Ensuring gut health in young puppies is vital in order to avoid chronic skin disease (CSD) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) as adult dogs
CSD and IBD are common diseases in adult dogs. The importance of the integrity of the gut mucosal lining and having a healthy gut microbiome population, are now well known for their roles in the development of these diseases. There is a complex but direct relationship between gut microbiota, the immune system, the gastrointestinal system, and skin health. This is called the “Gut-Skin Axis”.
Recent research evidence provides evidence that the condition of gut health in young pups, including acute episodes of gastroenteritis and allergen exposure, are strongly linked to the potential development of chronic disease of the skin and gut, in growing and adult dogs.
Nutrition and the gut microbiome play significant roles in all life stages of dogs (and cats). For pups, there are multiple additional external factors affecting a pup’s health – including health and nutrition of the pup and of the bitch, socialisation and stress factors, medical interventions and possible disease, environment, housing, and weaning. Adult dog diseases including obesity, IBD, CSD and behavioural disorders can all affect quality of life and longevity. For the health of the pup and the growing dog, it is important we employ strategies to minimise these risk factors during development.
• Maintain the integrity of the bowel wall.
• Maintain a healthy population of gut microbiota.
• Prevent development of chronic skin disease (CSD)
• Prevent long term chronic disease in the gut (IBD)
• Maintain gut health after antibiotic or pharmaceutical use.
• Prevent hypersensitivity reactions by immune system to commonly encountered allergens.
• Decrease behavioural issues from poor health, body inflammation, anxiety, and stress.
• Improve longevity and quality of life in adult dogs.
The Gut – Immune System – Skin Axis
The intestinal walls are composed of the largest proportion of immune cells (70%) in the body. (2) The cells of the intestinal wall layers are held together by tight junctions, with specific immune cells sitting between the epithelial or lining cells of the intestinal wall. These cells are continuously exposed to foreign material: new antigens, pathogens, toxins, and allergic stimuli, present in the gut contents.
Functions of the intestinal walls include:
• Prevent absorption of these foreign materials into the bloodstream.
• Gut wall immune cells induce tolerant immune responses to the different antigens present in gut contents.
• Maintain a state of balance in the gut (homeostasis) by preventing inflammation in the body.
Any breakdown of the integrity of the gut wall can damage the cells, disrupting the cells protective functions and resulting in inflammation in the body with loss of homeostasis in the whole body. This inflammation can occur in many body systems – gut inflammation and skin inflammation being the most prominent and common areas affected.
Gastroenteritis in puppies is commonly seen in vet practices, often treated UNNECESSARILY with antibiotics. Antibiotic treatment in the first year of a puppy’s life is associated with an increased risk of later development of IBD. The research in both humans and dogs, shows that disruption to the gut microbiota and gut inflammation is associated with the development of IBD and chronic disease, in later life.
The normal healthy gut has a lining where cells actively secrete enzymes and other products that aid in normal digestion, absorption, and immunity.
Any erosion of the gut walls, which happens when the gut wall cells become inflamed, causes a breakdown of the gut wall defences, allowing allergens and toxins to be absorbed into the bloodstream. The gut literally “leaks”, hence the term "Leaky Gut". The normally very selective bloodstream absorption of required nutrients is flooded with all the gut contents from the hyperpermeable gut wall. The immune defenses are seriously affected, resulting in increased sensitivity to toxins and allergens – leading to a very itchy dog or a dog with IBD.
Phyotherapy - or Plant Medicine - can be used to protect pups from the development of chronic disease. Simply using specific herbs to protect the bowel, prevent the development of "Leaky Gut" and maintain a healthy gut biome, can set the pup up for a disease-free life. Using HoneyPro Vet PuppyPro feed supplement is an effective and simple method of caring for your pup.
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