A healthy dog is a happy dog, and this even applies to their digestion. It’s very easy to monitor your dog’s health from the outside, making sure their tails are wagging and their nose is wet, but it’s just as important to ensure their insides are healthy too. Dogs with a poor digestive system will struggle daily and this can have a knock-on effect on their overall well-being. The following points have been gathered to help you ensure your dog maintains healthy digestion, keeping them happy each and every day.
Identifying Digestion Issues
It’s not always clear when your dog has a poor digestive system, but there are certain things to keep a close eye on to help give you your answer. Luckily, there are a wide number of symptoms that your dog could experience, which will help you narrow down the issue and work out exactly what the problem is. Firstly, your dog’s stools are a key indicator. If your dog is experiencing inconsistent stools, such as solid one day and extremely loose the next, then you know this is more than likely down to their digestion. You may also notice that your dog has become bloated, more so than you’ve noticed previously. If your dog does experience bloating, this is another key indication that they are struggling digestion wise and need to have their diets assessed. Another symptom includes your dog being lethargic and tired, more frequently than normal. If your dog is usually full of beans and eager to go, but you’ve noticed a dip in their overall energy, then this highlights that your dog’s digestion needs assessing.
Causes for Poor Digestion
When your dog experiences poor digestion it can be the result of a number of different things. One of the most common causes for poor digestion is your pets’ diet. Just like humans, certain foods aren’t right for certain dogs and whilst every dog is different, it’s important to keep an eye on their diet and know what’s good and what’s not good for them. You may find that your dog is quite sensitive and therefore gluten and wheat may be triggers to digestive issues. Similarly, your dog may have genuine allergies that are causing them problems if not identified early on. If your dog becomes anxious for any reason, this could be another cause for digestive problems, as again like humans, stress and anxiety can have a negative impact on the well-being and overall health.
Treating Digestive Issues
From the moment you identify your dog’s digestive issues it’s important to act upon this and treat it in the best way possible. To start, you should look at your dog’s diet. What are they eating on a daily basis? If you think anything in their diet could be causing problems, then purchase some different food, perhaps grain-free, to see how they get on with that. If you’re really concerned about your dog’s digestive system and don’t think a change in diet is the solution, reach out to your vet for some expert advice on which steps to take and why, as this will give you the peace of mind you need and a solution to bring your dog back to their happy, healthy self.