7 signs of poor gut health in dogs

The gut, or as veterinarians refer to it, the digestive tract is one of the most crucial systems in the body to maintain a dog's healthy status. 

The digestive tract is responsible for the provision of nutrients needed to fuel, maintain and repair your dog's body. At the same time, the gut is used as a means to remove toxins and waste from the body. 

Other important functions of the digestive tract are promoting immune function, and aiding in the resorption of water to prevent dehydration. 

If your dog's gut health is poor, it can have lasting consequences on their health and wellbeing. So, how do you know if your dog has poor gut health? We will expand on the seven most common symptoms of poor gut health in dogs. 

What are the 7 most common symptoms of poor gut health in dogs?

Loose stools 

Loose, wet or liquid stools can be a symptom of poor gut health. If the gut is inflamed, or there is an imbalance in the gastrointestinal flora (bacteria). It can lead to food travelling much faster through the digestive tract than normal. This leads to the stools being wet, loose or non formed. You may even notice some mucus, blood or variation in colour as well. 

Straining to defecate 

Straining to defecate can be a clue your dog's gut is a little unhappy. Changes in gastrointestinal motility, or diet can lead to the formation of stools that are too large, firm or solid to pass. This is painful and stressful for your dog, as they are unable to pass their stools without straining. A dog should defecate at least once every 24 hours. 

Weight loss 

A digestive tract that is in poor health will not be functioning well. This means it cannot fulfil its role of breaking down food, and absorbing the nutrients needed.

As a consequence, the body does not get the fuel it needs to repair damage and grow. The body’s response to the reduced nutrition supply, is to use its energy reserve, the fat and muscle tissue your dog has stored up on their body. This utilisation of stored energy then leads to weight loss, which can sometimes be quite a dramatic process to watch your dog go through.

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Changes to the skin and fur 

The outermost layer of the body is continually shedding and regrowing. If the nutrition to support this regrowth is suboptimal, it affects the quality of the new skin cells and hairs being created. 

The symptoms we tend to notice include a dull appearance on the coat, rather than a nice healthy shine. When you run your hands through the coat, you may notice the hairs come away easily, suggesting they are already dead. Another sign of poor skin and hair is noticing dandruff (dead skin cells) caught in your dog's fur. 

Reduced appetite 

If your dog has poor gut health, eating and digesting food can be hard work or uncomfortable. Rather than experience pain or discomfort, a dog may choose to reduce the amount of food they are eating. They may start being more selective about what they eat, preferring biscuits instead of wet food in an attempt to avoid having a bout of diarrhoea for example. 

Flatulence 

Food is digested by a combination of enzymes secreted in the body, and ‘good bacteria’. These bacteria are particularly important in the large colon, the last point of digestion. If the balance of gut bacteria is affected for some reason, such as stress or use of medications, it means there are less good bacteria to do the digesting. This creates dysbiosis, or an imbalance in digestive bacteria. Excess gas, flatulence and belly pain can be symptoms of a bacterial imbalance in the digestive tract. Learn the 8 signs your dog could benefit from probiotics.

Vomiting 

Whilst vomiting can be a sign of other issues in the digestive tract, it can alongside other symptoms be a clue that there is poor gut health in a dog. Acid reflux, poor gut motility or partial obstructions can cause poor gut health and lead to vomiting. 

How to treat poor gut health at home 

There are ways you can improve your dog's gut health without visiting the vet.  

The first thing to do is to look at what you are feeding your dog, including treats and human foods. Try to remove as many treats as possible from the diet, and just feed a commercially produced nutritionally balanced diet for at least a month.

A nutritionally balanced diet will have the correct formulation of fibres, fats, proteins etc to ensure good digestive health. By reducing treats and human foods, you allow the digestive tract time to rebalance, and heal. 

The second suggestion is using supplements. Supplements will be packed with vitamins and minerals your dog may be lacking in, such as vitamin B12, very important in the functioning of a healthy digestive tract. It can be a simple fix to supplement for a few months and watch your dog's gastrointestinal health improve significantly if the underlying cause is a vitamin deficiency. 

Pre and probiotics are a very safe, natural way to give your dogs gut health a ‘boost'. They help rebalance the bacterial flora in the large intestine, promoting healthy digestion and absorption of nutrients. 

Choose a product that is specifically made for dogs, and you will usually need to complete a course of probiotics for dogs to see full effects. A course can last anywhere from three days to a month depending on the product manufacturer, so follow the recommended guidelines when purchasing. 

Keeping up to date with your dogs preventative worming treatment can help improve their gut health. Your veterinarian will be able to advise on the correct de-worming schedule for your dog, but you will need to remember to give the medications at the correct points in time. 

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When to seek vet help 

There are instances whereby you may need a bit of extra help to improve your dog's gut health. There are particular medical conditions such as chronic enteropathies or pancreatitis that need a combination of treatments to bring your dog's gut health back up to normal. 

If your dog is rapidly losing weight, having a reduced appetite for more than one week, or diarrhoea for more than one week a vet visit is needed. 

A vet will give your dog a thorough health check, and probably recommend testing such as bloodwork or diagnostic imaging. This can help find the specific reason your dog has poor gut health. Once identified, your vet will work with you to create a treatment plan to restore your dog's gut health.

Summary

Many factors affect your dog's gut health, and the impacts on your dog's body as a result of having poor gut health can be significant and lifelong. It's important to know what the symptoms of poor gut health are to be able to start at home or vet-led treatments to improve your dog's gut health. Read more about the importance of a healthy microbiome in dogs.