When it comes to digestion issues, at The Yuppy Puppy, we know our shit.
There are many different ways in which digestion issues can manifest themselves. This includes gas, diarrhea, vomiting, irritable bowel syndrome and stool eating. In many cases, the cause of digestion issues is their diet, though it can also be caused by genetic or environmental factors. Just as nutrition can be the cause of digestion troubles, it also can work to solve them. Throughout this article we will be covering several of these common digestive issues and ways in which we can help alleviate them.
How do you know if your dog is getting the most out of their diet? An easy way to do this is to check their poop. A good-quality diet and a properly functioning digestive system should produce a small amount of formed, dark brown, firm stools. Small stools show that the food has been digested and there is little waste left. Poor-quality pet food will result in more undigested material passing into the large intestine. This can cause gas, larger stools, more liquid stools, and stools that have a more noticeable bad smell. By looking at your pet’s stool you can also check to see if they are consuming enough water. If they do not consume enough water, their stools may be dry, hard, and more difficult to pass, leading to constipation. Abnormal stool could be an indication of intestinal inflammation, parasitic infestation, liver or pancreatic problems.
Often, digestive issues occur while your pet is on antibiotics or after they have been given a course of antibiotics. When antibiotics are administered to your pet they attack and destroy both pathogenic bacteria (what caused the issue) and beneficial bacteria (what promotes good digestion). Fun fact! Dogs tend to develop more digestion issues after being put on antibiotics compared to felines. When the beneficial bacteria in the gut is killed, it can lead to vomiting, diarrhea, liver problems, immune imbalances and allergies. A great way to add in more of these beneficial bacteria into your pet’s system or help support the health of the bacteria already found in their gut is to get them on a pre and probiotic supplement. If you know your pet will be being put on antibiotics, like if they are going into surgery it is recommended to start them on a probiotic supplement about a week in advance. These probiotics are full of beneficial bacteria which helps to produce enzymes important in proper digestion, and protect against pathogenic microorganisms. Your pet’s digestion health is directly linked to their overall health as 70% of their immune system is found in the gut. Here at the Yuppy Puppy we have a wide selection of pre and probiotic supplements you can choose from. Ranging from chews, to powders, to sprays, and even goat milk and bone broth.
Often, digestive issues occur while your pet is on antibiotics or after they have been given a course of antibiotics. When antibiotics are administered to your pet they attack and destroy both pathogenic bacteria (what caused the issue) and beneficial bacteria (what promotes good digestion).
Fun fact! Dogs tend to develop more digestion issues after being put on antibiotics compared to felines.
When the beneficial bacteria in the gut is killed, it can lead to vomiting, diarrhea, liver problems, immune imbalances and allergies. A great way to add in more of these beneficial bacteria into your pet’s system or help support the health of the bacteria already found in their gut is to get them on a pre and probiotic supplement. If you know your pet will be being put on antibiotics, like if they are going into surgery it is recommended to start them on a probiotic supplement about a week in advance. These probiotics are full of beneficial bacteria which helps to produce enzymes important in proper digestion, and protect against pathogenic microorganisms. Your pet’s digestion health is directly linked to their overall health as 70% of their immune system is found in the gut. Here at the Yuppy Puppy we have a wide selection of pre and probiotic supplements you can choose from. Ranging from chews, to powders, to sprays, and even goat milk and bone broth.
Probiotic Products:
- Super Snouts GI Balance – Digestive Supplement Pumpkin + Prebiotic
- EverPup – Ultimate Daily Dog Supplement
- Nulo Probiotic Chews
- Because, Animals – Omega & Probiotic Sprinkles for both Dogs and Cats
- Tailspring – Probiotic Meal Topper for Cats
- Healthy Essentials Probiotic Food Spray
Goats Milk is a great, natural way to introduce beneficial probiotics to your pet’s diet, with the added benefit of also adding more moisture. We offer goats milk in several options; frozen Goats Milk produced by both Primal and Boss Dog, and powdered options from Dr. Marty’s. Besides goat’s milk another option that would add both moisture and probiotics to your pet’s diet would be bone broth. NutriSource produces come-pooch-a, a bone broth inspired by kombucha which is rich in naturally occurring probiotics. This product comes in three flavors, chicken, beef and turkey.
There are a variety of ways you can add both goat’s milk or bone broth to your pet’s diet. From serving it all on its own, adding it on top of their kibble, or even freezing them in the summer for cooling treats. You don’t even have to limit yourself to only one! Use both products to add variety to your pet’s diet, keeping it exciting.
There are other things you can add to your pet’s diet that will work to improve their overall digestive health. Just like goat’s milk and the NutriSource Bone Broth they have the added benefits of enhancing your pet’s life by adding more variety to their meals. A favorite among our staff includes the Primal Pet Foods Awesome Squash Topper. This fresh topper supports your pet’s digestive system by utilizing organic butternut squash, as it is full of prebiotic fiber that works to nourish the gut, firm stools, and increases regularity. Squash is also naturally rich in both vitamin A and C, whose anti-inflammatory properties help to soothe irritation in the bowls. With added ingredients like cinnamon, turmeric and ginger, which all work to settle upset stomachs, while probiotics support a healthy GI tract. This topper, along with others made by Primal Pet Foods to support the immune system and joint health can be added directly on top of your pet’s current food. You can also freeze them in ice cube trays to create healthy ‘pupsicles’ in warmer weather or give it all on its own.
Another amazing superfood that can be added to support a healthy digestive system would be the green tripe boosters produced by K9 Natural for dogs, or Feline Natural for cats. They carry two different tripe options, both lamb and beef and are 100% green tripe from the designated animal. Green tripe is an amazing natural digestive support, though it also assists in skin, coat, and immune function along with being an over health aid. The only downside in feeding tripe would be It can either be served directly on top of your pet’s current meal, on its own, or added in with other health boosting foods like the goat’s milk or Primal Meal Topper to create a delicious, health boosting treat.
So far we have talked about simple ways you can boost your pet’s digestion health while keeping them on their current food, assuming they are already on a high-quality pet food. So pretty much anything we sell in the store, or that you may find at other local pet boutiques. You can add a digestive supplement, rich in pre and probiotics. You can also add delicious toppers to your pet’s meals. These can be added on their own, mixed together, or in addition to the supplements.
If your pet is still continuing to have digestive issues after being on digestive aids for some time, you can switch their diet to something formulated for ideal digestion. We carry several dry diets in the store that support digestive health. Though in this post we will be highlighting the company SquarePet. They are a family owned and operated pet nutrition company, specializing in veterinary formulated solution-based diets.
SquarePet formulates diets that are comparable to ‘prescription diets’. Unlike that the name may suggest, these ‘prescription diets’ do not contain any drugs or medications. Instead they are formulated to reach specific nutritional targets using common ingredients. This means that they have to fall within a specific range (minimum and maximum) in the nutritional dry matter analysis. The word ‘prescription’ in prescription diets is also copy-written, meaning only specific companies can use this term in the marketing of their food. These companies are the same ones that provide most veterinarians in the United States with their nutritional training. Often, you can find food in your locally owned pet shop that meets these same nutritional requirements, while containing higher, better-quality ingredients. This is why it’s always important to read the back of your pet’s food bag. See what actually goes into the food they are consuming. SquarePet is a company that prides itself by formulating food to meet these common health issues, while also being backed by the studies that prove it. Including the extra analysis to make sure the food meets the same minimum and maximum nutritional targets as their ‘prescription’ counterparts.
Made with premium quality, responsibly sourced ingredients, these diets help support your dog’s needs including digestive health, food/ingredient sensitivities, joint health, sensitive stomachs, and other special needs. SquarePet VFS Ideal Digestion is a gentle diet, formulated to support digestive health and to help maintain stool quality. It contains high-quality, easily digestible ingredients like turkey, pork, brown rice, and pumpkin. This is an All-Life Stages diet, designed for dogs of all ages and breeds. When looking at prescription diets, it would be comparable to Hills i/d, Royal Canine Gastrointestinal, or Purina EN.
No matter what sort of digestive support you are looking for, or the issue your pet is facing, we have something that can help. Please feel free to come on into the shop to speak with any of our staff members in person. If you are looking for some more in depth help, please send us an email to [email protected] with your questions or concerns so that our staff can take the time to answer all of them to the best of our ability. This is also helpful for pet owners dealing with food sensitivities, as it may take us some time to make sure we can provide the best possible solution for your pet. At times we may have to special order in a product for you, many of the companies we carry have amazing foods that can be the solution for more unique issues. While we don’t carry these products in store, we can generally order it for you.