How Can You Help To Combat Digestive Issues & Urinary Tract Infections in Dogs?

sponsored by Pup Science

Let’s take a trip back to high school biology class to better understand what the urinary tract and digestive system do and why keeping them healthy is so important to your pet. This will help you better understand urinary tract infection in dogs,so you can help!

The urinary tract consists of the kidneys, the ureters (tubes that connect the kidneys to the bladder), the bladder, and the urethra. One of its primary functions, and the one it is most known for, is the excretion of waste from the body. However, the urinary tract is responsible for many other vital functions. It processes vitamin D, which is essential in maintaining proper muscle and nerve functions; it balances the amount of water in the body with the appropriate amount of electrolytes, which help cells, muscles, and nerves function properly, as well as help prevent dehydration; and it produces enzymes that regulate blood pressure. This is a lot more than just waste elimination!

Your dog's digestive system includes the esophagus, stomach, liver, pancreas, intestines, rectum, and anus. It also excretes waste from the body, along with digesting food and absorbing nutrients. While all components of the digestive system are important, we’re primarily concerned with the stomach and intestines here as this is where bacteria flourish.

If you haven’t heard by now, there are two categories of bacteria in the gut: good bacteria and bad bacteria. We typically think of bacteria as always being bad, but bodies need good bacteria to help provide essential nutrients and to support the immune system by fighting disease-causing bacteria. Without this good bacteria, your pup would be extremely ill with important bodily functions shutting down.

Why discuss the urinary tract and digestive system together? Urinary tract infections in dogs are related to both areas. Both the urinary and digestive systems help filter and get rid of unwanted, unnecessary, and harmful substances ie. waste. Without these vital functions your dog’s body wouldn’t be able to get rid of harmful toxins and bacteria. So how do you make sure these functions are healthy and running properly? With probiotics, of course! Most people are familiar with probiotics for humans, specifically probiotic yogurt, but they’re super important for dogs as well.

One of the best things you can do for your dog is give them a multivitamin and probiotic supplement, like this one from Pup Science,  which calms irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), prevents urinary tract infections (UTI) and allergies, and treats diarrhea and constipation. Few other products can reduce, relieve, improve, and prevent as many symptoms as this probiotic supplement, which is why we like it so much. We have partnered with Pup Science to give you 20% off to try this for your dog, just use MYPUP20 at checkout.

Try adding probiotics to your dog’s diet and see if you notice a change. Probiotics are known to help with urinary tract infections in dogs. Always consult your vet before making any dietary changes.