GREEN CLAY Powder - For Pets
There are so many uses for pure Green Clay. Used wet or dry, it is an absolute essential in my natural first aid kit for all the family, both four and two legged!
Our high-quality, pure Green Clay is a must-have for your natural first aid kit. Now available in a 250g bag or 650g bags for multiple dog households, horses & livestock.
Green Clay has excellent drawing properties, so it can be used for drying up wet eczema and hot spots and helping control infection in wounds and abscesses. Green Clay is so versatile and can be used for dogs, cats, horses, sheep, and other livestock. It forms a protective layer over injuries and also naturally repels insects. I have found that when treating horses and livestock that are troubled by flies, a drop of tea tree or lavender essential oil into the wet clay can further aid in repelling flies from the treated area.
It has a calming and soothing effect on a dog’s itchy or traumatized skin, breaking the itch-scratch cycle. It is completely safe if your dog accidentally licks or consumes it. The clay’s perfect partner in dealing with wounds, sores, and fragile skin is Leucillin; they complement each other brilliantly.
Green clay can be made into a thick paste with a little water and spread onto the affected area. This acts as a protective barrier for sore or fragile wounds and as the clay dries, moisture is drawn away from any wet areas of skin.
Perfect for all livestock and can be used wet or dry. A persistent wound which refused to heal, mostly caused by fly annoyance, was kept clean and protected by using the clay as a thick paste.
If used dry, it can be applied with a clean cotton ball and dusted onto the area or with a small, clean brush. This is particularly useful for instantly calming an inflamed area or itchy rash. Click here to view it on our product page: https://www.hedgerowhounds.co.uk/products/green-clay
For infected areas or those that are oozing the area should be cleaned in between applications. An excellent product for this is Leucillin antiseptic spray or dropper bottle.
This product should not replace veterinary treatment if it is needed or if a serious infection is present in a wound.
Gut Health, Immunity and Microbiome
At first glance the digestive system appears to have a very simple task of taking in food, digesting it, absorbing nutrients, and then excreting the waste, and while everything is in good working order, we never even give it a second thought.
At first glance the digestive system appears to have a very simple task of taking in food, digesting it, absorbing nutrients, and then excreting the waste, and while everything is in good working order, we never even give it a second thought.
It is in fact an incredibly complex structure with a vast number of tasks to undertake. The more the gut is studied the more we realise the vital role it plays in achieving optimum health, disease prevention, and stabilising our emotional state.
Although the teeth are needed to some extent to bite, crush and tear off food the actual process of digestion doesn`t start until it reaches the stomach. With no digestive enzymes in the saliva to kick start it off, the food needs to quickly get where the real work begins, which is in the stomach.
Oesophagus:
Is a long muscular tube that runs down the neck, passes through the diaphragm and uses strong contractions to push food directly into the stomach.
Stomach:
The stomach lies at the front of the abdominal cavity, tucked just behind the liver and acts like a big mixing bowl.
Any incoming food is first subjected to an acid bath of around ph1, this immediately gets to work breaking down protein and also killing any harmful bacteria.
The walls of the stomach are lined with a thick mucous which provides protection from the strong acid as well as stopping the stomach from literally digesting itself.
As the stomach expands with food, a peptide hormone called gastrin is released, which in turn triggers more hydrochloric acid and digestive enzyme production.
To aid digestion even further the surface of the stomach is a mass of wrinkles and folds which expand and contract to grab food particles and perform a churning or chewing-like action.
At this point, the thick soup-like constancy of partly digested food and secretions is known as chyme.
The food has now been in the dogs stomach for anywhere between five and ten hours and its next destination is the duodenum, the first section of the small intestine.
Pancreas
The pancreas is a small gland, which sits next to the stomach and is attached to the small intestine, here it transports digestive enzymes through two excretory ducts into the duodenum.
The enzymes it produces are amylase to help digest starch, lipase to digest fats and trypsin and chymotrypsin to deal with the protein.
Enzymes are needed to break down food into tiny molecules and allow the absorption of nutrients into the cells of the intestines which then go on to be released into the bloodstream.
It also produces and secretes the hormones insulin and glucagon that regulate blood sugar levels. The higher the concentration of sugar in the diet the more insulin is secreted into the bloodstream and the harder the pancreas has to work.
Liver
The liver is the largest gland in the body and the only organ that has the potential to regenerate after disease or injury.
Its many crucial jobs include producing bile to assist the small intestine in breaking down and absorbing fats and to process the nutrients that are absorbed by the small intestine.
Its other roles include storing vitamins and minerals, acting as a filter for toxins in the bloodstream and as a glycogen store for when extra energy is needed.
Small intestine
The small intestine is made up of three sections, Duodenum, Jejunum (longest) and the ileum (shortest)
On receiving the nutrient-rich chyme from the stomach, it is joined by secretions from the liver, gallbladder and pancreas to further assist in the digestion process.
The small intestine is lined with millions of tiny finger like projections called the Villi, these act to increase the surface area in order to trap and absorb as many nutrients as possible.
Most of the absorption of nutrients takes place in the small intestine, which are then released into the bloodstream to travel throughout the body to be utilised by the cells.
The final and shortest part of the small intestine is called the Ileum, here the food gets broken down even further in preparation to enter the cecum, the first section of the large intestine.
Large intestine :
The large intestine is made up of the cecum, colon and rectum.
Its purpose is to remove water from the faeces, keep electrolytes in balance and to prepare and temporarily store any indigestible matter for excretion.
But there is much more activity going on in the colon than just that and although not a very glamorous area of interest, it does deserve our full care and attention.
The large intestine has a high concentration of bacteria referred to as the
Microbiome.
This is a collection of microbes made up of bacteria, viruses and fungi that we all have in our gut for efficient digestion, absorption of vital nutrients and to build a strong immune system.
Our dogs would have acquired their unique bugs from their mother at birth and developed others depending on the environment they lived in and the food they ate.
The delicate balance of the microbiome can easily be disrupted by medication such as antibiotics, periods of stress and anxiety and a poor, unsuitable diet.
When everything is in balance these good bugs work hard to extract as much nutrition as possible out of the food that is consumed and to ensure the smooth running of the whole gastrointestinal tract.
The bacteria are also responsible for assisting in hormone production such as serotonin, which occurs in the highest concentration thorough out the lining of the gut.
A thriving, balanced microbiome is absolutely essential for the dogs ability to resist or fight disease, control inflammation in the body and for a positive influence on their mental wellbeing.
Rectum and anal glands.
The faeces are then ready to be expelled along with the indigestible matter and dead red blood cells that it contains.
Ideally, the dogs stool will be quite firm, which will press on the anal glands as it is passed, causing the glands to naturally empty.
All disease begins in the gut - Hippocrates
Immunity and the gut
The gut forms between 70 - 80% of the immune system and has a vital role in regulating immunity, protecting our bodies from invaders such as allergens and pathogens and controlling inflammation.
The food we chose for our dogs and the lifestyle choices we make for them will have either a negative or positive effect on their overall gut health, ability to utilise the nutrients in the food they eat, the essential fuel to grow and repair their body and to thrive well into their senior years.
Caroline Hearn - Canine Holistic Therapist
Emotions and the Gut
The gut is very sensitive to emotions, and I am sure we have all experienced the butterflies in the stomach, stomach cramps, that tight feeling in our guts, or acid indigestion which can come on in a split second when we are nervous, excited, fearful or anticipating a particular event. And our dogs are just the same.
The gut is very sensitive to emotions, and I am sure we have all experienced the butterflies in the stomach, stomach cramps, that tight feeling in our guts, or acid indigestion which can come on in a split second when we are nervous, excited, fearful or anticipating a particular event. And our dogs are just the same.
If this is a brief episode, it is unlikely to have any lasting health effects, if on the other hand, it is a regular occurrence with little respite then the impact on the gut and therefore the health is huge.
There is a major factor in the link between gut health and emotions in the form of the enteric nervous system also referred to as the ENS.
The ENS consists of millions of nerves lining the gut and specialists often call it the “second brain” as it has complex pathways to relay information back and forth from the gut to the brain as they interact.
It is capable of shutting down digestion in times of acute stress such as in a fight or flight situation.
Stress can be caused by many factors such as separation anxiety, excessive ball throwing so the dog is on a constant adrenaline high, inappropriate exercise for the dog’s age or mobility, picking up on the owner’s emotional stress, inability to cope in a noisy or stressful household and pain, illness or disease.
Whilst these are mainly emotionally based reactions that can be witnessed as the dog exhibiting certain behaviours, a poor quality, inappropriate diet, and exposure to toxins or chemicals can also cause the body stress, which may not show any visible signs immediately but develop over time into disease or outwardly noticeable changes in health and behaviour.
A gut that isn`t functioning correctly can manifest as the dog showing anxious, edgy, or reactive behaviour, which in turn triggers the release of stress hormones into the bloodstream such as adrenalin, and in the case of cortisol increases the level of glucose in the blood and will over time adversely affect the adrenal glands.
Time to chill. Having time-out or chill-out days can be very beneficial to anxious, reactive, or even very active dogs, to bring them back into some sort of balance and down from their constantly stimulated state of mind.
A dog that is in a heightened state of fear, stress, panic and self-preservation will not physically be able to process and learn what is being asked of them. So by bringing down their stress levels, they will be in a better frame of mind to learn new skills, cope with their stress, and grow in confidence to make better decisions that are not fuelled by fear.
When dogs are over-excited, anxious or constantly alert to potential dangers their autonomic nervous system releases the fight or flight chemical adrenaline into the bloodstream, over time this becomes very damaging to the whole body and the gut in particular. The other subdivision of the autonomic nervous system is the parasympathetic which is sometimes called the “rest and digest system” and creates calm, relaxation, and a happy gut and this is what we are hoping to nurture on these quiet, restful days.
Anxiety can present itself in many ways, here are a few to look out for:
• Digestion problems - IBS, Diarrhoea
• Over excitability
• Reactive behaviour (aggression)
• Excessive barking
• Noise sensitivities
• Humping
• Resource guarding
• Chewing or scratching the body
• Inappropriate toileting in the house
• Excessive licking
• Ball obsession
• Pacing
There are several products on the shop to help relax and support nervous, anxious, and reactive dogs
Tranquil is an herbal blend created specifically with the nervous, anxious, reactive & stressed dog in mind https://www.hedgerowhounds.co.uk/products/tranquil-relax-calm
Digest & Rest https://www.hedgerowhounds.co.uk/products/digest-and-rest
Other blogs to help stressed and anxious dogs:
https://www.hedgerowhounds.co.uk/news/snuffle-mats-and-balls
https://www.hedgerowhounds.co.uk/news/anxious-dog
https://www.hedgerowhounds.co.uk/news/feeding-raw-bones
A Dogs Digestive System- Immunity, Emotions and Microbiome
The more the gut is studied the more we realise the vital role it plays in achieving optimum health, disease prevention and stabilising our dogs emotional state.
At first glance the digestive system appears to have a very simple task of taking in food, digesting it, absorbing nutrients and then excreting the waste, and while everything is in good working order, we never even give it a second thought.
It is in fact an incredibly complex structure with a vast number of tasks to undertake. The more the gut is studied the more we realise the vital role it plays in achieving optimum health, disease prevention and stabilising our dogs emotional state.
Digestive process
Although the teeth are needed to some extent to bite, crush and tear off food the actual process of digestion doesn`t really start until it reaches the stomach. With no digestive enzymes in the saliva to kick start it off, food needs to quickly get where the real work begins, which is in the stomach.
Oesophagus:
Is a long muscular tube that runs down the neck, passes through the diaphragm and uses strong contractions to push food directly into the stomach.
Stomach:
The stomach lies at the front of the abdominal cavity, tucked just behind the liver and acts like a big mixing bowl.
Any incoming food is first subjected to an acid bath of around ph1, this immediately gets to work breaking down protein and also killing any harmful bacteria.
The walls of the stomach are lined with a thick mucous which provides protection from the strong acid as well as stopping the stomach from literally digesting itself.
As the stomach expands with food, a peptide hormone called gastrin is released, which in turn triggers more hydrochloric acid and digestive enzyme production.
To aid digestion even further the surface of the stomach is a mass of wrinkles and folds which expand and contract to grab food particles and perform a churning or chewing like action.
At this point the thick soup like constancy of partly digested food and secretions is known as chyme.
The food has now been in the dogs stomach for anywhere between five and ten hours and its next destination is the duodenum, the first section of the small intestine.
Pancreas
The pancreas is a small gland, which sits next to the stomach and is attached to the small intestine, here it transports digestive enzymes through two excretory ducts into the duodenum.
The enzymes it produces are amylase to help digest starch , lipase to digest fats and trypsin and chymotrypsin to deal with the protein.
Enzymes are needed to break down food into tiny molecules and allow the absorption of nutrients into the cells of the intestines which then go on to be released into the bloodstream.
It also produces and secretes the hormones insulin and glucagon that regulate blood sugar levels. The higher the concentration of sugar in the diet the more insulin is secreted into the bloodstream and the harder the pancreas has to work.
Liver
The liver is the largest gland in the body and the only organ that has the potential to regenerate after disease or injury.
Its many crucial jobs include producing bile to assist the small intestine in breaking down and absorbing fats and to process the nutrients that are absorbed by the small intestine.
Its other roles include storing vitamins and minerals, acting as a filter for toxins in the bloodstream and as a glycogen store for when extra energy is needed.
Small intestine
The small intestine is made up of three sections, Duodenum, Jejunum (longest) and the ileum (shortest)
On receiving the nutrient rich chyme from the stomach, it is joined by secretions from the liver, gallbladder and pancreas to further assist in the digestion process.
The small intestine is lined with millions of tiny finger like projections called the Villi, these act to increase the surface area in order to trap and absorb as many nutrients as possible.
Most of the absorption of nutrients takes place in the small intestine, which are then released into the bloodstream to travel throughout the body to be utilised by the cells.
The final and shortest part of the small intestine is called the Ileum, here the food gets broken down even further in preparation to enter the cecum, the first section of the large intestine.
Large intestine :
The large intestine is made up of the cecum, colon and rectum.
Its purpose is to remove water from the faeces, keep electrolytes in balance and to prepare and temporarily store any indigestible matter for excretion.
But there is much more activity going on in the colon than just that and although not a glamorous area of interest, it does deserve our full care and attention.
The large intestine has a high concentration of bacteria referred to as the Microbiome.
Microbiome.
The microbiome is a collection of microbes made up of bacteria, viruses and fungi that we all have in our gut for efficient digestion, absorption of vital nutrients and to build a strong immune system.
Our dogs would have acquired their unique bugs from their mother at birth and developed others depending on the environment they lived in and the food they ate.
The delicate balance of the microbiome can easily be disrupted by medication such as antibiotics, periods of stress and anxiety and a poor, unsuitable diet.
When everything is in balance these good bugs work hard to extract as much nutrition as possible out of the food that is consumed and to ensure the smooth running of the whole gastrointestinal tract.
The bacteria are also responsible for assisting in hormone production such as serotonin, which occurs in the highest concentration thorough out the lining of the gut.
A thriving, balanced microbiome is absolutely essential for the dogs ability to resist or fight disease, control inflammation in the body and for a positive influence on their mental wellbeing.
Rectum and anal glands.
The faeces are then ready to be expelled along with the indigestible matter and dead red blood cells that it contains.
Ideally the dogs stool will be quite firm, which will press on the anal glands as it is passed, causing the glands to naturally empty.
Emotions and the Gut
The gut is very sensitive to emotions, and I am sure we have all experienced the butterflies in the stomach, stomach cramps, that tight feeling in our guts or acid indigestion which can come on in a split second when we are nervous, excited, fearful or anticipating a particular event.
If this is a brief episode, it is unlikely to have any lasting health effects, if on the other hand it is a regular occurrence with little respite then the impact on the gut and therefore the health is huge.
There is a major factor in the link between gut health and emotions in the form of the enteric nervous system also referred to as the ENS.
The ENS consists of millions of nerves lining the gut and specialists often call it the “second brain” as it has complex pathways to relay information back and forth from the gut to the brain as they interact.
It is capable of shutting down the digestion in times of acute stress such as in a fight or flight situation.
Stress can be caused by many factors such as separation anxiety, excessive ball throwing so the dog is on a constant adrenaline high, inappropriate exercise for the dogs age or mobility, inability to cope in a stressful household and pain, illness or disease.
Whilst these are mainly emotionally based reactions that can be witnessed as the dog exhibiting certain behaviours, a poor quality, inappropriate diet, exposure to toxins or chemicals can also cause the body stress, which may not show any visible signs immediately but develop over time into disease or outwardly noticeable changes in health and behaviour.
A gut that isn`t functioning correctly can manifest as the dog showing anxious, edgy or reactive behaviour which in turn triggers the release of stress hormones into the blood stream such as adrenalin and in the case of cortisol increase the level of glucose in the blood and will over time adversely affect the adrenal glands.
Immunity and the Gut
The gut forms between 70 - 80% of the immune system and has a vital role in regulating immunity, protecting our bodies from invaders such as allergens and pathogens and controlling inflammation.
The food we choose for our dogs and the lifestyle choices we make for them will have either a negative or positive effect on their overall gut health, ability to utilise the nutrients in the food they eat, the essential fuel to grow and repair their body and to thrive well into their senior years.
Caroline Hearn MICHT. Dip. ICAT MIAAT- Canine & Equine sports & holistic therapist