Dog’s Behavior and Gut Health

What does gut health have to do with dog behavior, and how does it manifest itself? The most common issues that can show up in a dog's behavior include:

Anxiety, including separation anxiety
Licking to the point of causing sores
Hyperactivity or aggression
Sour stomach with vomiting of stomach acid
Itchy skin and unhealthy coat
Other mood extremes and compulsive behaviors

A dog's gut microbes include lipopolysaccharides. These are safe enough in small amounts. When a dog eats a processed diet and undergoes certain treatments, these lipopolysaccharides leak into the rest of the body through the bloodstream. They affect the brain and destroy healthy brain cells. This affects important neurotransmitters that moderate mood and behavior.

The principle is similar to the current understanding of pediatric health issues. Many children are sensitive to processed foods containing excess sugars, fats, and artificial dyes. Their behavior becomes unmanageable when they are consistently exposed to these chemicals. The same applies to dogs. Dogs ingest unbalanced, artificial foods. This damages their digestive system and neurotransmitters. Their brain processes the broken messages as further evidence that anxiety-inducing conditions exist within their environment. It becomes a self-fulfilling cycle. What are some solutions?

What Vets Can Do

Rather than using the standard vaccination schedule, vets can use titer testing to determine which vaccines will work best with a particular pet. This is not an anti-vaccine article. The point is that a more individualized approach to vaccination has become available. The standard vaccination schedule often overwhelms the immunity system. It can have disastrous effects on the gut health of a dog.

Standard deworming and flea treatments have similar consequences. These work by poisoning the dog in order to kill internal and external parasites. Owners may notice that their pet is listless and depressed after these treatments. This is a sign that the treatment was toxic for that individual. Natural alternatives exist.

What Dog Owners Can Do

Owners can look for less processed dog foods that have fewer ingredients. Avoid grains, sugars, fillers, and preservatives. Owners can also consider a raw-foods diet. It takes a little time to adjust feeding habits, but the effort will be worth it for a comfortable, happy dog.

Exercise and other nonchemical practices like T-Touch massage will also help a dog build a healthier gut. Dogs will experience reduced behavioral problems as a result. Working with a holistic vet can provide dog owners with the latest information on the natural veterinary treatments and digestive support dogs need to be happy.