Healing the gut
Gastrointestinal (GI) diseases in pets include many different conditions such as gastritis, colitis, inflammatory bowel disease, and bacterial infections or overgrowth. These conditions are distinct and don’t necessarily share the same risk factors or causes, nor are they treated using the same approaches. However, they do share many of the same general symptoms, such as vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal pain.
Keeping an eye on the presence and characteristics of symptoms may help you determine whether your pet is suffering from a GI condition — where the issues may be originating — and whether your pet may benefit from a visit to your veterinarian.
Chronic diarrhea may be one of the most obvious signs that your pet is suffering from a GI condition. Up to 44% of pets with liquid-like stool have a reported GI condition, compared to 6% in the general pet population. Observing the consistency, frequency and other features of your pet’s stool can help you stay abreast of their health.
While occasional vomiting could be caused by many factors including medication and diet changes, chronic vomiting could be a clue that your pet has a GI condition. Noting the color of the vomit, as well as its contents, can help you determine the best course of action. While minor cases may resolve on their own, you should visit your veterinarian if your pet vomits repeatedly, if they seem uninterested in food or water, or if the vomit contains foreign material.
Through analyzing survey data, we also identified signs that, on their own, are less strongly correlated with the presence of GI conditions, but which may be indicators when combined with other signs like diarrhea or vomiting. These include bad breath, recent decreases in appetite, and being underweight. Similarly, there are some unchangeable factors that are correlated with GI conditions such as increased age, male sex, and the presence of severe GI issues at a younger age. Parents of pets that meet these conditions should take special care to educate themselves about the signs and symptoms of GI issues so that they can stay informed and prepared if they arise.
In many cases, GI conditions have been linked to imbalances of the organisms in your pet’s microbiome, and probiotics may help. We recommend our specially-formulated GI-targeted probiotics for dogs currently exhibiting signs and symptoms, and our full-spectrum probiotics for dogs to maintain healthy GI function.