Crime Scene: The Intestine, Part 1
In our dogs and cats, too, the gut and its microbial community (microbiome)—which accounts for approximately 80%—is the most important regulator of the immune system. If our pets suddenly suffer from chronic diarrhea, become picky eaters, or refuse food altogether, or if they experience itching, skin infections, and/or ear infections, the “gut” is often the source of the problem and the consequences can take a toll on the animal’s entire organism—and on us as pet owners as well.
It is therefore important to recognize such intestinal disturbances early on and not simply try to treat the symptoms, such as by switching food brands.
Dogs and cats react instinctively when it comes to their well-being, and these instincts have their reasons: I won’t eat this because it doesn’t agree with me, or I’ll gobble everything down because I have to defecate 5–6 times a day and I’m losing weight.
Our “crime scene”—the gut—consists of a complex system, stretching from the mouth to the anus. The smooth functioning of the stomach, small intestine, large intestine, and the protective barrier known as the “mucous membrane” is significantly influenced by our diet, the microorganisms in the gut, and external factors such as medications like antibiotics and deworming treatments. We’ll try to investigate with you who the victims and perpetrators are at our crime scene, the “intestine.”
A species-appropriate diet of raw meat stimulates stomach acid production, breaking down the meat into smaller components. Stomach acid, with a pH of 1–1.5, can also kill ingested foreign pathogens. In addition, stomach acid prevents the spread of disease-causing bacteria such as Helicobacter pylori. The proteins in the chyme are transported from the stomach to the small intestine, where they are broken down by protein-splitting pancreatic enzymes (proteases) into the smallest protein fractions—“amino acids”—so that they can be absorbed. They enter the bloodstream through the small intestinal mucosa and are thus available for cellular metabolism. In the small intestine, the mucosa is colonized by microorganisms (the intestinal barrier), which, like a gatekeeper, control who is allowed to pass through the barrier without triggering an immune response. Protein digestion should be complete by the end of the small intestine. The remaining food bolus is passed into the large intestine, where the undigested components (dietary fiber) are fermented by bacteria. The number of microorganisms increases dramatically from the stomach through the small intestine to the large intestine, and they perform different functions in each section. The microorganisms in the stomachs of dogs and cats have been relatively little studied; however, it is known that they act as a kind of filter for the microorganisms in the intestine (microbiome) and thus influence the physiological intestinal flora. Microorganisms have many names, such as microorganisms and microbes. It is important to understand that these microbes communicate with one another and multiply depending on how the community (intestinal flora) is nourished and maintained as a mixed culture.
The gut flora is divided into immune flora, protective flora, and muconutritive flora. The immune flora, which includes the bacterial strains Escherichia coli and enterococci, trains the immune system and ensures a balance between the TH1 and TH2 immune cells. The immune system is balanced, preventing the body’s defenses from becoming misprogrammed—that is, from losing the ability to distinguish between “good” (e.g., feed) and “bad” (e.g., pathogens). The protective flora, which includes lactic acid bacteria (Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus), prevents the colonization of pathogenic bacteria by acidifying the environment and strengthens the intestinal barrier, thereby preventing intestinal inflammation and “leaky gut” (permeable gut) are prevented. The mucus-forming and nourishing gut flora (muconutritive flora) include the bacterial strains Faecalibacterium prausnitzii and Akkermansia muciniphila, which ensure an intact mucosal lining, the production of protective mucus, and the nourishment of intestinal cells.
If a healthy gut flora is disrupted by low-quality feed, medications, environmental toxins, and additives in commercial pet food, damage to the intestinal epithelial cells and increased permeability of the intestinal wall occur. The healthy gut flora is displaced by a predominantly proteolytic flora, and pathogenic bacteria (e.g., Proteus, Klebsiella, certain strains of E. coli, and Clostridia) can lead to inflammatory changes in the gut. This manifests as bloating, belching, intestinal cramps, foul-smelling, greasy, or bloody feces, frequent defecation, weight loss, vomiting, restlessness after eating, and behavioral changes in the affected animals.
The breakdown of undigested proteins in the large intestine produces toxic metabolic byproducts (e.g., ammonia), which can overload detoxification organs such as the liver and cause inflammation throughout the entire body.
In addition, a leaky gut is associated with impaired immune system regulation, which can lead to food intolerances or allergies. With a gut flora check for animals, the culprits (the cause of altered gut flora) can be quickly identified, and the “animal gut flora” can be helped through appropriate measures.
The approach is very important here, because only consistent and targeted measures lead to long-term therapeutic success. If the measures are limited solely to avoiding the allergen without taking the gut flora and the entire digestive tract into account, this will only result in a temporary relief of symptoms, and the mystery at the “gut” crime scene will continue.
In our next blog post, “The Gut: Scene of the Crime, Part 2,” we’ll analyze the therapeutic approaches and the correct course of action.
