Getting to the root of the itchy problem.
We get to meet quite the variety of breeds and breed mixes at Back To The Bone. It is one of the best parts of owning a store like ours. We also come up against quite the array of health issues as pet parents come to our stores to learn more about a healthier diet for their pets. The most common health issue our customers discuss with us is their itchy pet.
Many pet parents (and at times veterinarians), will point their fingers at food or the type of protein they are feeding. Food can be, at times, the culprit. We can tell you, from our experience, food or protein type is very rarely the main issue.
Yeasty Gut and/or Leaky Gut is usually the culprit. We often find this in pets that have been on a high carbohydrate diet (kibble). It has nothing to do with a food intolerance or a protein sensitivity.
Yeasty Dogs
Dogs with a balanced immune system have healthy levels of yeast that occur naturally on the body, including on the paws. However, dogs with an unbalanced immune system are at risk of yeast overgrowth. Animals with weakened immune systems or those who are immuno-suppressed can end up with an overgrowth of yeast, as can dogs with overactive immune systems that result in allergies.
Yeasty gut is a nasty situation and can be the cause of serious skin inflammation and itchiness, especially in the dark damp and moist areas of your pet. Ears, armpit, groin, the anal area, and muzzle. Yeast will move into these areas of your dog and it will feel like fire to them. So, what do our pets do? They lick and lick, and scratch and scratch. Trying to put the fire out. We go to the vet, and we are prescribed an antibiotic or a steroid, or both. These really do nothing to deal with the yeast but can provide some relief to our pets and allow us to sleep at night, temporarily. These solutions just deal with the symptoms. The underlying issue is still there and if not dealt with the yeast symptoms will return to the skin and we are back to square one, often even more aggressive.
Eliminating yeast in the gut takes time. Here are a few things to consider:
We have had a lot of success with a product from Adored Beast Apothecary called Yeasty Beast Protocol. This product will kill off the yeast and efficiently carry the dead yeast away. It does take time and it is a protocol, so you need to see it through and follow the directions to a tee.
This part is important regardless of how you choose to deal with a yeasty pet. A pet that has an overgrowth of yeast is usually in an immune-compromised state. Keep this in mind when you are considering vaccinations and/or using pest control for ticks and fleas. Again, these may interfere with the immune system and can set your pet back as you try to get rid of the yeast.
One final thought on yeast and our pets. The type of protein you feed has little to do with yeast. Yes, you might want to stay away from chicken. It usually is not the protein that is the cause of yeast. It is the carbs and sugar rich food that you pet has had or is currently eating.
The Leaky Gut
Not that we want to overdo it here, but we are finding that more and more of our customer’s pets exhibit what appears to be Leaky Gut Syndrome. This can also be the root cause of the many symptoms associated with environment allergies and food sensitivities.
Your pet's gastrointestinal (GI) tract has the important job of deciding what nutrients to allow into the bloodstream, and which to keep out. The job of the GI tract is to allow nutrients in while keeping allergens out. When the gut starts to "leak," it means it is allowing allergens into the bloodstream.
Often medications, especially antibiotics and steroids, cause leaky gut syndrome. Any pet on routine drug therapy should be assessed for a leaky gut. Another trigger for leaky gut is a processed diet containing genetically modified ingredients.
There are tests that your vet can provide to determine whether your pet has a leaky gut.
Some of our customers have been using a good, and properly made Bone Broth that is extremely high in collagen yet low in salt. It is an easy supplement to your pet’s diet since most love the scent of a good bone broth.
Adored Beast Apothecary has also created a Leaky Gut Protocol. Again, this is a protocol that needs to be given as directed and be used to completion.
Environmental Allergies
We are hearing more about pets experiencing the telltale signs of seasonal allergies: Intense itchiness, hair loss, skin issues and problems with ears and feet. These symptoms tend to show up at the beginning of spring and again in the late summer/early fall. If you know your pet experiences seasonal flare-ups, try getting ahead of the game. Begin a seasonal allergy support protocol before your pet becomes itchy, red, and inflamed. Waiting until your pet becomes miserable makes it difficult to get through allergy season without using allergy drugs that have side effects.
If you are interested to learn more about how to get your pet’s immune system ready, please refer to the 3 part blog Combating Allergies Part 1, Combating Allergies Part 2, Combating Allergies Part 3.
Food Allergies/Sensitivities.
Food sensitivities can create those same skin, ear, and paw issues that environmental allergens can trigger. The biggest difference is that these symptoms continue throughout the course of the year or until the food issue is identified and eliminated.
There are a variety of tests available to pet parents that can help identify what foods can trigger inflammatory issues. These tests can be blood, saliva, or hair tests. Some are available to you at your vet and some can be purchased online. The advantage of these tests is that they can be dealt with quickly and you will have the information you need to ensure you stay away from the “trigger” foods. The downside is that the “good” tests can be a little pricey.
Some pet owners are choosing to use elimination diets as a way of identifying trigger foods. An elimination strategy involves choosing one novel protein that agrees with your pet. Some of the more popular proteins we might recommend are pork, turkey, rabbit, or kangaroo. You would feed this protein for 6 to 8 weeks and eliminate everything else from your pet’s diet. The objective is to feed only proteins and phytonutrients that your pet does not react to over time. This strategy can take months before you figure out what you can and cannot feed. Remember, the objective is to get to a protein rotation where you can feed 3 or more different proteins over a 3-to-4-week period. Using an elimination diet strategy will take patience AND a lot of time and effort. If you have the patience and willingness to see it through, an elimination strategy can certainly be an effective way of helping you ensure your pet can live a healthy and “scratch-free” life.
Final Words
There are so many things in life that can cause our pets to have suppressed immune systems. Some things we cannot control, like genetics. Some things we can. The food we feed, when and how often we vaccinate, extensive use of antibiotics and steroids, how we choose to protect our pets from fleas, ticks and mosquitos, the water they drink, the pesticides we may or may not use, the cleaning products in our house, and the list goes on. Most of our pet’s immune system is in the gut and lower digestive tract. Focusing on the gut will go a long way to helping our pets live a long and comfortable life.
Remember, the proof is in the poop!!!