Dental Hygiene Formula

The dental hygiene formula for dogs has been created to clean tartar and plaque from the teeth and to improve the overall health and hygiene of the mouth and gums. Although this blend’s main aim is to improve oral health there are so many benefits to feeding this supplement for improving all aspects of health and optimal wellbeing.

The blend is made up of ingredients of the highest human-grade food quality.

The Seaweed used is a certified Organic Fucus vesiculosus Seaweed. It is traceable to the precise location of harvest, from remote areas of the British Isles and Nordic region, so you can thoroughly trust the purity and source.

High quality, pollution-free seaweed is highly nutritious and offers your dog the following benefits:

• An effective prebiotic, high in antioxidants.

• High levels of vitamins, minerals, trace elements, amino acids, antioxidants & omega fatty acids.

• Iodine for optimum thyroid function.

• Improves skin, coat, and nail health and loss of pigmentation.

• Improved oral health by preventing or aiding in the removal of tartar and plaque formation. Seaweed has antibacterial properties to act against harmful bacteria in the mouth and alongside the other ingredients used greatly aid in disease prevention of teeth and gums.

Fennel is added for its ability to inhibit the build-up of plaque due to its high levels of polyphenols. Fennel can also reduce the growth of harmful bacteria and yeast. It has good levels of manganese, magnesium, Iron, calcium, and fibre. It also helps ease any intestinal gas and aids in digestion.

Oregano has powerful anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and antibacterial actions. All these properties assist in creating good oral health and helping to ease issues such as gingivitis. Due to Oregano’s high levels of antioxidants, it is also effective at balancing the gut bacteria.

What is it good for? This dental hygiene for dogs has been specifically created with oral health in mind. It can help remove the build-up of plaque and tartar, and create a healthier environment in the mouth so issues are less likely to occur. If your dog has a serious dental issue that requires veterinary intervention the blend can be used afterwards to aid in the prevention of further disease and hopefully eliminate the need for another tooth clean under anaesthetic, which is particularly important when caring for senior dogs or those with other health problems.

How to use: There are several options for using this dental blend depending on the current health of your dogs mouth and the amount of tartar you are aiming to reduce.

As with any new supplement, it is recommended that you gradually introduce the blend over 5 days. If your dog has a visible build-up of tartare, stained teeth, bad breath, and inflamed gums then it is suggested that the suggested amount is fed over the space of approximately 15 weeks, although you may see a marked improvement well before then. All the amounts to feed are dependent on your dog’s body weight and are stated on the labelling of the product.

If your dog already has clean teeth and good oral health and you would like to keep it that way as they age, then the initial “loading” amount over several weeks isn`t necessary. It is suggested that you feed the full amount for 6 weeks and then drop down to half that amount for maintenance. As an example, a 35kg Labrador would have half a teaspoon (approx. 2g of the powder) daily for 6 weeks, after this time the amount given can be halved if required to a quarter teaspoon (1g) for 5-7 days a week.

If at any time you see discolouring of the teeth, the amount can then of course be increased again to the maximum amount of half a teaspoon for that particular body weight. Each dog is an individual and the rate of plaque formation will vary depending on breed, age, diet and lifestyle so initially it may take a little while to find the exact amount that is suited to your dog.

Can I speed up the removal of hard tartar? Yes, you can speed up the process if there is hard tartare or a build-up in certain areas. Abrasive natural chews or size-appropriate recreational raw bones will help lift the tartar. Teeth cleaning with a toothbrush or lint cloth to ease any loosening tartar away. You may find there is often a stained area at the very top of the canine tooth nearest to the gum line which bones and chews can`t reach. This can be removed with a lint cloth or toothbrush once the supplement has been used for a couple of months.

Important message for certain health concerns:

Due to seaweed’s naturally occurring iodine content, it is not suitable for dogs that are undergoing veterinary treatment for hyperthyroidism or on thyroid medication. Also, avoid feeding this blend to pregnant and lactating females until the litter is weaned.

Gut Health, Immunity and Microbiome

At first glance the digestive system appears to have a very simple task of taking in food, digesting it, absorbing nutrients, and then excreting the waste, and while everything is in good working order, we never even give it a second thought. 

It is in fact an incredibly complex structure with a vast number of tasks to undertake. The more the gut is studied the more we realise the vital role it plays in achieving optimum health, disease prevention, and stabilising our emotional state.

Although the teeth are needed to some extent to bite, crush and tear off food the actual process of digestion doesn`t start until it reaches the stomach. With no digestive enzymes in the saliva to kick start it off, the food needs to quickly get where the real work begins, which is in the stomach.

 Oesophagus:

Is a long muscular tube that runs down the neck, passes through the diaphragm and uses strong contractions to push food directly into the stomach.  

 Stomach:

The stomach lies at the front of the abdominal cavity, tucked just behind the liver and acts like a big mixing bowl.  

Any incoming food is first subjected to an acid bath of around ph1, this immediately gets to work breaking down protein and also killing any harmful bacteria.

The walls of the stomach are lined with a thick mucous which provides protection from the strong acid as well as stopping the stomach from literally digesting itself.

As the stomach expands with food, a peptide hormone called gastrin is released, which in turn triggers more hydrochloric acid and digestive enzyme production.

To aid digestion even further the surface of the stomach is a mass of wrinkles and folds which expand and contract to grab food particles and perform a churning or chewing-like action.

At this point, the thick soup-like constancy of partly digested food and secretions is known as chyme.

The food has now been in the dogs stomach for anywhere between five and ten hours and its next destination is the duodenum, the first section of the small intestine.

 Pancreas

The pancreas is a small gland, which sits next to the stomach and is attached to the small intestine, here it transports digestive enzymes through two excretory ducts into the duodenum.

The enzymes it produces are amylase to help digest starch, lipase to digest fats and trypsin and chymotrypsin to deal with the protein.

Enzymes are needed to break down food into tiny molecules and allow the absorption of nutrients into the cells of the intestines which then go on to be released into the bloodstream. 

It also produces and secretes the hormones insulin and glucagon that regulate blood sugar levels. The higher the concentration of sugar in the diet the more insulin is secreted into the bloodstream and the harder the pancreas has to work.

Liver

The liver is the largest gland in the body and the only organ that has the potential to regenerate after disease or injury.

Its many crucial jobs include producing bile to assist the small intestine in breaking down and absorbing fats and to process the nutrients that are absorbed by the small intestine.

Its other roles include storing vitamins and minerals, acting as a filter for toxins in the bloodstream and as a glycogen store for when extra energy is needed. 

 Small intestine

The small intestine is made up of three sections, Duodenum, Jejunum (longest) and the ileum (shortest)

On receiving the nutrient-rich chyme from the stomach, it is joined by secretions from the liver, gallbladder and pancreas to further assist in the digestion process.

The small intestine is lined with millions of tiny finger like projections called the Villi, these act to increase the surface area in order to trap and absorb as many nutrients as possible.

Most of the absorption of nutrients takes place in the small intestine, which are then released into the bloodstream to travel throughout the body to be utilised by the cells.

The final and shortest part of the small intestine is called the Ileum, here the food gets broken down even further in preparation to enter the cecum, the first section of the large intestine.

 Large intestine :

The large intestine is made up of the cecum, colon and rectum.

Its purpose is to remove water from the faeces, keep electrolytes in balance and to prepare and temporarily store any indigestible matter for excretion.

But there is much more activity going on in the colon than just that and although not a very glamorous area of interest, it does deserve our full care and attention.

The large intestine has a high concentration of bacteria referred to as the

Microbiome.

This is a collection of microbes made up of bacteria, viruses and fungi that we all have in our gut for efficient digestion, absorption of vital nutrients and to build a strong immune system.

 Our dogs would have acquired their unique bugs from their mother at birth and developed others depending on the environment they lived in and the food they ate.

The delicate balance of the microbiome can easily be disrupted by medication such as antibiotics, periods of stress and anxiety and a poor, unsuitable diet.

When everything is in balance these good bugs work hard to extract as much nutrition as possible out of the food that is consumed and to ensure the smooth running of the whole gastrointestinal tract.  

The bacteria are also responsible for assisting in hormone production such as serotonin, which occurs in the highest concentration thorough out the lining of the gut. 

A thriving, balanced microbiome is absolutely essential for the dogs ability to resist or fight disease, control inflammation in the body and for a positive influence on their mental wellbeing.

 Rectum and anal glands.

The faeces are then ready to be expelled along with the indigestible matter and dead red blood cells that it contains. 

Ideally, the dogs stool will be quite firm, which will press on the anal glands as it is passed, causing the glands to naturally empty.     

 All disease begins in the gut - Hippocrates

 Immunity and the gut

The gut forms between 70 - 80% of the immune system and has a vital role in regulating immunity, protecting our bodies from invaders such as allergens and pathogens and controlling inflammation.  

The food we chose for our dogs and the lifestyle choices we make for them will have either a negative or positive effect on their overall gut health, ability to utilise the nutrients in the food they eat, the essential fuel to grow and repair their body and to thrive well into their senior years.                                          

 Caroline Hearn - Canine Holistic Therapist

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

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.

Eggs are great for our Dogs !

Either fed raw or lightly cooked, eggs are a valuable addition to our dogs diet.

Eggs provide a high quality, complete source of amino acids which are the building blocks of protein.

A good source of vitamin A, B12, Riboflavin, Iron, Folate, Zinc, Selenium, Fatty acids, Choline, Fat soluble vitamin E,D and K and provide the ideal ratio of calcium and phosphorous, if the shell is also fed.

Just one egg will provide 13 essential vitamins and minerals, including lutein which is essential for eye health. Egg whites contain a substance called avidin which affects the uptake of biotin, but the egg yolk has high levels of biotin. So, unless you are feeding just the egg whites on a regular basis rather than the whole egg there shouldn’t be an issue.

Egg shell can be used as a calcium supplement, and the inner membrane of the egg contains an abundance of nutrients to support joint health. This opaque membrane will provide collagen, elastin, glucosamine, chondroitin and hyaluronic acid.

Feeding a selection of eggs including chicken, duck, quail and guinea fowl will offer a broader range of nutrients. One thing that is essential, is that the eggs must be free range and preferably organic as these are higher in animal welfare as well as offering higher levels of the anti-inflammatory Omega 3 fatty acids. These free range birds will have benefitted from a natural lifestyle of foraging, had sunlight on their backs and lived a more relaxed life.

The eggs pictured are from a local farm shop where the hens & ducks can be seen roaming free. The eggs are higher in nutrition as the birds have access to a natural lifestyle of foraging and I know that the shells haven`t been sprayed with chemicals unlike many supermarket eggs, which is important if you are going to feed the shells.
Duck eggs have a larger yolk to white ratio and are higher in protein, fat and contain more Omega 3.

Quail eggs although tiny, have large amounts of vitamin B1 and 5 times as much iron and potassium as hens eggs. Their protein value is 13% where as hens eggs are 11%. Quail eggs rarely cause allergies or sensitivities so worth considering if eggs normally cause problems.

Your dog will benefit from eating free range organic eggs 2-3 times a week.

Eggs can be offered whole, either raw or lightly cooked or broken onto your dogs usual food. If you would rather cook them then a scrambled or boiled egg very lightly cooked will be well received.

There are almost 200 different breeds of chickens in the world, and one hen will lay anything between 250 and 300 eggs a year !

www.hedgerowhounds.co.uk