Emotions and the Gut

The gut is very sensitive to emotions, and I am sure we have all experienced the butterflies in the stomach, stomach cramps, that tight feeling in our guts, or acid indigestion which can come on in a split second when we are nervous, excited, fearful or anticipating a particular event. And our dogs are just the same.

If this is a brief episode, it is unlikely to have any lasting health effects, if on the other hand, it is a regular occurrence with little respite then the impact on the gut and therefore the health is huge.

There is a major factor in the link between gut health and emotions in the form of the enteric nervous system also referred to as the ENS.  

The ENS consists of millions of nerves lining the gut and specialists often call it the “second brain” as it has complex pathways to relay information back and forth from the gut to the brain as they interact. 

It is capable of shutting down digestion in times of acute stress such as in a fight or flight situation. 

Stress can be caused by many factors such as separation anxiety, excessive ball throwing so the dog is on a constant adrenaline high, inappropriate exercise for the dog’s age or mobility, picking up on the owner’s emotional stress, inability to cope in a noisy or stressful household and pain, illness or disease.

Whilst these are mainly emotionally based reactions that can be witnessed as the dog exhibiting certain behaviours, a poor quality, inappropriate diet, and exposure to toxins or chemicals can also cause the body stress, which may not show any visible signs immediately but develop over time into disease or outwardly noticeable changes in health and behaviour.

A gut that isn`t functioning correctly can manifest as the dog showing anxious, edgy, or reactive behaviour, which in turn triggers the release of stress hormones into the bloodstream such as adrenalin, and in the case of cortisol increases the level of glucose in the blood and will over time adversely affect the adrenal glands.  

Time to chill. Having time-out or chill-out days can be very beneficial to anxious, reactive, or even very active dogs, to bring them back into some sort of balance and down from their constantly stimulated state of mind.

A dog that is in a heightened state of fear, stress, panic and self-preservation will not physically be able to process and learn what is being asked of them. So by bringing down their stress levels, they will be in a better frame of mind to learn new skills, cope with their stress, and grow in confidence to make better decisions that are not fuelled by fear.

When dogs are over-excited, anxious or constantly alert to potential dangers their autonomic nervous system releases the fight or flight chemical adrenaline into the bloodstream, over time this becomes very damaging to the whole body and the gut in particular. The other subdivision of the autonomic nervous system is the parasympathetic which is sometimes called the “rest and digest system” and creates calm, relaxation, and a happy gut and this is what we are hoping to nurture on these quiet, restful days.

Anxiety can present itself in many ways, here are a few to look out for:

• Digestion problems - IBS, Diarrhoea

• Over excitability

• Reactive behaviour (aggression)

• Excessive barking

• Noise sensitivities

• Humping

• Resource guarding

• Chewing or scratching the body

• Inappropriate toileting in the house

• Excessive licking

• Ball obsession

• Pacing

There are several products on the shop to help relax and support nervous, anxious, and reactive dogs

Tranquil is an herbal blend created specifically with the nervous, anxious, reactive & stressed dog in mind https://www.hedgerowhounds.co.uk/products/tranquil-relax-calm

Digest & Rest https://www.hedgerowhounds.co.uk/products/digest-and-rest

Other blogs to help stressed and anxious dogs:

https://www.hedgerowhounds.co.uk/news/snuffle-mats-and-balls

https://www.hedgerowhounds.co.uk/news/anxious-dog

https://www.hedgerowhounds.co.uk/news/feeding-raw-bones

Crowning Glory - The Coronation Blend

A beautiful, colourful blend of herbs, berries and petals to celebrate the Crowning of King Charles III.

Here are some of the ingredients and why they were chosen:

Lemon Balm is uplifting and calming in its nature

Nettle is incredibly nutritious as well as providing comfort for seasonal allergies, ideal as we come into peak allergy season.

Parsley is used to ease intestinal gas and freshen breath as well as offering vitamin C, fibre, calcium, iron and magnesium.

Spearmint A lovely, fragrant herb to lift the spirits, help the respiratory system, ease tummy troubles and bad breath.

Dandelion Leaf Is a natural diuretic, stimulates salivation and improves digestion due to its bitter tasting qualities and makes a great liver tonic in the spring

Calendula The petals have anti-inflammatory properties, are antibacterial and very soothing to all the mucous membranes in the body.

Rosehips & Petals Rosehips are particularly rich in vitamin C and also Biotin which is great for promoting a healthy coat and strong claws. Rose lowers adrenaline levels and helps to balance the hormones. Roses are of course also a symbol of love, commitment and they bring comfort in times of stress, which when you think about it, so do our dogs.

How to use:

You can simply stir a generous pinch (around 1 level teaspoon) into your dogs moist food or if feeding a dry food rehydrate the same amount of herbs with a little warm water, leave for a few minutes , then add to your dogs food.

The “Crowning Glory” blend can be made into a tea using a tea diffuser or natural teabag. Make a brew with a level tablespoon of the herbs, pour on hot water, leave to steep for 5 minutes and then when luke warm, offer to your dog, pour onto their food or use in a treat recipe. You can also use the liquid to blend their vegetables in. The remaining rehydrated herbs can be added to meal times also.

Herbal Dog Tea

A beautiful & fragrant blend of Nettle, Lemon Balm, Chamomile, Mint, Rosehips, Passion flower, Calendula, Rose, Cornflower, Fennel seed

Why the ingredients were specifically chosen for this tea:

Nettle- rich in minerals and contains natural antihistamine properties

Lemon Balm – relaxing & calming

Mint – Refreshing and uplifting and digestive stimulant

Chamomile – calming to body and mind

Rosehips – rich in antioxidants and vitamin C

Calendula – soothing for the skin and has anti-inflammatory effects

Fennel seed – very good for the digestive system

A few ideas of how to use:

The herbs can be used to make a tea which when cool, offered as a refreshing drink.

Make a strong brew and when cool, transfer into shaped moulds and place in the freezer

Add the tea directly into your dogs meals

If you feed vegetables, add to your dogs veg or blend with raw vegetables and freeze in ice cube trays for later use.

Stir some of the tea and a sprinkling of the herbs into natural yoghurt, place into a shallow tray, level out and then pop in the freezer for a couple of hours. You`ll then have a dog friendly ice cream treat for a hot, sunny day.

Once the tea has been made, the remaining herbs, which are now rehydrated, can be placed into your dogs meals or used in treat recipes

Here`s to many relaxing, balmy days in the garden with our beloved dogs.

Top 5 Herbs for Your Dog

For centuries animals have relied upon the medicinal powers of plants to assist in the healing of many aliments. They were instinctively drawn to herbs, grasses, seeds and roots in woodland and open ground to help everything from parasite control to intestinal discomfort.

Adding fresh, homegrown herbs to your dog’s meals can provide many benefits. They offer a gentle, cleansing and balancing effect to the body, provide phytonutrients and fibre, which in turn benefit the gut bacteria and add moisture to the diet of dogs that are fed dried food.

If you can pick a few herbs then immediately prepare and add them to your dog’s food, the nutritional benefits will be at their peak. Fed like this even a little goes a long way.

The herbs and wild ingredients mentioned below can be brought as young plants, sown as seeds, or foraged for.  

Even a sunny windowsill or balcony can be used to grow a few herbs. They just need a little well drained soil, water, some sun and a bit of care to give you a huge amount back.

Here are some of my favourites, which you can enjoy yourself and share with your dog.  

Parsley

If you only have room for one herb, then parsley would be the one.

The most common varieties are curly and flat leaf, and the leaf, stem and root can be used. The flat leaf parsley is more closely related to the wild species.

It is traditionally used to support digestive and urinary tract issues and as a breath freshener. It is high in antioxidants such as beta-carotene and lycopene which help fight inflammation and used to support arthritic conditions.

Parsley is rich in vitamin A, C, B1, B2, K, calcium, riboflavin, potassium, iron, magnesium, manganese, niacin, phosphorous, fibre and chlorophyll.

Very finely chop the leaves and stalks or add into a blender with your dog’s normal vegetables. As a rough guide my Labradors would have a heaped tablespoon each, added in with their vegetables most days over the Summer.

 Thyme

Thyme has antimicrobial, expectorant and astringent qualities and can help soothe a cough or cold by loosening mucus.

Thyme has quite a strong flavour and aroma compared with the other herbs listed, so would be used a little more sparingly. This is one to introduce initially in tiny amounts to see if your dog likes the taste. They may however just enjoy the scent if you crush a few leaves and then offer your hand to sniff if they wish. The stems are generally too woody to use so just pick off a few of the tiny leaves instead.  

Dandelion

The humble dandelion is not only a friend to pollinators it is also a very good addition to our own and our dog’s diet.

The leaf has affinities with the liver, gall bladder and kidneys and act as a gentle blood cleanser, laxative and bitter tonic. Bitter tasting ingredients promote salivation which in turn improves digestion. Traditionally dandelion would be used alongside burdock root for a powerful combination.

The leaves are a rich source of vitamin A, D, K, B complex, Iron, Manganese, Phosphorous, Potassium and the flowers are a good source of Lecithin.

We can add the leaves and petals to salads or use in the same way as spinach. In spring and early summer, I pick and wash dandelion leaves and add to the dog’s vegetable blend, along with parsley, courgette, chard and a few lettuce leaves. This is all put in the blender with a tiny splash of water and whizzed to a thick smoothie consistency and makes up to 15% of the meal.

Nettle

The nettle is seen as “the enemy” to many gardeners, yet it not only provides a haven for wildlife it is also packed with nutrition and makes fantastic teas, soups, and pesto.

Rich in Iron, vitamin A, C, D and B complex, Silica, Calcium, Phosphorous, Magnesium, Beta-carotene and Potassium.

Only the tops of the nettles should be picked and used from early spring to around the end of May. As the plant matures it develops tiny crystalline particles which irritate the urinary tract and kidneys.

Nettles have natural antihistamine properties and can also be used as a coat rinse.

The process of drying or cooking the nettles neutralises their sting, although you will need gloves in order to pick them or they will definitely fight back!

Picked nettles can be dried for a couple of days on paper in the sun or if the whole stem is cut, hang upside down to dry in small bundles and just use the leaves from the tips. Once dried you can crumble them easily with your fingers.

 Fennel

Fennel is similar to dill in its appearance but has a strong aniseed scent and grows large fennel bulbs. The delicate, feathery leaves, seeds and root can be used and primarily taken to improve digestion, ease bloating, reflux, mild tummy ache and increase milk flow in nursing mothers. It is rich in vitamin C, A, calcium, iron and potassium. 

 Safety:

When harvesting any herb or wild ingredient there are a few things to consider so you can safely use them.

Firstly, it is essential to be able to accurately identify what you are picking. This can take a little time and the use of a good identification book is extremely helpful.

Always forage away from roadsides and arable crops, which will no doubt have been sprayed with chemicals or exposed to pollutants.

Caroline Hearn MICHT. Dip ICAT. MIAAT

Canine & Equine Sports & Remedial Massage and Holistic Therapist

www.hedgerowhounds.co.uk