Straightforward information about digestion, stools, feeding, the microbiome and everyday digestive wellbeing, written to help dog owners understand what they can observe and when veterinary advice may be appropriate.
Changes in digestion can have many causes. Our Health Hub is educational and is not a substitute for veterinary advice.
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Reflux happens when stomach contents move back towards the oesophagus. Dogs may show signs such as lip licking, repeated swallowing, regurgitation or discomfort, but these signs can have several causes and should not be self-diagnosed.
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Itchy skin can have many causes, including allergy, parasites, infection and environmental irritation. But the gut, immune system and skin are biologically connected, so digestion and microbiome health may also form part of the wider picture in some dogs.
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Changing a dog's food changes more than the ingredients in the bowl. It can alter digestibility, nutrient availability, stool characteristics and the substrates reaching microbial communities further along the gut.
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Chronic enteropathy is a broad veterinary term used for dogs with persistent or recurring gastrointestinal signs after other causes have been considered. Diet, immune activity, the intestinal environment and the microbiome can all form part of a complex picture.
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Food can contribute to skin problems in some dogs, but true food allergy is only one possible cause of itching. The useful clues are often the pattern, whether ears and paws are involved, whether digestive changes occur too, and how the dog responds to a properly controlled dietary trial.
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What a dog eats helps shape the nutritional environment within the gut. Protein, fat, carbohydrate and fibre can all influence which substrates reach microbial communities and what those microbes are able to do with them.
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Dog gut health is shaped by diet, digestion, the microbiome and the material reaching the lower gut. This guide explains what owners can observe and the practical steps that may support everyday digestive wellbeing.
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Exocrine pancreatic insufficiency, or EPI, occurs when the pancreas does not produce enough digestive enzymes. Dogs may lose weight despite eating well and can pass large volumes of loose stools, so veterinary diagnosis and enzyme replacement are important.
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Pea protein can help manufacturers increase the protein percentage of a dog food, but that headline number does not tell you about amino acid quality, digestibility or mineral availability. If peas and pea fractions appear prominently on the label, it is worth looking much more closely at what is actually providing the dog's nutrition.
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Anxious or unsettled behaviour can have many causes, but the gut and brain communicate through several biological pathways. Research in dogs is still developing, yet CaniNectar's professional trials have shown a repeated signal for calmer behaviour in dogs that began with elevated anxiety.
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Some dogs simply have quieter days, but a noticeable change in energy, playfulness or engagement is worth paying attention to. Appetite, sleep, routine, digestion and physical comfort can all provide useful clues about the wider picture.
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Appetite can change for many reasons, from routine and food preference to stress, ageing or physical health. Looking at the whole pattern, including digestion, body condition and behaviour, can help distinguish an occasional off day from something that deserves veterinary attention.
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Some dogs seem to produce a perfect stool one day and a much softer one the next. Diet, digestibility, treats, scavenging, transit time and microbial fermentation can all influence stool quality, so looking for patterns can be surprisingly useful.
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Pancreatitis is inflammation of the pancreas and can range from mild to severe. Signs can be vague, so persistent vomiting, abdominal discomfort, loss of appetite or marked lethargy should be assessed by a vet rather than managed as a simple digestive upset.
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The gut and brain communicate through several biological pathways, including nerves, hormones, immune signalling and microbial metabolites. Research in dogs is growing, but the evidence is still developing and should be interpreted cautiously.
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A practical guide to what owners can observe in their dog's stools, including consistency, frequency and colour — and when a change is worth discussing with your vet.
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Digestibility describes how much of a food can be broken down and absorbed by the body. A food can look impressive on the label, but what matters nutritionally is how much of its protein, fat, carbohydrate and other nutrients the dog can actually access and use.
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A new treat, chew, table scrap or scavenged snack can change what enters the digestive system. Even one unusual food can alter nutrient load, fermentation and stool quality in some dogs, especially if it is very different from their normal diet.
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Prebiotics, probiotics, postbiotics, digestive enzymes and anabiomics all approach gut health differently. Understanding what each one actually does makes it much easier to see why two supplements described as “for the gut” may work in completely different ways.
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A dog's coat can reflect many things, including grooming, season, diet and overall condition. When coat quality changes, it is worth thinking about nutrient intake, digestion and the wider health picture rather than assuming it is purely a skin problem.
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Loose stools can happen for many reasons, from sudden dietary changes and scavenging to changes in routine or digestion. The most useful clues are often how long the change lasts, what else has changed and how your dog seems overall.
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Itchy ears can be caused by several things, including allergy, moisture, inflammation, mites, bacteria and yeast such as Malassezia. Recurrent ear irritation can sometimes sit alongside wider skin and digestive issues, which is why looking at the whole dog can be useful.
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A strong “yeasty” smell from a dog’s skin, paws or ears is often associated with changes in the skin’s microbial environment. Yeast such as Malassezia can normally live on canine skin, but under the right conditions it may multiply and contribute to odour, itching and irritation.
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Gurgling and rumbling sounds can be a normal part of digestion, but changes in frequency or intensity can sometimes reflect movement of gas and fluid through the gut, feeding patterns or recent changes in diet and routine.
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Repeated paw licking can have many causes, including irritation, allergies, environmental exposure, discomfort, habit and microbial changes on the skin. The gut and skin are also connected through immune, metabolic and barrier pathways, which makes digestion and microbiome health part of the wider picture.
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Some intestinal gas is completely normal in dogs, but noticeable changes in frequency or smell can sometimes reflect eating habits, diet or the way material is being fermented further along the digestive tract.
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Some dogs react strongly to noises that others barely notice. Temperament, previous experiences, arousal, sleep, environment and physical health can all influence sound sensitivity, while emerging research suggests the gut–brain axis may also be part of the wider picture.
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Digestive changes can be influenced by food, feeding patterns, routine, environment and many other factors. The guides here are designed to help owners understand those possibilities without trying to diagnose the cause.
Consider what has changed, how long it has been happening and whether there are other changes alongside it.
Meals, treats, chews, scavenging and sudden dietary changes can all alter what enters the digestive system.
Persistent, significant or concerning changes should be discussed with your vet.
CaniNectar is a complementary feed designed for use as part of the normal diet of healthy dogs.
It contains Enzyme Rich Malt Extract, produced using a patented process designed to preserve naturally occurring digestive enzyme activity.
The nutritional idea behind CaniNectar starts upstream: what happens during digestion helps determine the nutritional environment encountered further along the gut.
CaniNectar is not a veterinary medicine and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent disease. If your dog has persistent digestive changes, unexplained weight loss, repeated vomiting, blood in the stool, significant discomfort or you are otherwise concerned about their health, speak to your vet.
The Science Hub looks in more detail at digestive enzymes, microbial communities, metabolites and the nutritional environment within the canine gut.
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