If your dog has diarrhea, a course of metronidazole (also known as Flagyl) might be the appropriate treatment. However, a growing body of research suggests that metronidazole is much less effective for some gastrointestinal conditions than was previously thought. And now a new study suggests metronidazole can cause unhealthy long-term changes in your dog’s gut microbiome. So is metronidazole the right treatment for your dog? Or will it do more harm than good?
If your dog suffers from itchy skin, ear infections, diarrhea, or other symptoms caused by food sensitivities or allergies, transitioning to a novel protein might be the answer. Dogs are more likely to have adverse reactions to foods they’ve eaten for a long time (which is one reason feeding your dog the same thing month after month can lead to problems). To avoid the foods that trigger bad reactions, you may need to find a protein source your dog has never eaten before.
While most E. coli strains are harmless, some are pathogenic, some are opportunistic pathogens, and some provide a probiotic effect. Especially in a time of unprecedented rates of antibiotic resistance, testing for and treating E. coli infections is not straight forward. While flare-ups of E. coli are a common problem in dogs, flare-ups also occur in cats, and the information discussed in this article is applicable to many of the animals you see in your practice. Here we discuss E. coli as it relates to cat and dog gut health and available treatment options for symptomatic patients.
Sometimes diarrhea is actually normal. In both dogs and humans, diarrhea can be an effective way for the body to purge itself of a toxin or pathogen. But sometimes, especially if it lasts for more than 48 hours, diarrhea can be a sign of an underlying health problem. How do you know whether your dog’s loose poop is a normal reaction or an emergency? What’s really going on when your dog has diarrhea? Figuring out the true cause of dog diarrhea can be tricky, even for a specialist. Fortunately, a gut health analysis can often uncover vital clues.
Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) is a painful, incurable disease that’s nearly always fatal. But over the past 18 months, thousands of cats have reportedly been cured of FIP by a drug that’s very similar to remdesivir—the antiviral currently under investigation as a promising treatment for COVID-19 in humans. As a recent article in the Atlantic explains, the success of remdesivir turns out to be the main reason you probably didn’t even know a FIP cure existed.
Dogs aren’t known for their sophisticated palates. Their tendency to eat first and react later can easily backfire on them. So when dogs get sick and experience symptoms like diarrhea, nausea, vomiting or a loss of appetite it may be easy for a pet parent to think it was that stolen helping of birthday cake. But if these symptoms persist for weeks even intermittently in your dog they may be symptomatic of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), a chronic condition that occurs when the lining of the gastrointestinal tract becomes inflamed and loses its ability to properly digest and absorb nutrients. While the exact causes of IBD in dogs are not well defined and vary between individuals, Dawn Kingsbury, Chief Veterinary Officer at AnimalBiome, says there are several common factors at play among dogs with IBD.
Remote veterinary care has been around for decades, but it has taken a global pandemic to make it (nearly) mandatory for veterinary practices to use the available technologies. In the past, remote veterinary care was difficult because of certain laws and the need to establish a veterinary–client–patient relationship (VCPR) in person. But now telehealth is much easier for vets with temporarily relaxed telemedicine rules due to forced lockdowns across the country. In this article we address these concerns, as well as some benefits and drawbacks of telehealth for vets, new ways for vets to incorporate telemedicine services into their business model, and how AnimalBiome products can support at home care for patients.
Dogs who start life with a nursing mother and a stable puppyhood have the best chance of developing the strong immune system they need to grow up healthy. But some dogs—like Emmy, don’t have those advantages. Without a well-established immune system, Emmy the dog suffered from chronic intestinal (GI) issues that developed into a disorder known as, inflammatory bowel disease in dogs. But a close look at her gut microbiome (bacteria in the digestive tract) revealed the key to turning her health around.
April 29th is International Guide Dog Day, a day to celebrate the amazing canines that help people who are blind safely navigate obstacles. There are just over a dozen guide dogs schools in the United States, who coordinate an army of volunteers to provide guide dogs - at little to no cost to the owner - to about 2% of people who are blind or have visual impairment (helping over 10,000 people each year). Countless people are involved in the raising and training each guide dog: breeders, breeder hosts, puppy raisers, veterinarians, instructors, family members, guide dog school staff, and of course, the owner. In the article, we address some common misconceptions about guide dogs and share more about our research collaboration with Leader Dogs for the Blind.
National Scoop the Poop Week (April 24–30) was originally established to highlight the importance of cleaning up after your dog. But there’s more to poop than scooping! Your cat’s or dog’s poop can tell you a lot about their overall health. Sending a sample of your pet’s poop for microbiome analysis can tell you the status of your pet’s gut health, whether the bacteria that make up your pet’s microbiome are in the proper balance, and how to support their gut health and potentially prevent health issues from arising down the road.
