Doggy Detox: How To Flush A Dog’s Digestive System

Toxins are just unavoidable...we can give our dogs the best of everything--love, care, food, water...they'll still encounter many toxins. Whether it's in their environmental surroundings, their medicines, their grooming products or even their food, our dogs are exposed to chemicals and toxins. 

The first thing we can do to combat toxicity for dogs is to work on eliminating as many of the toxics materials such as heavy metals they're exposed to as we can. Choices about what we buy and expose our dogs to matter, for sure, and it's worth it for them and for us to read labels and be 100% confident in the companies from which we buy.

But, there are other things we can do to flush our pet's digestive systems and help them be their healthiest. And they're not quite as difficult as you might think!

Our dog's bodies work very similarly to ours in a lot of ways. The same organs that are mainly responsible for filtering out toxicity in our bodies (our liver, our kidneys, our digestive systems and our skin) are the ones that are responsible for doing the same in our dogs' bodies. The difference between us and our dogs, however, is that the same toxic load on a dog is much greater than in a human because their organs are typically smaller than ours. Even the most efficient of livers and kidneys in dogs still bear greater burden on the toxicity of life than do we humans. The same can be said when your pup's digestive system is out of whack.

Too much burden can leave your dog's organ systems struggling to keep up and you'll start seeing the effects of liver and kidney toxicity in dogs. While younger and healthy pets may not need daily liver support, older pets and especially the ones on meds could benefit from a liver formula that includes nutrients such as trace minerals, cruciferous vegetables, silymarin (milk thistle), amino acids, and antioxidants. Some of the signs and symptoms that toxins are building up and not being effectively eliminated include itchy skin, watery/runny eyes, diarrhea, constipation, leaky gut and more. That's why it's imperative you support liver and kidney function in your dogs, and keep their digestive systems healthy.  

If you're looking to do a doggy detox, you'll want to tackle all the parts of their body that eliminate toxins.

To keep their livers clean, make sure your dog's diet is rich in Vitamins A, B, C and E. You can also give them broccoli or brussel sprouts. They're rich in sulforaphane, which some research says gives anti-inflammatory and even anti-cancer benefit. It also helps detox your dog's liver, with research showing that it can protect your pet's liver from lots of chemicals including pharmaceuticals (like vaccinations, flea and tick meds and more). Broccoli sprouts are super for sulforaphane, and milk thistle can also help detox your dog's liver in a safe way.

The best way to detox your dog's kidneys is to ensure they have tons of drinking water consider giving filtered water too as regular water still contains some toxins and chemicals. Clean, fresh water (seriously, you should use ceramic or stainless steel water bowls, and be sure you clean them every day) is the best way to keep your dog hydrated and keep their kidney's functioning at their best. Dogs are about 70% water in composition (as opposed to humans with about 58%) and water is also a key feature for a healthy digestive system.

When it comes to detoxification, water plays an important role as well. Some experts recommend giving your dog a liquid diet (of bone broth) one day a week to ensure their digestive system is cleaned out and has the opportunity to regenerate and nourish itself. 

Most importantly to your dog's digestive system when you're trying to do a doggy detox is ensuring that he has high-quality probiotics. Probiotics and fermented foods are the most important players in your dog's microbiome, and research continues to find the connection between the microbiome and overall health and vitality. Probiotics help the stomach produce the right level of healthy and good bacteria in your dog's gut and are responsible for helping repair genes, absorb nutrients properly and even helping remove toxins like mercury from your dog's body! Digestive enzymes can also help remove mercury, and ensure optimal health support. Read more about the benefits of digestive enzymes for your dog's digestion.

While you may sometimes need to take some steps to flush your dog's digestive system with extra water, vitamins and minerals and supplements, the best way to keep your dog's digestive system healthy every day is to feed him Bernie's Perfect Poop!

We created Perfect Poop with your dog's digestive health in mind. Okay, initially, it was OUR dogs' digestive health, but as we researched and learned about all the toxins our dogs are exposed to, we realized that keeping the organs that flush toxins clean and healthy meant everything.

Especially when it comes to gut health. Perfect Poop has premium fiber to ensure the food you feed your dog moves through at just the right speed for maximum nutrient absorption. Miscanthus grass is 100% natural, sustainable and clean, and what we use in combination with pumpkin and flaxseed for a fiber-rich supplement that keeps your dog's gastrointestinal tract running smoothly. The GI Tract is the system responsible from breaking down and decomposing the food your dog eats. A healthy GI tract will move waste materials faster and hence release the toxins from the body quickly.

We also add high-quality pre- and probiotics for optimal microbiome protection and enhancement.  We use Bacillus Subtilis and Bacillus Coagulans. They're hardy, spore-forming probiotics that are able to stand against the harsh stomach acids in your dog's digestive tract that can destroy other the probiotics in other supplements. *Hardy spore-forming probiotics withstand harsh stomach acids to reach your dog's intestines. B. Subtilis once was used to treat urinary tract infections before antibiotics were developed to do so. It helps produce IgA, which is an antibody that is high in strong immune systems. It helps boost your dog's gut lining and can produce Vitamin K.  B. coagulans is a bacteria that produces lactic acid. This is what crowds out harmful bacteria in your dog's gut, and ensures the microbiome flourishes with healthy bacteria. It's anti-inflammatory, and this helps keep your dog's digestive tract in its best shape for maximum nutrient absorption.

All of this leads to healthy immune systems for your dog. And when your dog's immune system is at its best, he can battle all the toxicity the world has to throw at him. His immune system is the best and most straight forward armor against environmental and other toxins and illnesses. Since he's exposed to those constantly, keeping his immune system at its strongest is what will keep him best ready to battle those toxins. 

So give your dog Perfect Poop with every meal. It's like keeping your dog's protective organs detoxed with every bite, and he'll just think you're giving him a delicious treat! We call that a win-win!