Digestive Disorders
Digestive DisordersThe section is divided into the following conditions, some of which have similar causes: constipation, diarrhea and vomiting, digestive enzyme deficiency, gas, irritable bowel syndrome, and stool eating.
I don’t see constipation much in dogs, unless they are overfed with bones. Particularly troublesome are pork bones, which are brittle and break up easily. They can create a cementlike impaction in the colon and actually rip the intestinal walls as they come out. I have had to knock out some animals and pull out the pieces. By then the rectum is bleeding badly.
Metamucil works great. Green beans baby food or cow’s milk will help keep dogs loose if they have a tendency to constipation.
If you need to take bolder action, a coffee enema is very effective. This method promotes detoxification of tissues and blood, and the elimination of toxic bile, by stimulating enzyme systems in the gut wall and liver. Use 1 tablespoon of instant coffee for each cup of warm water. You’ll need 1 pint of liquid for a small dog and 1 quart for a large dog.
Suck up the mix in a rubber ear bulb syringe that you would use to flush out the ears. For large dogs you can use a turkey baster. Put some Vaseline or vegetable oil on the stem of the syringe or baster to help it go in smoothly. Insert it into the animal’s rectum and gently flush out the colon. Don’t instill all the liquid at one time. Instill a portion of the liquid, then let the animal walk around. Then repeat. The enema process can be done in a half hour.
Once I treated a 150-pound St. Bernard who hadn’t had a bowel movement in five days. The owner liked to feed him pork chops. A coffee enema produced some mighty salvos that did more than hit the fan. Try being on the business end of that. I wore high boots for that operation.
Many holistic veterinarians recommend probiotics for diarrhea. Probiotics are nutritional supplements, available at all health food stores, that contain billions of beneficial bacteria, such as Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium bifidum. Many strains of beneficial bacteria are normally present in the gut and perform numerous functions critical to health, including the production of important enzymes, containment of pathological microorganisms, and protection against the formation of cancerous substances. Frequently animals become depleted as a result of taking medications and antibiotics. Antibiotics not only destroy pathogenic bacteria, but also devastate the population of good bacteria. The loss of these beneficial microorganisms can cause vomiting, diarrhea, liver problems, immune imbalances, and allergies.
In any case of persistent diarrhea or vomiting, whatever the cause, see a veterinarian.
Antibiotics are infamous for disrupting the normal, essential digestive tract bacteria. Dogs seem to develop more problems from antibiotics than do cats.
To avoid the problems frequently associated with antibiotics and to either maintain or restore the beneficial bacteria population in the gut, start giving the probiotic concurrently with any antibiotic treatment your veterinarian has prescribed. Continue for at least two weeks or more after the antibiotics are completed.
When I treat an animal with a history of multiple antibiotic treatments and digestive problems, I routinely prescribe a probiotic supplement. Quite often I see a major improvement that I relate to the restoration of a bacterial balance. These cases frequently involve dogs who had antibiotic courses as puppies and subsequently suffered from digestive problems. I recommend using the probiotic for at least one month in such cases and ideally for two or three months to fully reestablish the beneficial bacterial colony in the gut.
Probiotics come in different forms—usually as liquids or capsules.
There is no exact science for dosing. In general, give your dog each day the equivalent of 5 to 8 billion microorganisms twice a day regardless of size. Monitor your animal closely, and reduce the dose or discontinue the product if problems arise. There may be some individual variation in response. Some patients may be unable to accept a higher dose. This is likely owing to the overall health and condition of the digestive tract. A problem could indicate the presence of other digestive disorders that need to be identified by a veterinarian. It is a good idea to obtain a stool evaluation to determine bacterial status. A reevaluation of the stool after the probiotic has been given for some time is also useful to assess whether bacterial balance has improved.
Most diarrhea and vomiting situations resolve in twenty-four hours if you fast the animal. If the problem is diarrhea, provide only liquid for the twenty-four-hour period. If the animal is vomiting, do not give any food or liquid.
Be observant. If the diarrhea or vomiting are severe and continuing, see a veterinarian.
As a general rule, fast the animal for a day. Water is okay, but let the digestive tract have a rest. Provide your animal with a probiotic supplement. Find a good bentonite clay product, usually available in health food stores. Mix the powder into a little yogurt or broth and give to your animal. The mineral powder swells up, slows down the bowels, and acts as an intestinal broom, sweeping away toxins.
1/2 to 2 teaspoons of bentonite clay, depending on the size of the animal. Give up to three times.
For the uncomplicated, now-and-then variety of diarrhea, I recommend any of the widely available homeopathic combination remedies for diarrhea along with a probiotic supplement.
Keep in mind also that dogs like to eat junk and can develop diarrhea for that reason alone. Usually it will go away even if you don’t do anything. But any time diarrhea continues for some time with an animal, consult with a veterinarian to determine the problem.
Slippery elm is a wonderful herb that heals, soothes, and nourishes the inflamed digestive tract. I usually recommend Nux vomica, a homeopathic remedy, along with it. Nux vomica counteracts nausea, irritation, and chemical upset in the stomach and upper intestine, while the natural compounds in slippery elm heal the gut.
The combination works quickly together to improve animals who vomit daily or several times a week. Within a day or two many are substantially improved.
An alternative approach is using a third each of slippery elm, aloe vera gel, and powdered bentonite clay, all available in health food stores. The clay has the unique property of pulling out toxins from the intestinal tract. Usually where there is inflammation there are poisons. Bentonite is also a rich source of trace minerals.
Often the problems of diarrhea and vomiting are caused by wrong diet, chemical sensitivities, or reactions to vaccinations. If the remedies don’t work, consult with a holistic veterinarian.
Slippery elm: 1 teaspoon of powder two or three times a day for each twenty-five pounds of body weight. Mix in warm water or chicken broth. Give at time of feeding.
Nux vomica 30X: Twice daily. If a severe episode is occurring, give hourly for four hours, and then three or four times a day as needed. Don’t give with food.
Bentonite clay: Small dogs, 1/2 teaspoon of powder mixed in food; medium dogs, 1 teaspoon; large dogs, 2 teaspoons; giant breeds, 1 tablespoon.
Nux vomica is a useful homeopathic remedy for any gastrointestinal tract imbalance, particularly for dogs who have on-and-off diarrhea or constipation. If you have such an animal, keep this remedy on hand. It works quickly, restoring balance and normal motility to the gut.
Nux vomica 30C: 2 or 3 drops twice a day for three days. If diarrhea is acute or persists, see your veterinarian.
A Chinese herbal formula appropriately called Curing Pills is a useful natural remedy for an uncomplicated upset stomach or vomiting. I recommend it along with Pepto-Bismol, which will coat and soothe the stomach lining. Curing Pills is a human product and comes in the form of tiny, BB-size pills. It is available in health food stores or Chinese pharmacies.
Curing Pills: Adjust the dosage according to the size of the animal.
Pepto-Bismol: 1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon, depending on the animal’s size. If the upset appears severe, administer every two hours. If the problem persists for more than a day, or a more serious condition is involved, see a veterinarian.
For both acute and chronic diarrhea, mix pectin into an animal’s food. Pectin is a natural form of fiber found in all plant cell walls and the skin and rind of fruits and vegetables. It has a gel-forming property that acts effectively to bind a loose bowel. It is important to mix it into the food before feeding so it absorbs moisture. If you merely sprinkle it on top, it will form a hard rock in the stomach and animals will throw it up. You can purchase pectin at health food stores.
Small dogs, 1/8 teaspoon; medium and large dogs, 1/4 tea-spoon; giant breeds, 1/2 teaspoon.
For mild cases of diarrhea, add applesauce to the food or feed it by itself. Applesauce contains pectin, a natural fibrous substance, and acts to tighten the bowels. You can expect a less frequent loose stool, a controlled stool, and then a solidified stool. Many people feed their animals rice as a binder when diarrhea occurs. Add the applesauce to it for an even better effect.
Kaopectate is a reliable preparation. Follow label instructions. If in doubt, use the pediatric dose.
You are what you digest. The same is true for your pets. That’s why many veterinarians and pet nutrition experts increasingly recommend digestive enzyme supplements. Digestive enzymes are produced in the pancreas and salivary glands and help break down the protein, carbohydrate, and fat components of food for use by the body. As animals age, the production of these enzymes often slows down. Supplements are particularly beneficial to aging animals with slumping enzyme production. Deficiencies can also be genetically related, and symptoms will show up among puppies.
Research shows a strong connection between deficiencies and diseases—both acute and chronic. Common signs of deficiencies are voluminous stool, often with undigested fat clearly visible; animals who eat their own feces; and animals who are overtly underweight despite big appetites.
Many holistic veterinarians use enzyme supplements as a primary tool in dealing with many different problems. In some cases they recommend enzymes alone, while in many others it is one part of a multiple-remedy approach. Improved hair coat and skin, increased vigor, a reduction in allergic problems, and maintenance of good body weight are typical benefits of supplementation. Many animals also become more resistant to disease and infections when supplemented. Veterinarians say that enzymes may also aid older animals suffering from joint ailments. By enhancing digestion and absorption of nutrients, including antioxidants and the mineral magnesium, the body is better able to counteract harmful degenerative processes.
Digestive enzyme formulas contain the individual enzyme components that break down different kinds of food. Protease is the enzyme that breaks down protein. Amylase works on carbohydrates, and lipase is the fat-breaking enzyme. Veterinarians advise that it is important to use supplements with a balanced formula of enzymes.
Over the years, highly effective plant-based enzyme supplements for pets have been developed from Aspergillis oryzae (a fungus) that are much less expensive than prescription products derived from animals. These supplements are widely available in health food stores and pet stores.
No matter what you feed your animal, I recommend regularly adding one of the good pet digestive enzyme products right into the food. Prozyme (800-522-5537) is one such product. When animals eat cooked food, many of the enzymes are destroyed. Today there are so many animals with allergies. Enzymes help in the absorption not only of major nutrients that keep the body healthy, but also of the micronutrients that will decrease skin inflammation. People often ask whether it is okay for all the creatures in a multianimal household to have the enzymes, not just the one with problems. Or how do they divide the enzymes when all the animals eat out of the same bowl. No problem. They all benefit from the enzymes. After starting animals on digestive enzymes, people tell me how much better the coat is on all the animals.
Malabsorption, the inability to properly absorb nutrients from food, is a major problem that isn’t talked about much. I find that about 70 percent of my patients cannot digest food properly. Often an animal has plenty of enzymes, but our modern foods are so concentrated and have so many unnatural combinations that they appear to outstrip the ability to break them down.
Splayed toes and cow-hocked legs are signs that animals aren’t absorbing their calcium correctly. I see this all the time. This is a reflection of malnourishment in general. The whole system is being shortchanged.
The classic sign of a trypsin deficiency is an animal eating its own stool. Trypsin is a major pancreatic digestive enzyme that contributes to the breakdown of protein, fats, and carbohydrates. In my practice I routinely test animals for trypsin. Over the years I have determined that nearly a quarter of them have small or moderate trypsin deficiencies.
The impact of deficiency can show up early in puppies, as soon as they start eating solid food. They may grow at a slower pace or not reach full size. The signs could also possibly take several years to show. Often there is an allergiclike dermatitis, hair loss, and red, scaly itchy skin that an animal gnaws on constantly. You may see large stools, often with undigested fat clearly visible. In some rapidly growing puppies and hunting and working dogs, the malabsorption may cause a weakness and lameness.
Dogs with an enzyme deficiency are often thought to be thin despite a ravenous appetite. This is not so in every case. Sometimes the deficiency may contribute to obesity. Many commercial foods have poor-quality, adulterated sources of protein that are hard to break down. The carbohydrates may be easier to break down. So an animal eating voluminous amounts of food in order to get more nutrition will take in more—and absorb more—carbohydrates. This translates to more calories and may result in weight gain.
The causes of trypsin deficiency are basically twofold:
Genetic. When I first became interested in this problem, I traced a deficiency problem through generations of German Shepherds, Dobermans, and Irish Setters. Now I find it in virtually all breeds, including mixed breeds. The problem is a hormonal-immune disorder due to contemporary breeding practices (see Plechner’s explanation of this disorder in chapter 16).
Acquired. Viral and bacterial infection, or any insult to the pancreas, can affect trypsin production. The aging process also slows down the pancreas and often interferes with enzyme activity. I find this problem present now in practically all breeds, pure or mixed, regardless of age. It shows up earlier in life if the genetic hormonal-immune imbalance is more severe.
With or without such deficiencies, many dogs simply do not have the digestive juices to break down the highly concentrated and processed foods they are fed. The result is malabsorption of food and often food allergies (see section on food allergies). If not enough nutrition is extracted from the food, dogs may be attracted to stool that is loaded with undigested food. Dogs love cat stool because protein levels are way too high in cat food and cats cannot digest the food totally (see stool eating later in this section).
Another aspect of malabsorption is when dogs eat nonfood items. You would be surprised at some of the things they eat. Plastic. Socks. Panty hose. Thread. String. Paper. This unnatural craving is called “pica.” In my opinion it is caused by a number of things, such as an enzyme deficiency in which the animal can’t fulfill its nutritional needs; a mineral deficiency—that is, not enough trace minerals in the diet; and food sensitivities that aggravate the gut and interfere with proper absorption.
The solution for these kind of problems is often fairly simple—the addition of a good nutritional supplement. The product I use is Power for Life, made by Terra Oceana (805-563-2634). With a wide range of trace minerals, enzymes, and whole-food factors, it covers the malabsorption problem very well.
Follow label instructions.
Digestive enzyme supplementation is beneficial for older animals, particularly if they are showing signs of frailty or when there is a chronic digestive disorder. Such disorders often stem from the pancreas not producing enough digestive enzymes. I recommend enzymes whenever I feel an animal is not digesting its food well. Signs of such a deficiency are when there are huge volumes of stool, the animal is eating a lot but can’t gain weight, or the animal is eating stool. These are times to bring on the enzymes. Digestive enzymes can be used both for treatment and, on a prevention basis, for the long term. There are many good digestive enzyme products for pets.
Carbo vegetabilis 6C or 12C is a useful homeopathic remedy for the occasionally gassy dog.
Once a day as needed.
Experiment with the diet. Animals respond differently to different foods. Often I find the problem disappears when you introduce a higher-quality diet.
Plant-based digestive enzymes, which are sold widely over-the-counter, resolve the problem in most cases, particularly where a better diet is being fed in the first place, but also for animals eating some of the cheaper foods that cause considerable gas.
In older dogs that suddenly start having gas problems, plant-based enzymes may not work. You may need pancreatic (animal-based) enzymes, as well as a hydrochloric acid supplement.
Feed the animal a ginger snap with meals. Ginger aids in digestion, and I have found that this simple approach helps in many cases.
This common problem is usually caused by food, allergies, bacteria, or parasites. Irritable bowel shows up typically as diarrhea in dogs, although some animals can also experience vomiting.
A medication called metronidazole is highly effective in rapidly clearing up the condition if it is due to a bacterial overload. When bacteria or parasites are not involved, the cause is probably allergic in nature, creating irritation, inflammation, and turmoil in the intestines and frequently skin allergies as well.
A combination of two Ayurvedic herbs—triphala and boswellia—work very well to provide symptomatic relief of the diarrhea, constipation, and allergic reactions associated with this condition. These products can be purchased at health food stores, Indian stores, or through Ayush Herbs (800-925-1371). Many of the animals I see have been prescribed medication by other veterinarians, and frequently with this combination of herbs I can wean dogs off drugs within a few weeks.
Triphala is a traditional Indian herbal formula made from three fruits—haritaki, bahera, and amla. This is an intestinal cleanser and digestive aid par excellence that promotes regularity and helps eliminate toxins from the body. It also has a great tradition as a rasayana, an Ayurvedic term for herbal compounds that rejuvenate and balance the body.
Boswellia is a well-established anti-inflammatory herb prepared from the gummy extract of the Indian frankincense tree.
Triphala: For store-bought triphala, available in powder or capsules, calculate dosage according to dog’s size compared with a human’s. For triphala supplement from Ayush Herbs, give dogs up to thirty pounds 1/2 to 1 tablet twice daily; dogs up to sixty pounds, 1 tablet twice daily; larger dogs, 1 1/2 tablets twice daily.
Boswellia: Dogs up to thirty pounds, one 500-milligram capsule twice daily; dogs up to sixty pounds, 1 capsule three times daily; larger dogs, 2 capsules twice daily.
I have had nearly 100 percent success—when no bacteria or parasites are involved—with an antioxidant formula I developed called Vital Tabs, available through Orthomolecular Specialties at 408-227-9334. The formula contains vitamins A and E and selenium and helps keep oxidative damage under control in the bowel. Dogs usually respond to this supplement within a week. Diarrhea and vomiting stop.
Some animals need to be maintained permanently on the supplement. Others can come off of it and are fine. Stress and allergies can trigger recurrences. Should that occur, return to the initial therapeutic dosage.
I don’t recommend vitamin C for irritable bowel patients because they tend to have a low threshold or tolerance for the vitamin. Always feed your animal high-quality food, particularly with this condition.
Follow label instructions.
This problem often has to do with food allergies and abnormal activity of antibodies in the mucous membrane of the intestinal tract, a result of imbalances in the endocrine-immune systems. (For more details on this widespread imbalance, see Plechner’s discussion in the food allergy section and in chapter 16.)
This problem is often caused by a lack of digestive enzymes or hydrochloric acid, genetic flaws, or poor diet.
Here are some simple remedies that often work:
Digestive enzymes. Mix into a dog’s food. They help break down the food so that the animal obtains more nutrients.
Add meat tenderizer to the food. It also helps to digest the food.
Raw zucchini. I have no idea why it works, but it frequently helps.
A poor-quality diet means that a dog doesn’t get enough of the good nutrition it needs. Whatever the cause, improving the diet with high-quality food is always the first place to start the healing process.
Older animals, just like older humans, may have a deficiency in hydrochloric acid, the digestive juice produced in the stomach that breaks down protein. A deficiency can also be caused by a poor diet. You may be able to compensate for a deficiency by using apple cider vinegar, which contains acetic acid. This acid is almost identical in chemical structure to hydrochloric acid. The body is able to provide the added chemicals that enable the vinegar to compensate for hydrochloric deficiency, thus helping in the digestion of protein as well as minerals. For deficient animals, add 1 teaspoon of vinegar directly into the food per twenty-five pounds of body weight. Most dogs like the taste.
An animal with poor digestion isn’t assimilating food well and will look to other sources—such as stool—for additional nutrients. Supplementing with a digestive enzyme is another good idea.
Young dogs often eat stool as part of their experimentation with life. The habit is usually temporary. When older dogs do it regularly, it’s a sign of some deficiency, such as certain digestive enzymes. I recommend a digestive enzyme supplement.
Stool eating, or eating of any unnatural objects such as dirt or plastics, may also be a sign of trace mineral deficiency. So I also recommend a good trace mineral. Kelp and bentonite are good providers of trace minerals. One particular supplement I often use is Trace AniMinerals, from Pet’s Friend (800-868-1009).
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