OUR PETS' DIGESTIVE TRACT IS UNDER SIEGE
The digestive tract is often described as a simple tube, passing from the mouth to the anus, to process and assimilate food and sort out the waste. Excretion of this waste(faeces) is considered an ‘external’ process, as there is no direct internal communication between the digestive tract and other organs. An example of an ‘internal’ excretion process is urination (excretion of wastes from the kidneys). The digestive tract is, however, one of our primary organs of defence against toxins, bacteria, viruses and other harmful organisms.

The gut has a large population of intestinal flora that work with the cells to provide various nutrients, sort the bad guys from the good guys along the way, and maintain the functional integrity of the rest of the body. Any ingested substance has to pass this test. If that substance, be it food, chemicals, drugs (especially antibiotics) harms these symbiotic bacteria, the resulting nutritional deficiencies or bacterial infections can cause chaos, increasing the individual’s susceptibility to allergies and diseases such as Irritable bowel disease, ‘leaky-gut’ syndrome and clostridia in dogs.

So it follows that what we put into our mouths deserves a great deal of thought.

Nutrition and its relationship to health has always been a matter of historical knowledge, old folklore and plain common sense. That was in the days when food was actually just food. The increase in health problems both in humans and animals has prompted scientific studies and research, accompanied by a surge of interest in probiotics, prebiotics, herbal and neutraceutical supplements. These have proved to have a profound effect on maintaining a healthy intestinal flora. So why the allergies?

Ironically many of the health problems that afflict both people and animals have a common base cause from the eating of highly processed convenience, fast food and junk foods.

Allergy Triggers
Why is your cat allergic to fish? — Perhaps because fish protein does not fit well with a desert dwelling species. People of Caucasian origin wonder why they have allergies to peanuts — their gut is not adapted to American foods. Cats and dogs have allergies to corn, another American dietary ingredient now playing a major role in the Western diet of both pets and humans.

Wheat is another example of common allergies of people and their pets. Wheat is a relatively new guy on the block, definitely not suited to the Terrier group of dogs. Wheaten Terriers can be severely allergic to wheat. They and Irish Setters have a recognised gluten sensitive condition. However if they were fed oats, potatoes, rye, barley and offal they would be fine. (A recommended diet by that famous animal herbalist, Juliett de Bairacali Levy).

Dogs from the Middle East may be ok with wheat, goat and lamb and chick peas; oriental breeds better suited to rice and soy, fish poultry and pork offal.

The Weimaraner, raised on the chalky soils of Germany, never accessed corn syrup. Corn gluten meal is in most pet foods and is used as a cheap protein ingredient. It is especially unsuitable for obligate carnivores like cats.

Gluten sensitivity is associated with leaky gut, intestinal dysbiosis, skin and digestive problems, malabsorption and nutrient deficiencies; also epilepsy. Our everyday cats and dogs just cannot adapt to corn, soy and wheat.

In New Zealand, turkey is a foreign food in our working dog formulae for the Border Collies and the New Zealand Working Dog and as a matter of interest, as early as 1964 a publication by veterinarian Michael Fox reported the effects of poor nutrition on the health of working sheepdogs, yet we still we feed them inappropriate foods.

The main stream medical profession may be waking up to the problems of mineral and vitamin deficient food and hazardous additives like aspartame and the lethal-to-dogs artificial sweeteners, but the veterinary profession in New Zealand certainly are turning a blind eye.

Omega Imbalances
Many pet owners are aware of the health benefits of the Omega Oils but our Western diet is too high in the pro inflammatory Omega 6 fatty acids and certainly deficient in the Omega 3’s.

Fortunately better informed nutritional advisors and medical herbalists are recommending increasing our Omega 3’s, which are found in organic butter (also high in antioxidants), beef tallow and lard from animals fed a grass-based diet. Ironically, since the economic downturn in the USA, corn and grain-fed beef is becoming increasingly expensive and people are being forced to revert to grass-fed meat — little do they know it could be saving their life!

Wild fish oils, Borage, Evening Primrose and Spirulina are excellent sources of Omega 3’s.

Much of the multi-chain restaurant and food manufacturer cooking oil is recycled back into our livestock and pet foods. These are high in Omega 6’s and are indirectly responsible for the ‘fatty acid’ crises, making both owners and pets fatter and sicker. Obesity is a major problem in our pets but it is the conditions that result from obesity (diabetes, arthritis) that are the hard nuts to crack. Interesting that dental problems are not considered a major problem but the illnesses caused by bad teeth cause much suffering and can be even fatal.

Carbohydrates and the ‘Sugar Rush’
The increased use of high fructose corn syrup as a flavouring in pet foods, browning and caramelising agents and propylene glycol (preservatives) in semi moist packaged food all cause an immediate ‘sugar rush’ every time pets eat the stuff. This damages the liver and the pancreas resulting in conversion of sugar directly to body fat.

The resultant insulin surge from the exhausted pancreas makes many cats and dogs continuously hungry, unfortunately owners think they need more. The pet gets fed more so they quickly become obese. Owners think it is because they love the dried food.

The resultant accumulation of fat and the obese condition lead to a host of health problems; diabetes, arthritis, skin complaints, heart and liver disease, hepatic lipidoses lipomas and cancer, to name a few, and chronic inflammations and infections like cystitis, gingivitis and recurrent ear infections.

Poor nutrition also leads to immune system impairment and increased susceptibility to chemicals in the environment.

The Chinese Food Syndrome
Many people may be familiar with the MSG induced headache, flushing, blood pressure elevation, sweating, Tinnitus and the feeling of fullness. These symptoms are accompanied by the after shock of increased and unexpected hunger that comes on soon after what was initially felt as a long-satisfying meal.

This reaction is compounded by the high sugar and carbohydrate starch content in both pet food and snack and convenience foods that form the basis of the Western diet. Sugars in pet food are mainly in the form of molasses, cornstarch and rice flour. Our pets experience these sugar rushes every day and soon become like junk-food addicted people. Allergies, thyroid problems, depression, irritably and aggression, seizures, and hypertension are just some health issues attributable to this type of diet.

Lectins — Lethal Glues
Allergic and hypertensive reactions to commercial pet foods are triggered especially by grain gluten (from rye, barley and wheat) and specifically by lectins. These are carbohydrate-binding proteins, of which gluten is one.

Anaemia and osteoporosis result from intestinal wall damage by these glue-like lectins. The bovine equivalent of gluten, casein, and soy and corn gluten can also cause problems in both people and animals.

This condition arises from damage to the digestive tract and leads to the ‘leaky gut’ syndrome. Leaky gut occurs when the damaged intestinal wall allows much larger protein molecules than normal to pass through, some of these proteins, like the lectins in grains and soy, cause cell damage and a cascade of health problems.

Lectins have been linked to infantile human diabetes (especially from dairy products), celiac disease, rheumatoid arthritis, kidney, pancreas, adrenal and thyroid malfunction. Cancer may also be activated.

I personally have found that by considering these dietary changes in the presence of skin problems, Epilepsy, Buccal Disease and Arthritis instigates a noticeable improvement WITHOUT the inclusion of any other medication or supplementation.

Compounding the effects of the unhealthy diet are of course the drugs used to treat these conditions prednisone, NSAIDS, antibiotics, and psychotropic drugs.

New Soy Not a Winner
Soy, used as a cheap source of protein and, for humans, the ‘in’ food to consume is high in phytoestrogens. These contribute to endocrine disruption and may account for the hypothyroidism and reproductive disorders we see in the dog today. Note — that soy is no longer processed by the time-consuming Japanese fermentation process used in the past which enabled soy to be consumed with a greater degree of safety than now.

Glutamate and MSG
These come from the human food and beverage industry as by-products (soy protein, whey protein, barley malt, and the fermented offal that is sprayed on dry pet foods to enhance palatability and addiction). These ingredients, which are also present in human junk food, play a significant role in common diseases.

The once common taurine deficiency disease in cats that caused blindness, heart and brain damage is now ‘over come’ by adding more taurine to manufactured pet foods. Did anyone mention that the deficiency was partly caused by the fact that high glutamate levels block the uptake of taurine? So no decrease in glutamate, just an increase in the taurine — ‘complete and balanced’ as they say.

Some commonly used herbicides are linked to the inhibition of glutamine intake; deficiency of this amino acid is an important consideration in impaired immune function and digestive disorders. (Glutamine is of course recommended for leaky gut and IBD). The increased appetite associated with impaired assimilation also leads to obesity.

Genetic Engineering — The Monster Within
Novel proteins in GM foods and crops, especially the Bt-toxin in corn, have been shown to have negative impact of EVERY body organ and system in animal tests. These novel proteins could well be regarded as the causative factor in the immense increase of food-related digestive and allergic disease both in children and pets. The risks of developing skin rashes, irritable bowel syndrome, and adverse food reactions is compounded by chemical contaminants such as herbicides, pesticides and GM — CONFIRMED BY ANIMAL TESTS IN THE LABORATORY.

Dysbiosis — The Overgrowth of Potentially Harmful Bacteria and Yeast
Glutamate a neurotransmitter excess causes vulnerability to glutamic acid excitotoxicity, that is, the damaging effects due to excessive excitatory neurotransmitter release. Both aspartic acid & glutamic acid (the two amino acids) have the capacity for destroying neurons when released in excessive amounts (our ‘natural’ version of Speed)!

Monosodium Glutamate (MSG)
Monosodium glutamate (MSG) — a major component of soya sauce, has been shown to destroy nerve cells when fed to young animals. Insofar as glutamate does not normally cross the blood-brain barrier, it is open to question whether this is relevant to a human adult.

Note: I have recommended on occasions that to encourage cats to eat, a little soya sauce may be added. This is ALWAYS the organic soy from a reputable source that does not contain MSG. (Check the label).