Much like humans, a dog’s gut health plays a fundamental role in their overall wellbeing, so keeping this healthy is a must – and it’s easier than you may think!
First things first though, you should always consult your vet if you think your dog may have a gut imbalance and before implementing any of the below.
Mix it up
If you feed your dog the same diet every day, their body will become too acclimatised to those foods, which means if/when you introduce any new foods, it is likely it will upset your dog’s gut. It also means that they are not getting a wide range of nutrients from other foods. Keep their diet diverse: switch their meals up, for example. Not only will they gain the health benefits of these other foods, which will support their gut health, but it will also make meal times more exciting with new smells, tastes and textures. Just make sure the foods you’re giving them are dog safe.
Fermented foods and probiotics
The gut is an organ where food is digested and absorbed ,and naturally contains millions of bacteria that are important to keep your dog healthy. Probiotics and probiotic foods (aka fermented foods) contain ‘good’ bacteria, which competes for space and food with ‘harmful’ bacteria and results in the ‘harmful’ bacteria being evicted. You can either add a probiotic supplement into your dog’s diet (always consult with your vet before doing this) or you can start adding small doses of fermented food into your dog’s meals. A good option is Sauerkraut, which is fermented cabbage, and is readily available in most supermarkets.
Environment
Good bacteria are actually found in plants, dirt, and even the air – so expose your dog to as much fresh air as possible.
Whilst not an extensive list, the above suggestions will help towards your dog’s gut healing itself. Just remember, restoring your dog’s gut health will take time. Typically, your dog’s gut will have been unhealthy for a while, so you can’t expect it to heal overnight. The longer the problem has been going on, for the longer it will take to heal. However, be patient: persevere and slowly but surely, your dog’s gut will start to mend.
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