Digestive health plays a much bigger role in your pet’s overall wellness than many pet parents realize.

When we think about digestion, it is easy to focus only on the stomach. In reality, digestion begins in the mouth and continues through the stomach, small intestine, large intestine, and the microbiome that helps support the entire digestive environment.

In our Happy Gut, Happy Pet conversation, hosted by Kimberly Fisher of Earthly Insights, Glacier Peak Holistics’ Shanel and Bethany explore how digestion works, what pet parents can look for at home, and how nutrition, hydration, digestive enzymes, probiotics, prebiotics, and targeted supplementation may help support everyday digestive wellness.

Watch the full Happy Gut, Happy Pet conversation below:

Digestive Health Is More Than the Stomach

Your pet’s digestive system works as one connected process.

Digestion begins as soon as food enters the mouth. From there, food travels to the stomach, where it continues to break down. The small intestine plays an important role in nutrient absorption, while the large intestine helps manage water as waste moves through the digestive tract.

Supporting digestive wellness means looking at the entire system rather than focusing on only one part.

That includes paying attention to your pet’s diet, hydration, digestive enzymes, microbiome, and how they respond to changes in food or supplements.

Signs It May Be Time to Take a Closer Look at Digestion

Pets cannot tell us when their stomach feels a little off, so pet parents often have to look for changes in everyday habits.

Some signs discussed during the presentation include:

• Excessive or unusually strong gas
• Frequent stomach gurgling
• Changes in stool consistency
• Bloating or digestive discomfort
• Changes in skin or coat appearance
• Reduced energy or changes in overall behavior

One occasional digestive change does not necessarily mean something is wrong. What matters is noticing patterns and becoming familiar with what is normal for your individual pet.

If changes persist or you are concerned about your pet’s health, it is always best to speak with your veterinarian.

Start With the Bowl

Before adding something new, take a look at what your pet is already eating.

A few helpful questions to ask include:

Is their diet complete and balanced?

Your pet’s daily food should provide the nutrients appropriate for their life stage and individual needs.

Are they getting enough moisture?

Hydration is an important part of digestive wellness. Adding water or a pet-safe broth to meals may be a simple way to increase moisture, especially for pets eating primarily dry food.

Are treats adding more than you realize?

Treats, starches, carbohydrates, and added ingredients can quickly become a larger portion of the diet than intended.

Have you changed several things at once?

Making multiple food or supplement changes at the same time can make it difficult to determine what your pet is responding to. Gradual changes and introducing supplements individually can make the process easier to evaluate.

What Do Digestive Enzymes Do?

Digestive enzymes help break food down into smaller components that the body can use.

Your pet naturally produces digestive enzymes, but supplemental enzymes can offer additional support with the breakdown of proteins, fats, carbohydrates, fiber, and other components of the diet.

This may be especially useful for pets eating processed foods because those meals can contain a wider variety of ingredients that your pet may need extra help with to be broken down during digestion.

Paw-Gest® Digestive Enzymes

Paw-Gest® is Glacier Peak Holistics’ digestive enzyme blend designed to support food breakdown and healthy digestion.

During the presentation, Shanel demonstrated the difference between kibble sitting in water alone and kibble combined with digestive enzymes. The demonstration was not intended to recreate the exact environment of the stomach, but it offered a simple visual example of how enzymes help break food down.

Learn more about Paw-Gest® Digestive Enzymes.

Probiotics, Prebiotics, and the Gut Microbiome

The digestive tract is home to an enormous community of microorganisms collectively known as the microbiome.

A helpful way to picture the microbiome is as a diverse ecosystem. Rather than having only one type of microorganism present, the goal is to support a varied digestive environment.

That is where probiotics and prebiotics come in.

Probiotics

Probiotics contain live microorganisms that help support a balanced intestinal environment.

When choosing a probiotic, there is more to consider than simply looking for the biggest number on the label.

Helpful things to review include:

• Which probiotic strains are included
• The total CFU count
• Whether the amount is clearly stated
• Storage instructions
• Whether prebiotic support is included

CFU stands for colony-forming units, which estimates the number of viable microorganisms within a probiotic product. A larger CFU number or longer strain list does not automatically make one probiotic better than another, so the complete formulation matters.

Prebiotics

Prebiotics act as food for beneficial microorganisms within the digestive tract.

By combining probiotics with prebiotic support, you are helping provide both beneficial microorganisms and nourishment that can support them as they move through the digestive system.

ProBio Complete™

ProBio Complete™ combines probiotics and prebiotics to support digestive wellness and healthy intestinal microflora.

The formula discussed in the presentation provides 30 billion CFUs per gram and includes multiple probiotic strains along with prebiotic support.

Learn more about ProBio Complete™.

Supporting the Gut Through a Gentle Reset

Sometimes digestive support is not about adding more and more products.

It can also be about simplifying the routine and supporting the body’s normal processes.

That may include reviewing the diet, improving hydration, introducing supplements gradually, and supporting normal elimination and digestive balance.

Super Cleanse™

Super Cleanse™ is part of Glacier Peak Holistics’ digestive wellness approach and is designed to support normal detoxification processes, digestive wellness, trace mineral nutrition, and overall balance.

It can be incorporated as part of a structured wellness routine when appropriate for the individual pet.

Learn more about Super Cleanse™.

Always follow the product directions and introduce new supplements gradually.

Introduce New Supplements Slowly

One of the simplest things you can do for a sensitive pet is to avoid changing everything at once.

During the discussion, Bethany recommends introducing supplements individually over several days. For particularly sensitive pets, beginning with a smaller amount and gradually working toward the recommended serving may make the transition easier.

This approach also makes it much easier to observe how your pet responds to each individual change.

Small Changes Can Support the Bigger Picture

Digestive wellness is rarely about one single food, supplement, or ingredient.

It is the combination of nutrition, hydration, digestive function, microbial balance, and consistency that helps create a strong foundation.

Start by paying attention.

Look at your pet’s bowl. Notice their stool. Watch their energy levels. Pay attention to changes in their coat, skin, appetite, and everyday behavior.

Those small observations can provide valuable clues about how your pet is responding to their current routine.

And when your pet needs a little extra support, targeted digestive supplements can become one piece of a larger wellness plan.

Watch Happy Gut, Happy Pet

Want to dive deeper into digestive enzymes, probiotics, prebiotics, the microbiome, and everyday digestive wellness?

Watch the full Happy Gut, Happy Pet: Digestive Health for Dogs & Cats conversation featuring Glacier Peak Holistics’ Shanel and Bethany, originally hosted by Kimberly Fisher of Earthly Insights.

You can also visit Kimberly’s Earthly Insights channel here:
https://www.youtube.com/@kimberlyfisherearthlyinsights

This information is intended for educational purposes and is not a substitute for veterinary care. If your pet is experiencing persistent digestive concerns or changes in their health, consult your veterinarian.