Can you give a dog colon cleanser?

Answer 1

You generally shouldn't have to give your dog a colon cleansing if he's getting fed a diet that's based on his actual dietary needs and digestive system. Some brief info on a dog's digestive system, and dietary needs: No amylase in the saliva, a digestive tract a third of the length of ours, and a PH acid five times higher than ours. Pure and simple, they're geared for inhaling and digesting actual meat proteins (the ratio would be 6 days of the week in the wild they're eating meat protein, and the seventh is where they get their vegies such as wild yam, carrot, etc., blueberries and other antioxidants). If your dog is on a commercial brand, loaded with corn, soy, and/or wheat, he will have more/harder bowel movements, and his actual dietary needs are going unmet. Amylase is needed to break down and aid in the absorption of grain carbs/proteins. Many well-known dog kibbles (Science Diet, Iams, Beneful, to name a few) contain corn, soy, and/or wheat. They're added to boost protein. Many dogs can tolerate these items up to a point, but some breeds seem to have a lot more trouble with them. You can see coat issues (excessive shedding, itching), less energy, allergic reactions (heat spots), and overweight/diabetic conditions (corn turns to sugar in the kibble when it gets baked). Like us craving certain foods when we aren't getting needed nutrients, dogs will, too. There are many food items out there, ranging in cost, that will better meet your dog's needs. If the animal has been on corn-based food items, after switching over to meat-base, he eats less, sheds less, poops less, and has better energy and fewer health issues. Balancing the cost of a bag of more-expensive stuff and to how much longer it lasts (and the added health benefits) compared to having to buy more of the cheaper stuff because he's going through it faster (the cravings for needed nutrients, and eating the only food available), can average out. While there are many choices like Orijen, Innova, CA Nat'l., Canidae, etc., these can really add up financially. There are less-expensive items out there that are nearly identical in nutrients, don't contain the trouble-items, and are more readily available. One is Diamond Lamb and Rice (brown). The rice deosn't produce the same grain issues because it turns into a very soluable fat after baking. This product does contain beet pulp, which has been used as a natural (animal) Metamucil. It also has some other minor nutritive values. Diamond also has their new Taste Of The Wild line that is identical to the Orijen, but usually around $15 cheaper. Orijen is produced in Canada, and will guarantee that no ingredients come from China because the company produces all items themselves. Most of the companies have web-sites that will tell you where the nearest retailer is. And, finally, the reason many vets recommend corn-based items is because, in school, they are only given a short info-block on feeding, and the instructor is usually someone from one of the companies promoting the feed (Science Diet is a biggie), and also (partially) funding some of the students before and after graduation, among other monetary benefits. Many companies only test an item for a small number of months before marketing, and don't always see the long-term issues that can arise. Sorry this is so lengthy, but I have seen many friends switch over, and the results were impressive. One Lt. in charge of fish and game K-9 saw great changes in the unit after researching and switching over to Innova. Hope this helps!