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. 

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.

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

The Holistic Approach to Dog Worming

Talking about worms is not a pleasant subject but it is nevertheless a very important topic to explore in order to keep your dog healthy and those that are in close contact with them safe.

There are several internal parasites which can affect our dogs, sometimes with serious health implications and may carry the risk of being passed onto ourselves.

Initially, there are few symptoms that indicate our dog has worms, until there is a growing population when diarrhoea, weight loss, poor condition, irritation of the rectum are noticed. Once these are evident the dog will have reached a high level of infestation, which is something we want to avoid ever happening.

Just the mere thought of our dogs carrying parasites can cause concern for many people and it has become common practise to frequently use drugs, often combined with flea and tick treatments, in order to try and eliminate any parasites.

Anthelmintics is the name given to a group of drugs which are administered specifically to kill or expel parasitic worms. Indiscriminate worming with these drugs every one to three months, when there are no intestinal worms present is costly to your pocket, damaging to the environment and not least counterproductive to the health of your dog and ultimately increases the risk of resistance to wormers.

So what options are available to us if we want to limit the amount of chemicals used but still keep our dogs in good health? 

Here we explore the most common worms that dogs can come into contact with and what solutions are available when forming an effective worming programme. 

Roundworms:

The most common type of intestinal parasite is the roundworm (Toxocara Canis and Toxascaris leonine). They are white or very light brown in colour and grow up to several inches long.

A large percentage of puppies will be born with round worm larvae in their system which is transferred through the uterus during gestation or via the mother’s milk. Pups with a heavy worm infestation look in poor condition with a distended “pot” belly appearance and will often vomit up large amounts of roundworms which resemble spaghetti. Very heavy worm burdens have the added risk of complications such as an intestinal blockage. Roundworms can easily be passed onto humans and extra hygiene precautions are needed especially when children are handling puppies. It is important to pick up all dog faeces immediately to reduce soil contamination.

Tapeworm:

Tapeworm is the largest of the intestinal worms with multiple segments that attach to the intestinal wall via a sucker on their head piece from which additional segments grow. These segments are regularly shed and appear in the faeces or stuck to the hair under the tail. The tapeworm requires an intermediate host such as a flea or louse, so it is vital to establish a holistic regime where the control of these parasites is also considered.  

Hookworms:

Hook worms are particularly unpleasant as they attached themselves to the wall of the small intestine and suck the hosts blood. This can result in severe anaemia which may be fatal in small puppies. Hook worms are transmitted through ingesting contaminated soil and water or via the mother’s milk.

Whip worms:

These are small, thin worms with one enlarged end and if seen in the faeces resemble pieces of string. They live in the large intestine and do not shed eggs continuously, as is the case of roundworm and hookworm. Symptoms include bloody, mucous covered diarrhoea.

 Lungworm:

Incidence of Lungworm, such as French heartworm, is on the rise and cases can be found countrywide.

Lungworm needs an intermediate host such as slugs, snails, frogs and foxes but the most common form of lungworm is Crenosoma vulpis (Fox Lungworm) transmitted by the urban fox. If a dog becomes infected with French Heartworm symptoms include exercise intolerance, laboured noisy breathing, coughing and as the condition progresses excessive bleeding even from a tiny wound, weight loss, collapse and seizures. Worryingly some dogs never show any symptoms until they suddenly become extremely ill.  

A blog specifically about Lungworn can be found here https://www.hedgerowhounds.co.uk/news/be-lungworm-aware

Giardia:

Puppies as well as adult dogs are often infected with this parasite which can cause severe diarrhoea. It can be present in ponds, streams and puddles which have been contaminated with faeces.

 Resistance to chemical worming preparations:

Resistance to chemical wormers has long been recognised as a growing concern in horses, cattle and sheep. According to the British Veterinary Association this is predominately caused by the overuse of wormers as an automatic, preventative method of parasite control. With the overuse of wormers in dogs becoming an issue combined with inaccurate weight measurement therefore affecting the dosage administered, resistance to these drugs is a real possibility in the near future.  

 Natural preventatives:

Many guardians are keen to take the holistic approach to a worming regime and will incorporate a number of foods or supplements within the dog’s diet. These can be extremely helpful in making the dog more unpalatable to worms and other parasites but should not be relied upon to kill internal parasites should your dog already have a worm burden. Once a clear faecal worm count is achieved then they are a good means of natural prevention. Regular worm counts should still be used to confirm that your chosen natural preventative is working effectively for your particular dog.

Pumpkin seeds:

Ground pumpkin seeds contain an amino acid called Cucurbitacin which is said to immobilise intestinal worms therefore making them easier to pass. As a preventative the dose is one teaspoon of ground seeds per 10lbs of bodyweight once a day. The seeds used can be fresh or dried.

Garlic:

Feeding garlic to dogs always causes concern but it can be useful as a preventative for worms and fleas if given correctly. Freshly crushed garlic that has been allowed to sit for around 10 minutes to active the allicin is more potent, therefore smaller amounts can be fed. It is not advisable to give large amounts of garlic or feed it over long periods of time as this increases the risk of anaemia. It should also be avoided if your dog is on blood thinners and removed from the diet for 2 weeks before and after surgery due to its blood thinning properties. As a general guide a quarter of a clove per 20kg of bodyweight is fed. Due to its very pungent smell and bitter taste it is very unlikely that your dog would eat any more than this small amount in his meals.

Diatomaceous Earth (DE):

Silicon Dioxide, commonly referred to as DE is a dietary supplement fed in powdered form which originates from fossilised water plants called Diatoms. It is believed to act as a natural ‘wormer’ but recent studies suggest that its use is limited. If you use this method, then regular worm counts will confirm if it is effective in your dog. Only use food grade DE and mix with moist food as it can easily be inhaled accidently while your dog is eating.

 Herbal “Intestinal Hygiene Control”:

There are a number of companies that offer medicinal herbal products that aim to create an adverse environment in the gut to aid in naturally repelling and assist to expel parasites. They come in the form of a small biscuit type treat or a liquid as provided by Verm-X or in a tincture such as Four Seasons. They are a cost-effective way of natural prevention and are administered as a daily dose for 3 days a week or as with the tincture, one day a month. Higher doses are needed where prevention of Lungworm is concerned.        

 Faecal Worm Counts:

Using faecal worm counts is an intelligent way of testing which parasites, if any, our dogs are carrying and to what level of infestation. It is also an accurate way to reassure us that our chosen method of worm prevention, be that natural or chemical, is working effectively. We can then make informed choices if in fact our dogs need worming at all, and if so, what product is suited to target that parasite.

A faecal egg count (FEC) is used to count the number of worm eggs in your dogs faeces and the results are shown as “eggs per gram” (epg). This is an indication of how many live adult worms are in the gut.

I have used a faecal worm count service for the last seven years and in that time of sending off regular tests on several dogs, there has only ever been one positive test which was for fox lungworm.           

Collecting and sending off a stool sample is easy and does not need a referral from your vet, although some vets do offer an in-house worm count service.

A testing kit can be purchased online and sent to you in the post, you will need a separate kit for each individual dog. You then collect a small sample of your dogs stool into the pot and return in the envelope provided. Results come back very quickly by email or text and you have a printout of the results to keep for your records. All being well there will be “none seen” written in the right-hand column against each parasite tested for. There is also a colour key which ranges from no larvae seen through to high levels noted in the sample.

The Lungworm test is carried out by collecting a small sample of your dogs stools over a period of three days, due to the fact that lungworm intermittently shed larvae. It is essential that in a multi dog household, individual stool samples are kept separate and clearly identified. You need to know which dog produced the sample. This became evident when I tested three of my dogs, who are exercised together in the exact same fields every day and only one tested positive for fox lungworm. Read our blog all about lungworm: https://www.hedgerowhounds.co.uk/news/be-lungworm-aware

Should you get a positive result back and it is decided that a chemical wormer is necessary then it is important to administer a product that targets those specific parasites and that the dog is accurately weighed so the correct dosage is given. Many people guess the weight of their dog and usually under rather than over estimate it. If this happens regularly, then the administered wormer will kill the weak worms leaving the more robust ones to flourish. All vet surgeries and most pet shops have digital scales you can use to establish the accurate weight of your dog.

A company that I have used for many years as they give such a superb service is Wormcount.com.

I asked Michaela Murray from Wormcount.com

How often do you recommend using a faecal worm count test?

It all depends on the risk factors surrounding your dog.  If he is an ‘urban’ dog who goes for walks around the streets on a lead and is therefore never more than 3 feet away from you, then you will always know where his nose is!  You will know if he has eaten anything such as dog or fox poo or any carrion such as dead birds.  These are all carriers of worms. He is a low-risk dog.  His worm count interval will largely depend upon previous counts.  If he has a clear count, then he may even be able to go as long as 6 months between tests.

If, on the other hand, he is a ‘country, beach or park’ dog who goes ranging off the lead and is therefore into everything, then he is a high-risk dog and you should consider testing him every 2 to 3 months.

It used to depend largely upon where you lived as to how heavy the worm burden was – especially for lungworm species – however, now that more of us take our dogs on holiday with us all over the country, then there is a much greater spread.  We have had positive cases of all 5 species of lungworm from all over the UK, even on the islands.  There is fox lungworm on the Isle of Wight, The Isle of Man and even Shetland!

Most horse owners are now aware of the problems regarding the resistance to chemical wormers and how important it is to have an appropriate testing and worming programme in place. Have you found a steady increase in dog owners now using the worm count service rather than just automatically worming every 2-3 months or has it been a slow progression?

“When we first started worm counting 20 years ago we worked solely with horse owners.  We were asked by them if we tested dogs as many horse owners also own dogs.  We had the technology and expertise to test all animals but had been rarely asked to use it.  Once we made it known that we would test any animals we were very quickly inundated with all manner of animal poo!” 

We do test thousands of dogs every year however, we also have many tortoises, lizards, bunnies, horses, zoo and farm animals as clients. 

Many of our owners still conventionally worm and use the screen we offer to check that their programme is working but the vast majority are turning away from automatically worming and are instead worming only when a positive worm screen indicates that it is necessary.  They also find the added fat and food screen that we offer within our worm count invaluable for checking that their dogs are digesting their food properly.  This is especially important when changing from conventional to raw feeding.

I see that you have added a new kit to test for Giardia, why is this and are faecal samples collected and tested in a different way for this parasite?

We added the gold standard giardia screen to our portfolio of tests as a direct result of requests from clients. There are many ‘home tests’ available on the market but most of these are simply not sensitive enough and some can only guarantee a 70% accuracy.  We will only ever use the best possible testing methods for our clients.

The sample we require is taken over one day.  If the dog passes faeces more than once in a day then you should take a small piece each time he goes.  The sensitivity of our test is so high that it only needs one day’s poo. It works very well in conjunction with our worm egg screen.

Testing for giardia can be either in response to an episode of unexplained diarrhoea or used as an annual check to ensure that all is well as giardiasis (the disease which occurs when giardia species are present) does not always show symptoms and dogs can have recurring bouts.

www.hedgerowhounds.co.uk