucosal cells of the intestinal lining.
With these methods of prevention by improving your dog's digestive health, stress, the use of highly digestible ingredients in food and treatment such as safeguard, you can keep your dog strong and healthy and avoid chronic diseases.