Why is digestive health important for dogs?
No one enjoys having tummy troubles – whether it’s us or our pets! We’ll discuss canine IBS specifically in a moment. But first, let’s back up a step and ask why digestive health is vital for animals. It’s not only about avoiding conditions like colitis or choosing the best dog food for IBS. The health of your pooch’s gut affects many other aspects of their wellbeing. This is largely because of the gut microbiome – a collection of organisms living in your pup’s (and your) digestive system.
For example, the majority of your dog’s immune cells are located in their gut. That means your pet’s gut health has a significant impact on their immune system.(1) The microbiota helps regulate antibody production, plus fights off pathogens and stops them from entering the bloodstream and other organs. It also influences how effective a dog food for IBS is, because gut bacteria play a role in nutrient absorption.
Speaking of other organs, the gut microbiota contributes to the health of your pup’s heart too. Research has found that dogs with certain kinds of cardiovascular disease experience an imbalance in their gut microbiome.(2) This occurs at an early stage, meaning it could be possible to treat the condition via the gut.
What’s really interesting is that your dog’s gut health can even affect their brain and mental health.(3) One reason for this is that the gut microbiome contributes to the production of neurotransmitters. These include serotonin and dopamine, which have a direct influence on mood and behaviour. Which brings us nicely around to talking about dog food for IBS – a condition often related to stress and anxiety.
What is canine IBS?
Just like in humans, IBS stands for irritable bowel syndrome in dogs. It’s not common in our canine companions, and vets diagnose it by eliminating other potential causes of their symptoms. As a quick side note, IBS is different to IBD in dogs (inflammatory bowel disease). Although some of the symptoms are the same, the underlying cause is not. IBD is normally the result of irritation in the gastrointestinal tract. The main reason you’re likely to be looking up dog food for IBS, however, is stress. This could be from a one-off event like a house move, or a persistent issue such as separation anxiety.
A food intolerance or poor diet can also cause or exacerbate canine IBS. If it’s a food intolerance, you might not need a specific dog food for IBS. Removing the problematic ingredient from your pet’s meals should be enough to clear up the symptoms. A substandard diet – specifically one that’s low in fibre – would require more of an overhaul though.
In IBS, your pooch’s intestinal muscles don’t function the way they should. Normally, the muscles of the intestines move rhythmically to push food from the stomach to the rectum. With IBS, on the other hand, they either don’t contract in unison, or contract too quickly or too slowly. This problem tends to affect the large intestine the most. It leads to symptoms such as diarrhoea and constipation, which can be chronic or occur in intermittent episodes. Your pup might also experience pain in their abdomen. Other symptoms that may have you Googling ‘best dog food for IBS’ include bloating, vomiting, and loss of appetite.
What to do if you think your pooch has IBS
The symptoms we’ve talked about above are not unique to canine IBS. So rather than rushing out and buying dog food for IBS as soon as you spot them, it’s wise to take your pup to the vet. Unfortunately, there’s no test for IBS in dogs. Instead, they’ll examine your pet and rule out other potential causes of their tummy troubles. This might involve doing some blood tests, imaging the abdomen, testing for viruses, and possibly doing a biopsy of the intestine. The vet will ask about your dog’s toilet habits, stress levels, diet, and medical history to ensure an accurate diagnosis.
Once the vet has confirmed that your pup has IBS, you can discuss treatment options. There are three main ways to manage the condition. The first is to reduce or remove the source of stress and anxiety in your pet’s life. Of course, it’s not always easy to do this – or even to identify it in the first place – but it’s important to try. The second route is to prescribe some medication that will alleviate symptoms like pain, diarrhoea, and constipation. Your pet should only need to take these temporarily.
The third tactic is changing your pet’s diet. That could mean feeding your pup a specific food for dogs with IBS. This should be one that’s easily digestible and high in fibre. Alternatively, you could add some gut-friendly and stress-relieving ingredients to their normal wet food. This is the approach that we’re going to talk about here.
The best dog food for IBS
When thinking about what to feed a dog with IBS, one of the top ingredients out there is Jerusalem artichoke. It’s rich in a type of fibre called inulin, which acts as a prebiotic for your pet. That means it nourishes the good bacteria (and inhibits the growth of bad bacteria) in their gut microbiome. Yours too, in fact! Plus, it increases the production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), which support the health of the digestive tract.(4)
There are other reasons that fibre is a key part of dog food for IBS. It may help to reduce inflammation in the large intestine and normalise its muscle spasms. Fibre also eases symptoms like diarrhoea and constipation.(5) The best food for dogs with IBS will always be high in fibre – and Jerusalem artichoke is an easy way to add it to your pup’s diet.
However, IBS dog food isn’t all about supporting digestive health. Because it’s very often stress that causes or exacerbates the condition, ingredients that can tackle this are also key. And one of the top choices in that field is ashwagandha.
This herb acts as an adaptogen, meaning it helps the mind and body to cope with stress more effectively. Research shows one of the benefits of ashwagandha for dogs is that it reduces symptoms of anxiety and stress responses.(6) It does so in part by lowering levels of the hormone cortisol, which contributes to the fight-or-flight response. This can make your pet feel more relaxed, and potentially decrease the likelihood of them experiencing an episode of IBS. And that’s without the sort of negative side effects that pharmaceutical medications sometimes have.
Medicinal mushrooms as food for dogs with IBS
Hoping for something to use in dog food for IBS that addresses both stress and digestive health? Then medicinal mushrooms might just be the way to go. Like ashwagandha, these fabulous fungi act as adaptogens and help to lessen the negative effects of stress. As such, incorporating them into your pet’s diet could lower the risk of them experiencing stress-induced IBS.
What’s more, they’re rich in a type of fibre called beta-glucan. There are several potential benefits of beta-glucan for dogs, including supporting gut health. Like inulin, beta-glucan functions as a prebiotic and nourishes the good bacteria in your pup’s gut. This helps with digestive health (among other things) and decreases the chances of developing conditions like IBS.
There are numerous species of medicinal mushroom, all of which offer the benefits we’ve just discussed. However, they also have their own unique advantages. These differences can help you choose which to use to make dog food for IBS that best suits your pet. For example, cordyceps may increase energy and stamina, while lion’s mane supports brain health and cognitive functions.
In terms of dog food for IBS, there are two mushrooms in particular we recommend: reishi and turkey tail. Starting with reishi, this fungus is a superstar when it comes to stress relief. For instance, studies indicate it can work to enhance the quality and duration of sleep.(7) Just like us, sleep is vital for your pet’s mood – and a lack of it can leave them more anxious. Turkey tail, on the other hand, is one of the top fungi for your pup’s gut health. This is thanks to its high levels of prebiotics, which suppress bad bacteria in the digestive system.
How to feed your pup functional food
You won’t normally find the ingredients we’ve just talked about in pre-made dog food for IBS. The good news is that it’s easy to add them to your pet’s diet in powder form. All you need to do is mix them into their normal wet food. The amount will vary depending on factors like your pup’s size – as a guideline, we suggest:
- For reishi and turkey tail mushroom powders: ½-¼ a teaspoon per 10kg of your pooch’s body weight. You can divide this into two or three doses across the day.
- For ashwagandha: ⅛-¼ a teaspoon per 10kg of your dog’s body weight per day.
- For Jerusalem artichoke: ½ a teaspoon per 10kg of your pup’s body weight daily. You can gradually increase this to two teaspoons per 10kg.
If your pooch is a fussy eater, you could begin with smaller amounts and work up to these doses.
Using functional food for dogs with IBS safely
Because these ingredients are quite potent, there are some pointers to remember when using them in dog food for IBS. First, we always recommend speaking to a vet before adding them to your pet’s diet. This is to make sure the plants are suitable for their individual needs. It’s especially important if they have another health condition or are taking any medication. Second, only give your pup food that’s specifically created for pets. So even if you also take ashwagandha or reishi, don’t be tempted to share!
A specific piece of advice for medicinal mushrooms is to add them to dog food for IBS in cycles. What we mean by that is to stop feeding it to your pooch for a few weeks after eight weeks of use. This helps to prevent them from developing a tolerance to the ingredient or overstimulating their immune system. And if you want to give them reishi and turkey tail together, you can – just halve the dosage of each.
Finally, none of these ingredients are a replacement for professional veterinary care and treatment. Use them in dog food for IBS alongside, not instead of, whatever your vet recommends for the condition.
Beyond IBS dog food: more ways to look after your pup’s gut
If your pup suffers with tummy troubles, feeding them dog food for IBS is just one part of the solution. There are many other steps you can take to help prevent or treat the condition in your pooch. For example:
- Stress is a common trigger of IBS, so try to keep your pet happy and relaxed. We have lots of advice on how to do that in our article on separation anxiety in dogs.
- Support your pup’s digestive system by sticking to a regular feeding schedule and not over-feeding them. Avoid giving them too much human food and try not to let them scavenge when out on walks. It’s also useful to familiarise yourself with ingredients that are toxic to dogs, so you can ensure they don’t consume them.
- Make sure your pooch always has access to fresh, clean water so they’re able to stay hydrated. This is important for many reasons, including aiding digestion.
- Walk your dog regularly, as this helps to improve digestion and reduce the risk of conditions like IBS and constipation.
- Take your pet for regular check-ups at the vet, to increase the chances of spotting any concerns early on.
