I will interject my comments in blue 
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Originally Posted by dwerten  I have a question though. I have read that coconut oil is best for dogs with ibd and pancreas issues and why i am more comfortable with coconut oil than fish oils for these dogs as fatty acids. Coconut oil is a natural antifungal and anti-bacterial (as are all edible parts of the coconut, including the milk) and i use it for hot spots and it is amazing heals fast. I gave to dee dee for a couple years and no diarrhea nor staph infections so it really does work as when i stopped it she got a few staph infections.
I agree with probiotics too for sure but have always learned that probiotics are to be given 20-30 min before food in am and digestive enzymes are to be given with food that is processed or home cooked as you do not need digestive enzymes with raw as they have natural enzymes to digest the food naturally where as cooked and processed foods the natural enzymes are cooked out of it. I just think it makes more sense to separate like this as on a couple dog nutrition groups and this is how they say to do it as the probiotics coat the stomach and intestines prior to food being introduced into the body to keep the good bacteria count higher for dogs with allergies and intestinal issues.
The product I use, Dogzymes Digestive Enhancer, contains Prebiotics (special fiber that has spaces on it for the good bacteria to attach and live on), Probiotics, digestive bacteria and enzymes. It can be mixed with water and given by syringe, or sprinkled on the food, but needs to be in the stomach with the food, either before or during feeding, not after. Maybe different products react differently depending on the manufacturer/process. This product is made specifically for dogs, not humans... difference may lie there?
If you mix the two all at once with food it seems the digestive enzymes would kill the good bacteria before it has time to coat the intestines and stomach to protect it.
I read that the enzymes don't harm the bacteria, they are more geared to the proteins, carbs, and fats in the food. In a normal gut, all these elements are present, coexisting, and functioning together on a daily basis.
I think, too, that after it has been consumed on a regular basis, the problem gut starts to change (less bad bacteria, more good) and as normal functioning returns, maybe not as critical. This product also states the dose can be safely doubled during times of stress or compromised digestive function.
I want to get your thoughts on this as this is what i have always learned
also learned you do not want to do raw with ibd dogs as the inflammation can cause food to sit in digestive tract too long thus causing things like ecoli or salmonella
True. Many normal animal guts can handle an occasional dose of ecoli or salmonella. The normal, healthy gut flora prevents these vectors from having any effect on the healthy system. Dogs with problems don't have the natural defenses to fight off the bad stuff and it can end up flourishing in their system making them sick. |
My Liver Shunt dog had recurring problems from improper digestion, and was very hard, actually impossible to get any kind of weight on her... and she was a picky eater, and got recurring UTIs.
Since the antibiotics to clear up the UTI, and being fed the Dogzymes with each meal (doule dose for the first month), she has more of an appetite, has gained weight: she doesn't look sickly thin anymore, and she also gets coconut oil and/or powdered coconut milk.