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 health 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 hard on 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 where there isn’t enough good flora to control the 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 un-healthy digestive system will make immune-related cellular function in the gut plummet and can eventually compromise the liver, the lymphatic system, 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 to prevent bacteria from entering the body and attack the toxin filtering system.

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

Another problem that Demodex dogs have is digestion itself. Digestive failures are actually an exacerbation of a problem that is becoming more common in dogs 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 good portion of what we feed them, which makes digestion a very inefficient process. Meals end up being partially digested by the stomach, and partially fermented in the gut.

This can end up causing damage that results in 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 gets fatigued, and yeast and other toxins start to build up and tear down 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 suffer with these problems.

What to do about it

Health professionals everywhere agree that repairing digestive health is vital to rebuilding immune health and 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 good bacteria has been decimated and they may be on the endangered species list. 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 damage to intestinal tissue caused by pathogens and clear toxin buildup in the tissue. It is loaded with potent amino acids that help to stop inflammation of the intestines and promotes 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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