The question of why you should give your dog a digestive aid isn’t commonly asked by dog owners. Unfortunately, it’s one of those things that can fall by the wayside if not brought to your attention. Yet, this simple measure can have an immense effect on your dog’s overall well-being and digestive health. Whether you’re treating canine indigestion or you’re just trying to support his gut health, adding a daily digestive aid to your dog’s diet can significantly improve his overall digestion.
Looking to learn how to improve your dog’s digestion and diet? Continue reading for our complete guide on canine digestive health.
What is a Dog Digestive Aid?
A dog digestive aid is most commonly thought of as “treat-like” edibles. They’re designed to deliver supplemental nutrition and vital ingredients for cellular growth and nutrient absorption. Crazy enough, they’re meant to aid your dog’s GI tract as it goes through the canine digestive process.
Often, a digestive aid is interchangeable with “digestive enzymes,” which help your dog’s body break down food and absorb the nutrients within. These enzymes come in three main variations.
- Amylases – These enzymes break down carbohydrates in the food your dog ingests. Oddly enough, your dog is less capable at breaking down these carbohydrates than you are.
- Proteases – These enzymes break down proteins (commonly found in meat)
- Lipases – These enzymes break down fat
Usually, these digestive aids come in the form of powder, a soft chewable, or a capsule. Once they enter the dog’s body, they assist with the decomposition of fats, proteins, and carbohydrates, thus massaging the digestive system and promoting gut health.
Why You Should Give Your Dog a Digestive Aid
If your pup suffers from digestive issues, enhancing his diet with pre-biotics will help support your dog’s body and keep him healthy for years to come. A simple digestive aid can create a well-balanced diet if your pet food is lacking essential nutrients. Here are some common reasons dog owners should give their dog a digestive aid to enhance their overall health and well-being:
- Your Dog Ages – As your dog ages, certain facets of the digestive system wanes; the most common being your dog’s metabolism. Once this happens, digestive issues begin to occur. When the metabolism slows down, a dog’s susceptibility to gain weight increases. And, unfortunately, their ability to absorb nutrients is hindered. Providing your pup with a digestive aid ensures optimal nutritional absorption and bolsters its metabolism.
- Supports Against Seasonal Allergies – Nobody enjoys allergies, including your dog. That being said, your pup comes in contact with seasonal allergies more than you do (if they’re often outdoors, of course). Whether it’s through direct contact with humans, other dogs, plants, or inhalants, seasonal allergies can significantly impact your dog’s health and happiness. While seasonal allergies can strike at anytime and often with little warning, you can help boost their immune system with a dog digestive aid.
- Maintains a Healthy Intestinal Tract – The dog digestive cycle has several key anatomic functions that benefit from a dog digestive aid; most notably their intestinal tract. Just like us, dogs absorb their nutrients in their digestive tract. The difference having been detailed in the Innovative Veterinary Care Journal, dogs store only 30% of their food in their digestive tract, whereas humans keep 70%. That 30% becomes their main source of nutrient absorption. And a digestive aid helps ensure maximum absorption, so your pup is flush with the necessary nutrients.
- Promotes Optimum Bladder Function – Promoting optimum bladder health function means ridding your dog of any toxins present in their system. A digestive aid helps the liver (being that the liver isn’t overworked when sending enzymes to the stomach). This is another situation in which supplemental digestive enzymes benefits other organ systems.
- Promotes Bone and Joint Health – Being that a great digestive aid can help your dog maintain a healthy weight, a byproduct is that it also promotes bone and joint health. Obesity is a rampant problem for many canines and the added stress wears on both bones and joints. By ensuring that their organ systems are supported, efficient, and nurtured, you also mitigate the chances of other ailments surfacing (i.e. hip dysplasia). The body of a canine is a multithreaded organism and it’s paramount to remember how benefiting one organ system will promote overall health.
Vetericyn All-In Life-Stage Supplement
Feeding your dog a supplement with enzymes and prebiotics will help create a well-balanced diet that supports your pup’s overall gut health. If you’re looking for a supplement that includes a dog digestive aid, check out our Vetericyn All-In Life Stage Supplement. Made from all natural ingredients and clinically proven to be safe and effective (packed with prebiotics and antioxidants), All–IN offers 3 specific formulas for every canine life-stage.
While most pet supplements can overload a dog’s digestive system (or not load it enough), All-IN is designed to create its own avenue for guaranteed absorption and helps to fight against common canine digestive problems. In this day and age, why focus solely on a digestive aid when there are supplements for your canine that can provide it with that and more?
Whether your dog is suffering from vomiting, diarrhea, loose stool, or an upset stomach, feeding your dog a digestive aid along with their pet food can significantly help regulate and support their overall health and well-being. Your dog’s health depends on it. Reach out to us today and start the first day of your dog’s new, happier, healthier life!
Sources:
- Vetericyn. Complete Nutrition Designed to be Absorbed in Your Dog.. Not on Your Lawn. https://vetericyn.com/all-in/
- IVC Journal. Understanding Pet Digestion. https://ivcjournal.com/understanding-pet-digestion/
Dr. Melinda J. Mayfield-Davis, DVM, WCHP-AH, brings over 20 years of experience in veterinary medicine. She is the Technical Services Veterinarian with Innovacyn, Inc., parent company of Vetericyn Animal Wellness. She received her DVM from Oklahoma State University and now resides in Southeast Kansas with her husband, two children, four dogs, and six horses. Prior to working with Innovacyn, Dr. Mayfield owned and operated the Animal Care Center in Columbus, KS.
