As I was scrolling through TikTok this week, I came across a video about dogs and gut health. It’s something we think about a lot as humans, but I’d never considered it as an issue for my furry friend.
We spoke to a vet, who revealed that dogs do have issues with their gut too, and it’s far more common than you’d think. Here are the signs to watch out for in your dog, and what to do if you think your pooch has digestive issues.
6 signs your dog could have poor gut health
Joanna Woodnutt, a qualified veterinarian with over 10 years of experience, said that digestive problems can be caused by a number of things including a poor diet, IBD, and allergies are all possible, but sorting out what’s happening with your dog is “tricky”.
She said these are the things you should be looking for:
- Soft stools
- Flatulence
- Borborygmi (noisy tummies)
- Occasional Diarrhoea
- Vomiting
- Inappetence
These aren’t signs of bad gut health
Canine gut health is a hot topic of conversation on TikTok right now, but Woodnutt has revealed that many of the symptoms seen in viral videos aren’t actually signs of poor gut health at all. For example, one lists eating grass, paw licking and itching.
“Eating grass has not been linked to gut health or dietary deficiencies,” she said. “In fact, we aren’t 100% sure why dogs eat grass, but science has shown that dogs eat grass whether they’re well or ill, and not all dogs who eat grass are routinely ill afterwards.”
In other words, dogs don’t eat grass because they feel sick, and it’s certainly not a sign of poor gut health.
“Itching and foot licking are very common in pets, but they’re usually signs of an allergy,” she continued. “Most allergies in dogs are to the environment around them – pollen, dust mites, and even human dander.”
She noted that studies have suggested there might be a link between gut bacteria and the presence of allergies, and that supplementing with a probiotic could help, but it’s by no means certain as this research is still new.
“One thing I can be certain of is that itching is absolutely not one of the most common signs of poor gut health, and neither is foot licking,” the vet continued.
What to do if your dog has digestive issues
If you suspect your dog does have digestive problems, it’s best to discuss it with your vet who can recommend the next steps.
For dogs with actual digestive problems, probiotics may be helpful, but prebiotics and fibre are also likely to “make a world of difference”.
In some cases, Woodnutt said that a food change will be needed, but it’s best to check in with your vet first.
Allergies to food are fairly rare in dogs and canines will need to be put on a novel protein diet to diagnose them.
Diagnostic testing, including blood and urine tests, can also be very useful if symptoms don’t respond to biotics, fibre, and diet changes.
