Worried about colitis in your dog?

Some owners bring in samples of the faeces to the consultation, or others take photos and show them to me on their phones, but the flecked red blood and straining is the give away. Your dog is also usually well with no vomitting but the sight of blood is always a concern to owners.

As it is an inflammatory change in the colon which is the last section of the gut loops where water is resorbed; the thickened walls result in a feeling of constant fullness which is why your dog strains thinking that there is something to pass, but all they do is strain the blood vessels and prevent the proper water resorption from occurring which is why it has a ‘jelly-like’ coating with the flecked blood.

What causes colitis?

The main cause of colitis is stress! A little like inflammatory bowel disease in humans, the bowels in our dogs are very susceptible to changes in your dog’s routine causing stress – whether that be a change of food, visitors, visits to a kennel, vet or grooming parlour, they can end up with signs of colitis.

As it is an inflammatory change in the colon, allergic food reactions are also culprits in causing recurrent colitis. This can be to a number of allergens that your dog may eat, but remember that the main food allergens in dogs are beef, dairy, wheat, lamb, egg, chicken, soya, pork, corn, rabbit and fish – in that order.

Other allergic reactions can occur to medication that your dog may be given as happened with Baxter shown below.

A natural high fibre plant-based diet for your dog is one of the best diets for their digestion and bowel movements.

If your dog suffers from runny stools, transitioning them to a fibrous plant-based diet is ideal. Fibre can help to solidify loose, watery stools because it absorbs water and adds bulk to stool. The increased fibre in plant-based food is also better for dogs with anal gland issues. The added bulk allows the dogs digestive tract to push the stool more efficiently through the anal glands, allowing them to be emptied more effectively, rarely causing blockages.

Consistent firm stools is one indicator of good bowel health which is why keeping an eye on your dog’s toileting is always important.

Less stinky poo’s

That’s right! A plant based diet will mean far less smelly poo’s which is a fantastic bonus!

A study by researchers at the University of Illinois looked at the digestibility of human-grade vegan dog foods compared with a commercial meat based option. They found that plant based diets resulted in the dogs producing lower phenol and indole concentrations in their poo. Interestingly, phenol and indole contribute to smelly poo, so it’s likely that switching your dog to a vegan diet will help minimise the stink!

A crazy experiment on Channel 5 TV proves that vegan dog poo has no smell as Alexis Conran and vet Arielle Griffiths sniff dog poo!

How surreal it felt to be featured in a programme on Channel 5 called Britain’s Dog Poo Scandal.  We recorded the dog food bits in the series off our own TV if you missed seeing it (as the rest of the programme was just about dog poo!)

Why do some dogs eat their own poo?

Coprophagia is the name given for dogs who eat their own poo. There are a number of reasons for this behaviour.

1) Dogs have an innate ability to know when they may be lacking in nutrients. For example your dog may suffer from a Vitamin B12 deficiency which is obtained naturally from soil. Therefore eating their own poo (which may have soil around it) allows them to correct this deficiency naturally.  Alternatively they may be attempting to restore some ‘good gut bacteria’ that can be found in stool.
If your dog is well, then please do not be alarmed. However if your dog is showing signs of changes such as increased thirst or lethargy, then please have them checked by your vet.

2) Coprophagia can also be a behavioural issue with some dogs attempting to ’hide the evidence’. Dogs have been taught from an early age that it is wrong to toilet indoors. Very obedient dogs will understand this to mean that pooing in the house is ‘wrong’ and will therefore try to conceal any evidence after the fact.

3) Wild dogs in a pack will have the more submissive members of the pack remove any evidence of them having been an area by eating the evidence before they move on for safety. This behaviour has carried on into some of our domestic dogs.

One way to try to stop this undesirable behaviour is to feed your dog some pineapple daily. Fresh pineapple is needed as it contains bromelain. The theory is that pineapple is very bitter or acid when passed, but it also contributes to the good gut bacteria. Our Solo Vegetal tins contain pineapple as one of their ingredients and may help improve this behaviour.

It is important to do some dietary elimination trials in your dog if they do suffer from regular bouts of colitis as shown with Mary the Boston Terrier below who transitioned to a 100% plant-based diet to resolve her issues.