Your dog’s gastrointestinal tract includes their mouth, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine and anus.
Their inner terrain includes mucosal linings and all tissue and organ surfaces. When combining the two, you encounter one of the most important considerations of having a healthy dog, the condition of their “gut” terrain.
Trillions of microscopic organisms both beneficial (commensal) and pathogenic (disease causing) adhere to the linings of the gastrointestinal tract. Bacteria, viruses, fungi and protozoa make up the bulk of these microorganisms referred to as your dog’s microbiome.
Your dog’s microbiome is unique, covering all the surfaces of their body, inside and out. This symbiotic relationship is complex and dependent on multiple factors including diet, environment, genetics and stress.
Science is discovering how the microbiome acts as a complex immune organ especially inside your dog’s gut. Research has confirmed that over 85% of your dog’s total microbiome is contained in the large intestine. This makes your dog’s gut health vitally important to the health of their ecosystem. So the goal is a balanced terrain consisting of trillions of diverse, beneficial microrgansims (microflora).
The Role of The Microbiome
Many dog owners see the microbiome in the intestines (mostly on the wall of the intestines) as something that needs to be there and is affected by antibiotics but they’re not sure what else it does. They know its important but not sure why.
The microbiome supports so many integral functions of your dog as an ecosystem. One huge function is the the manufacturing of vitamins along with the liver.
Here is a list of other key functions:
• assists with the absorption of nutrients
• supports a healthy immune system
• decreases pathogens
• traps and detoxes heavy metals
• assists digestion while producing enzymes
• helps manufacture vitamins including B-complex
• balances glucose levels
• decrease food sensitivities
• supports anti-inflammatory proteins
• reduces chronic inflammation
• reduces stress , anxiety and aggression
• helps regulate brain functions
• support good oral health
Healing The Gut
Before you attempt to give your dog probiotics it’s important to know if your dog’s gastrointestinal tract is prepared for an onslaught of beneficial organisms. Sometimes, this isn’t the case and your dog’s terrain needs some preparation for success.
Some familiar signs of dysfunction include worsening of symptoms when giving probiotics, restlessness after eating, have chronic diarrhoea or alternating diarrhoea with constipation, food sensitivities, skin issues, flatulence and weight-loss.
This type of depletion can happen when dogs are given antibiotics, vaccines, dewormers and other pharmaceuticals leaving the microbiome severely unbalanced.
A healthy canine intestine has a substance called glycocalyx that coats the microvilli (little hairs that increase absorption) in the intestinal wall. A poor diet and excess pharmaceutical use depletes the gastrointestinal tract of glycocalyx. When your dog doesn’t produce enough glycocalyx it reduces the secretion and production of IgA (antibody blood protein). IgA coats epithelial cells and staves off pathological bacteria.
When IgA production is down it opens up your dog’s terrain to pathogenic bacteria and yeast overgrowth. The unfortunate thing is that an increased yeast (candida) load further depletes IgA secretion causing a cycle of depletion. The result? You can give your dog the best probiotics you can buy only to have them be excreted in their faeces and possibly worsening their symptoms.
In order for probiotics to colonise you have to increase glycocalyx production. What is an effective way to do this? Through Saccharomyces boulardii.
Saccharomyces boulardii is an antibiotic-resistant yeast and honorary probiotic. It increases the production of glycocalyx by feeding the microvillai of the gut, bringing down inflammation and stimulates beneficial enzyme production. It takes about 4-6 weeks of treatment with saccharomyces boulardii to begin to improve your dog’s terrain.
It’s Essential To Diversify The Bacteria In The Gut
Once you’re sure your dog is well enough to use probiotcs, you can start slowly. You’ll need a diverse amount of probiotics or good/ commensal bacteria. Most beneficial strains will come from the dairy based species bifidobacterium and lactobcillus. These types of probiotics need to be refrigerated and given daily as they don’t survive in the gut long but help balance and replenish healthy microflora.
Bifidobacterium plays an important role in immune health as they help balance pathogenic bacteria and yeasts like candida. It also helps regulate the digestive process and decrease digestive upset.
Lactobacillus turns milk sugar into latic acid decreasing intestinal pathogenic numbers. Different species of lactobacillus can help balance emotions, decrease the chances of chronic diarrhoea and calm digestive inflammation. Another source of healthy probiotics is through spore-forming organisms (SBO) found in soil and water. These types of bacterium organisms excrete antioxidants and vitamins. Most of the viable sources come from the species bacillus.
Spore forming bacteria also called Soil Based Organisms, have a tough outer shell that helps them survive stomach acid and heat making them shelf-stable. Their benefits include increasing IgA and antioxidant production, repairing holes in the intestinal lining, manufacturing vitamins and balancing beneficial and pathogenic bacteria.
Saccharomyces boulardii isn’t just for prepping the gut for successful bacterial colonisation. It can be part of your overall probiotic regimen. This powerful yeast helps decrease inflammation while boosting immune function. Unlike lactobaccilus, it survives in the gut into the large intestine where it fights yeasts like Candida.
When using probiotics choose products with diverse strains. Use a combination of lactobacillis, bifidus as well as soil based organisms.
An important thing to remember is probiotics need nourishment. They need prebiotics.
Prebiotics
Probiotics need food like plants need good soil. Without soil to feed the plants, you can’t grow anything. Most prebiotics are made of insoluble and soluble fibre providing nourishment for the bacteria in the colon.
Popular prebiotics include apples, burdock root, chlorella, dandelion root, jerusalem artichokes, organic bananas, small amounts of organic grains, sea vegetables, sweet potatoes, and mushrooms. Fibre is important because it remains mostly undigested providing nourishment for bacteria.
One of my favorite prebiotics is cooked apples. I just give my dogs a teaspoon (per 30 pounds) of soft, cooled apple. Cooked apples are high in pectin which help heal the gut lining and avoid leaky gut.
The main importance of prebiotics besides providing a foods source for hopeful probiotics is their production of short chain fatty acids (SCFA). When fibre’s consumed, SCFA produce beneficial chemicals like acetate, butyrate, lactate and proprionate.
Acetate helps control your dog’s appetite, balances the PH of the large intestine and helps regulate pathogens. It’s the most abundant SCFA in the gut.
Butyrate decreases inflammation, helps heal leaky gut by fortifying the gut lining, increases intestinal proliferation, helps protect the brain and increases absorption of nutrients.
Lactate helps increase butyrate levels by supporting the bacteria that produce them. It also helps balance the immune system and combat pathogens.
Propionate like acetate helps regulate your dog’s appetite, protects against cancer cell proliferation and brings down systemic inflammation.
