Keep the Tail Wagging is supported by pet parents. I occasionally earn a commission (at no additional cost to you) when you click through an affiliate link to one of my favorite products. Thank you for your support. Read More

DepositPhoto/belchonock

Rodrigo is the reason I'm a raw feeder today.  Dealing with his tummy issues for six years has been a joy – sarcasm – and a learning experience – reality.  At first, I thought it was normal for dogs to have diarrhea occasionally; I just didn't know what “occasionally” really meant.  When the loose stool and diarrhea were combined with chronic ear infections, food and environmental allergies, rashes, darkening skin on his tummy, and itchy paws – I knew I needed to make a change.

Today, Rodrigo is a happy, raw fed dogs.  But he still has digestive issues.  He's never been diagnosed with irritable bowel disorder (IBD), but I've wondered if this may be the cause of his trouble.  Even eating human-grade (meaning that I buy meat that I could cook for myself and eat), a balanced FrankenBARF raw diet, and natural, top of the line supplements – he still has digestive issues off and on.

Why?

What is Irritable Bowel Disorder for Dogs?

In my research, the one thing I learned about Irritable Bowel Disease (IBD) is that many people don't agree on what it is and what causes it in dogs.  Any time a dog's gut is irritated, people label it as IBD.

“The most common symptoms of irritable bowel syndromes is chronic, occasional large bowel diarrhea, including frequent passage of small amounts of feces and mucus, and constipation (dyschezia). Abdominal pain, bloating, vomiting, and nausea may also occur.” Source: PetMD.com

Another thing I learned is that a self-diagnosis of IBD isn't always a great idea because it may lead us to treat the incorrect condition and ignoring symptoms of something else.  I compare it to treating a stress headache as if it were chronic migraines.

Why Gut Health in Dogs is Important

The gut partners with the immune system.  When a dog's gut is unhealthy, then his immune system can't do it's job properly.  This is why Rodrigo had allergies, chronic ear infections, and other health issues.

When I added a probiotic to my diet (as well as apple cider vinegar – which is great for dogs too), my hay fever became a minor annoyance instead of four-month illness.  Imagine what a digestive enzyme can do for a dog.

Some Dogs Just Have Digestive Issues

Rodrigo just has digestive issues.  The cause can be due to a kibble diet, which is hard to digest.  It could be due to early neutering or vaccinations behind his one-year boosters.  Or it could just be that Rodrigo just has digestive issues.

The final straw for me was when his anal glands weren't expressing, he had gas, diarrhea, and he was eating his poop.  It was not a pretty picture, but I found a solution that worked and over time, I learned more about my dog's gut and was able to make small changes until we landed on a diet and supplement regime that worked.

• Pay close attention to where you source your dog's raw meat.  Just because a brand states that the food is human-grade and chemical free, that doesn't make it right for every dog.  I thought Rodrigo was allergic to turkey, beef, salmon, and lamb.  It turns out he can eat all of those proteins – as long as they come from the right source.

• Add Olewo carrots to your dog's diet.  Olewo carrots started in Germany and were fed in different forms to children (as soup) and puppies (finely shredded) to stop life-threatening chronic diarrhea.  I recently took Rodrigo off of Olewo carrots for a short time while I tried out a new supplement – nope, he had to go back, STAT!  It was helping to strengthen and soothe his digestive tract.

• Add a quality digestive supplement to your dog's diet.  I have tried several digestive supplements, and the one that worked consistently for Rodrigo is FullBucket Daily Canine Powder.  Rodrigo gets a scoop at least five days a week, more often if he has a digestive flair up.

5 Top Digestive Supplements for Dogs

I've tried several digestive supplements for my dogs, and these are the five that have worked consistently well.

• FullBucket Daily Canine Powder – this is the one supplement that has worked consistently for Rodrigo.  I considered stopping and switching to others when someone told me about a miracle supplement only to return to FullBucket.  Nothing works as well for him.

• FullBucket Canine Paste – this is what I used when Rodrigo was at his worse, it helped jumpstart his digestive health.

• Olewo Carrots – I don't consider Olewo carrots to be a digestive supplement.  I add it to all of our dogs' meals five days a week.  It's an ingredient in their food.  I realized that I would be remiss not to add Olewo carrots to this post.  This is an all naturally supplement made from carrots grown in rich soil in an area of Germany.  These carrots have a long, amazing story, of saving both children and dogs from severe digestive illnesses.  It's truly a miracle worker.

• Flora4 by Carna4 – I add this supplement to the vegetable supplement that I make for my dogs.  It's made with sprouted alfalfa and is a miracle worker on the gut.  I was able to get able to get a case of Flora4 for a great price through our local co-op and thought adding it to the veggie supplement would give my dogs an extra boost – and it has.

• In Clover OptaGest – Rodrigo gets FullBucket, our other dogs get In Clover OptaGest, which is a prebiotic.  There is a disagreement about the benefits of prebiotics; some believe that prebiotics feed both the healthy and unhealthy bacteria in a dog's gut and if you have a dog with a gut imbalance (like Rodrigo) then a prebiotic may not be the right product.  I've found that it works great for dogs with healthy guts.

My Experience with FullBucket

I'm updating this post with more details about my experience with In Clover OptaGest.  This is a supplement that I recommend for dogs that don't have severe digestive issues.  My recommendation is based on my experience with Rodrigo.

If you read reviews on OptaGest, you will see encouraging stories about how it has helped many dogs.  That is why I tried it with Rodrigo and was initially impressed.  It did help turn Rodrigo around when he was feeling his worse:

• daily diarrhea
• nearly impacted anal glands
• smelly because of the anal glands – he could clear a room, he smelled so badly – I had to express his anal glands
• eating poop (when it was solid)
• gas
• weight loss

Adding OptaGest and Olewo carrots helped slow down some of the symptoms, however, a few weeks later, they started creeping back again.  Around that time I was introduced to FullBucket Daily Canine Powder.  I discussed Rodrigo's symptoms with a representative of the brand, and she sent me their paste and powder.

Initially, I gave Rodrigo the FullBucket paste to help turn his digestive system around. It worked immediately; within 24 hours, I saw an improvement.  I began adding the FullBucket powder to his daily meals (with Olewo carrots), and he slowly improved.

Today, Rodrigo is a different dog.  He still has days when his gut isn't happy, but this occurs once every couple of months rather than daily or weekly.

In Clover OptaGest is a fantastic supplement, however, in my experience, it's best for dogs with a healthy gut, which is why I add it to Sydney, Scout, and Zoey's meals.  Scout has mild digestive issues, and OptaGest has been great for him.

Treating a Dog's Upset Tummy with Essential Oils

When Rodrigo has a mild tummy upset (he's eating more grass than usual, he keeps wanting to go outside, or he has gas), a blend of essential oils works wonders.

• I will diffuse calming essential oils to help Rodrigo relax.

• I make a blend of essential oils that include lavender, peppermint, eucalyptus, or frankincense to rub on my dog's tummy and sides (just a couple drops of the blend).  My goal is to help soothe gas discomfort.  Dogs are sensitive to scents, so I go easy when applying essential oils to their coat and don't apply them near their face.

A dog's hair acts as a wick, distributing the oils all around their body as they move, it's absorbed through the skin as well as inhaled – working in two ways.

What to Do if Your Dog Has Digestive Issues

If your dog has chronic digestive issues, please make an appointment with your veterinarian.  It's important to rule out anything more serious and review your dog's diet and supplement regime.  I work closely with my vet on our dogs' diet, and if Rodrigo's gut becomes unhealthy again, my vet has his complete diet history, which will help in diagnosis and treatment.