Surprisingly I get a lot of questions about pets, and many people are surprised to hear that a lot of the same digestive issues we face, our furry friends also face!
Like humans, the vast majority of a dog's immune system is within the GI tract, when the GI tract becomes permeable, larger molecules enter the blood stream and trigger an inflammatory cascade (this is known as intestinal permeability or leaky gut). When intestinal inflammation is present, this is usually diagnosed as IBD in dogs (the diagnosis criteria is symptom based for dogs)(1).
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include changes to appetite, vomiting, dry or unkempt looking fur, inconsistent stools (usually diarrhea / bloody stools).
Foods are one of the leading causes of GI inflammation, removing processed foods, gluten, dry food, and processed wet food and experimenting with a novel protein and carb (e.g. a protein and carb not found in the food you usually feed your dog) for a few weeks before transitioning to a more expanded diet may be beneficial. Examples could be chicken and rice, fish and sweet potato, or lamb and potato.
Studies have shown that probiotics in dogs may improve mucosal homeostasis and intestinal permeability (2). There are a range of probiotics available for dogs, but generally a combination of lactobacillus, bifidobacterium, and possibly saccharomyces boulardii may be best.
Studies have also shown dogs have improved microbiome diversity and immune function when supplemented with colostrum. Adding a small amount of bovine colostrum to food (e.g. 500-1,000mg daily) may be beneficial, but be careful if your dog is sensitive to dairy.
While most of the studies in dogs using fish oil are assessing arthritic pain, studies suggest that fish oil may be an effective alternative for anti inflammatory medication for dogs (3). Supplementing with about a tsp of a good quality fish oil daily may be beneficial.
While I'm not aware of studies in dogs, recent mice studies have found that bone broth is effective in treating IBD and reducing intestinal inflammation (4). Adding a small amount to meals and building up over time may be beneficial. (I would use a plain bone broth concentrate or powder without any other additives.) E.g. this one: https://healthnutsaustralia.com.au/products/best-of-the-bone-grass-fed-certified-beef-bone-broth-concentrate-350g-for-dogs
This acts as a binder, it is especially helpful for loose stools / diarrhea, or when suspecting parasites or bacterial overgrowth. Mixing 1/3 tsp with a bit of water daily to help with acute symptoms may help.