The Inner Workings of Your Pet’s Digestive System
Stinky litter boxes and runny poops? Have you ever had to deal with a pet with an upset tummy? Maybe it was too many treats or sampling some human food they shouldn’t have. Not every pet can handle a “pup cup”! Your pet’s Digestive System is one of the primary areas of concern that often shows up as stress on many of our clients’ full scan reports.
Pets can suffer from all sorts of digestive woes—think gas, bloating, or maybe an upset tummy that keeps them off their paws. Eating the wrong things, like table scraps or mystery items from the backyard or the floor, can throw their digestion out of whack.
Living in a fast-paced world can also stress out our pets just like it does us. Did you know their Nervous System is closely linked to their digestion through something called the vagus nerve? So, when stressed, their digestion might act up, just like ours does.
Your pet has a gut-brain link, too! The Nervous System and Digestive System connect through this vagus nerve – sometimes interpreted as the Governing Vessel. Stress of all kinds can impact the vagus nerve or the Governing Vessel.
Things that stress out our furry friends can range from loud noises and unfamiliar animals to the hustle and bustle of cars zooming by. Stress can slow down their gut, causing discomfort, bloating, and feeling a bit off.
Besides stress, factors like parasites, toxins, food sensitivities, dehydration, and drinking slimy water can also impact our pet’s digestion – we will touch on a few of these below! Digestive problems can keep pets from enjoying their day-to-day lives, making it hard for them to play, rest, and enjoy their favorite activities. A pet in pain might also be prone to changes in behavior. Just like in humans, the pet’s digestive system supplies nutrients and energy to the entire body to keep those tails wagging and those whiskers twitching!
Before you start to support your pet’s Digestive System, let’s peek at how it works!
Overview of Your Pet’s Digestive System
Your pet’s digestive journey begins with its first morsel of delicious raw or kibble (whatever you feed your pet—no judgments here!). From there, the food travels through its body, broken down and absorbed until what’s left is scooped out of the litter box or picked up in a baggie.
This complex journey involves a series of mechanical and chemical actions, with each part of the digestive system playing a distinct role in breaking down food into nutrients.
While most pets relieve themselves shortly after eating due to the gastrocolic reflex, which prompts bowel movements, the complete digestive process—from ingestion to nutrient absorption and waste elimination—takes between 10 and 24 hours for cats and 8 – 10 hours for dogs. Time can also be influenced by what your pet has eaten, its metabolism, food sensitivities, digestive inflammation, and the state of its Nervous System.
The Nervous System’s Role in Pet Digestion
Many experts say that a pet’s digestion system begins in the mouth, but for optimal digestion, your pet’s nervous system needs to be relaxed, known as the parasympathetic state. This part of the nervous system boosts blood flow to the digestive tract, promoting efficient digestion.
When your pet is relaxed, perhaps lounging in its favorite sunny spot or after a satisfying play session (but not too hard, too often—this increases stress), its parasympathetic nervous system kicks in. This “rest and digest” mode enhances its digestive processes, ensuring that food breaks down efficiently and nutrients are absorbed.
However, stress can throw this delicate balance off track. Whatever may be causing it stress, perhaps encountering an unfamiliar person or enduring a trip to the vet—their sympathetic nervous system, also known as the “fight or flight” response, takes over. This stress response diverts blood flow from the digestive tract and inhibits gut motility, often leading to digestive issues. Pets experiencing food guarding may eat too quickly or become anxious during mealtime, further disrupting their digestion.
The Mouth: The Starting Point of Digestion
As your pet chews, their teeth break down the food into smaller pieces, mixing it with saliva to kickstart the digestive process. Unlike humans, dogs and cats have little to no salivary amylase in their saliva. This means that the breakdown of carbohydrates begins later in the digestive tract, primarily in the small intestine. Despite this, chewing still plays a crucial role in mechanically breaking down food to prepare it for further digestion.
SCAN TIP: Did salivary amylase resonate on your pet’s Full Scan? In dogs, amylase is expressed in the pancreas. Look for pancreatic stress in the report. In cats, the pancreas also makes amylase, even though they are obligate carnivores.
Is there teeth or jaw drainage on your report? Maintaining healthy teeth and gums ensures that food breaks down at the start of the digestive process. Dental issues are common in pets. Plaque and tartar build-up happens in pets as well as humans, which can cause gum inflammation and periodontal disease. This can make chewing painful and less effective. Poorly chewed food can then enter the digestive tract, complicating digestion further.
Bacteria from the mouth can also enter the bloodstream through the inflamed gum tissue. This can set your pet up for more inflammation in other parts of their body.
The Esophagus: The Food Pathway
The esophagus is a muscular tube that connects your pet’s throat to its stomach. When your pet swallows, the food moves down the esophagus through peristalsis, a series of wave-like muscle contractions. At the end of the esophagus, the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) prevents stomach acid from traveling back into the esophagus. Issues with the LES can lead to acid reflux, a common problem in pets.
The Stomach: Digestive Churning
The stomach is where significant digestion occurs. The food mixes with stomach acid and digestive enzymes, breaking it down into chyme. Pets may experience imbalances in stomach acid due to stress, illness, or dietary factors. These imbalances can lead to issues like bloating, gas, and discomfort.
Cats have a more acidic stomach environment that aids in protein breakdown and pathogen control, while dogs have a slightly less acidic stomach – but are more acidic than humans.
As carnivores, cats need specific nutrients like taurine, arachidonic acid, and vitamin A from animal tissues. Dogs have long been considered omnivores and can eat both animal and plant-based foods and have more flexible dietary needs, but these are pet-dependent, and there is a lot of debate on this subject. Just like humans, no two pets are alike!
The Small Intestine: Nutrient Absorption
The small intestine is where most nutrient absorption happens. It’s divided into the duodenum, jejunum, and ileum. Here, the chyme mixes with digestive enzymes from the Pancreas and bile from the liver. The walls of the small intestine are lined with tiny projections called villi, which absorb nutrients into the bloodstream. Inflammation in the small intestine, often caused by infections or food sensitivities, can hinder this process.
Cats have a shorter digestive tract relative to body size, suited for a diet of easily digestible animal proteins, whereas dogs have a longer digestive tract.
The Large Intestine: Waste Processing
The large intestine, or colon, processes waste and absorbs water from indigestible food. It also houses bacteria that ferment some of this food and produce vitamins like K and B vitamins.
SCAN TIP: Do you see an imbalance in Vitamin K or B vitamins on your pet’s report? This could mean that your pet’s gut microflora may also be imbalanced.
Healthy gut flora is essential for this process. An imbalance in these bacteria can lead to digestive issues and affect your pet’s overall health. There are many brands of pet probiotics that can support your pet’s digestion, and prebiotic foods such as veggies (for dogs) can help grow good gut bacteria!
Supporting Organs: Liver, Gallbladder, and Pancreas
The Liver, Gallbladder, and Pancreas are vital for digestion. The liver produces bile, which helps break down fats, and the Gallbladder stores this bile, releasing it into the small intestine when needed. The Pancreas produces enzymes that help digest proteins, fats, and carbohydrates.
Any issues with these organs, such as liver disease, gallstones, or pancreatitis, can significantly impact your pet’s digestion and overall health. Many times, we see resonating viruses and stress in these organs.
Common Digestive Issues in Pet
As mentioned earlier, many factors can impact your pet’s digestion! The following may resonate on a full scan.
Parasites: We test for many energetic toxins, parasites, and bacteria, which can include Lyme and co-factors, roundworms (Toxocara Canis/Cati), hookworms (Ancylostoma), Tapeworms (Dipylidium), Giardia, Heartworms (Dirofilaria), and many more. These parasites can cause significant digestive distress, leading to symptoms like diarrhea, vomiting, and nutrient deficiencies.
Hot Spots: Hot spots, or acute moist dermatitis, can be linked to your pet’s digestion through food sensitivities or intolerances. When a pet is sensitive to a food, it can cause inflammation that manifests in the skin, leading to itchy spots. If your pet is experiencing hot spots and you see energetic food sensitivities on your pet’s scan, stress in the Integumentary System or Digestive System may be related.
SCAN TIP: Imbalances in fatty acids, resonating mold and fungus or bacteria, and even the Nervous System may contribute to those hot spots! If your pet can tolerate them, additional fatty acid supplements, balancing the gut and skin microflora, and making sure your pet is not experiencing chronic stress can support the skin!
Dehydration: Adequate hydration is important for digestion, as it helps dissolve nutrients, aids in their absorption, and facilitates food through the digestive tract. Signs of dehydration in pets and its impact on digestive health and also dental health include constipation and reduced efficiency in nutrient absorption.
Our blog post, 7 Signs of Dehydration in Dogs (similar to cats), will help you keep your pet’s digestion humming!
Stress: Stress can cause imbalances in hormones like cortisol and adrenaline, affecting multiple body systems, including the Digestive, Cardiovascular, and Immune systems. Elevated cortisol levels can lead to increased stomach acid production and reduced blood flow to the digestive tract, further exacerbating digestive problems.
Dietary Indiscretion: Pets, especially dogs, often consume things they shouldn’t, from table scraps to inedible objects (socks and tennis balls). This behavior, known as dietary indiscretion, can lead to digestive issues such as vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain. Consuming inappropriate foods can also introduce harmful bacteria or toxins.
Maintaining Your Pet’s Digestive System
To keep your pet’s digestive system healthy, ensure a balanced diet, access to clean water, and regular exercise. Consider adding foods that are biologically and species-appropriate for variety. If you feed kibble, add moisture from plain bone broth, water, or a splash of goat milk.
Don’t be afraid to add pureed veggies such as broccoli and herbs like parsley. Start slowly and ensure you are adding amounts appropriate for your pet’s weight and species.
Monitor your pet’s stress levels by getting to know their stress cues! While every pet is different, there are some common behaviors to be on the lookout for, including:
- Being overly vocal – barking, whining, and meowing.
- Increased aggressiveness (may be an indicator of pain).
- Pacing.
- Lots of licking (this can be due to skin discomfort or stress).
- Digging.
- Chewing.
- Biting the leash.
- Tense muscles.
- Increased tail wagging.
- Shivering (when it’s not cold).
Avoid feeding them table scraps or foods that can upset their stomach. These would include cured meats like bacon and other high-fat foods, and too many vegetables if your pet is not used to them.
Additives and starches in dry food may impact digestion, especially in older cats. Cats can enjoy many fruits or veggies, but too much may exceed their nutritional needs and upset their stomachs.
At PetMedella, we always suggest regular veterinary check-ups to help catch and address any digestive issues early. Bioresonance testing is a wonderful way to support your pet holistically, and our remedies can be balanced to your pet’s needs.