Digestive Health

Repair Digestive Health

Why it matters

Digestive health matters because the bowel plays a central role in defending the body against pathogens, and an unhealthy digestive system is a direct contributor to poor immune health.

The gastrointestinal tract is where 80% of immune health originates, and 100% of yeast production is regulated. Sadly, today’s synthetic society is so complex for dogs that poor gut health is a common problem.

More than half of your dog’s antibody-producing cells are found in the bowel wall. They recognize, mark, and destroy pathogens and other non-self substances. The bowel’s own natural bacteria (good-guy flora) protect these cells by destroying invading pathogens (bad-guy bacteria) that want to wreak havoc.

Poor digestive health leads to an imbalance, with insufficient good flora to control aggressive pathogenic bacteria. Once it takes control, pathogenic bacteria and yeast proliferate in the gut where they permeate mucosal immune tissue, steal nutrients, obstruct digestion, create inflammation, and weaken intestinal walls. An unhealthy digestive system can cause immune-related cellular function in the gut to plummet and eventually compromise the liver, the lymphatic system, the endocrine system, and immune response mechanisms.

Poor gut health even extends as far as your dog’s skin. Once pathogens rage out of control because of an unbalanced digestive system, they are excreted onto your pet’s largest immune organ – the skin. On the skin, they dominate beneficial microorganisms that act as a barrier, preventing bacteria from entering the body and attacking the toxin-filtering system.

If your dog has an unhealthy digestive system, that alone increases the likelihood of yeast and/or secondary infection.

Another problem Demodex dogs face is digestion. Digestive failures are actually an exacerbation of a problem that is becoming more common in otherwise healthy dogs. Today’s dogs eat food that is so far removed from their ancestral diet that their bodies can’t process it properly. Their systems haven’t adapted to produce enough enzymes to break down a significant portion of what we feed them, which makes digestion very inefficient. Meals are partially digested in the stomach and partially fermented in the gut.

This can cause damage that leads to infection. Inefficient digestion can also lead to allergies, bacterial overgrowth, elevated enzymes, inflammation, poor hair/coat, weight loss, gas, bloating, diarrhea, nutrient depletion, inflammatory bowel disease, and leaky gut.

Over time, the pancreas becomes fatigued, and yeast and other toxins build up, damaging the gut lining. Maldigestion leads to malabsorption that robs the dog of essential nutrients, a form of malnutrition. All dogs that eat commercial dog food struggle with inefficient digestion to some degree. But dogs with compromised immune systems are affected by these problems.

What to do about it

Health professionals everywhere agree that repairing digestive health is vital to rebuilding immune health and is the fastest boost you can give the immune system. Here’s how:

Load your dog up with probiotics to repair the digestive system. Its population of beneficial bacteria has been decimated, and they may be listed as endangered. Give probiotics daily to back the flora she so desperately needs, nurture the stragglers, and crowd out the bad guys.

Provide digestive enzymes to ensure healthy digestion. As a double bonus, they enable your dog to get more nutrients out of his food and absorb an incrementally higher percentage of the supplements you provide.

Sprinkle 4-Whey Pet Health Builder over her food to help repair intestinal tissue damage caused by pathogens and clear toxin buildup in the tissue. It is loaded with potent amino acids that help stop intestinal inflammation and promote new cell growth in the intestinal lining.

Use a high quality marine-based omega fatty acid supplement meant for dogs. Fish oils like wild salmon or krill regulate inflammation, keep the gastrointestinal tract lubricated, aid in smooth, efficient digestion.

Use collagen supplements to help heal damaged intestinal walls.

Suggestions

4-Whey Pet Health Builder (probiotics and detox)
Microflora Plus (prebiotics, probiotics and digestive enzymes)
Wild Salmon Oil (digestive repair, detox and immune support)

Our Immune System Bundles include key elements needed to improve your dog’s immune health:

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