Gastrointestinal – Pet Nutrition at OVC

Is Your Cat Having Trouble Pooping? Let’s Talk Constipation

Most healthy adult cats typically have one to two bowel movements a day. When a cat is constipated, stool builds up in the colon (large intestine) and sits there too long. This leads to less frequent bowel movements compared to normal movements. Without regular bowel movements, the body absorbs too much water from the stool, making it dry, hard, and difficult to pass....

Nutritional Approaches to Exocrine Pancreas Insufficiency (EPI)

The pancreas is a gland within the digestive system that makes two hormones needed to regulate blood sugar. The pancreas also secretes enzymes into the small intestine to help break down proteins, fats, and carbohydrates so they can be digested and absorbed into the blood. The part of the pancreas responsible for producing digestive enzymes is known as the exocrine pancreas, and the production of these enzymes is controlled by the presence of food in the stomach and small intestine. As a meal is eaten and swallowed, the release of pancreatic juices is triggered to help break down nutrients so they can be more easily absorbed.

Tummy Troubles? A Guide to Managing Acute Diarrhea in Dogs

Tummy Troubles? Diarrhea is no fun for anyone, especially our pups! Check out our latest blog post to learn all about managing acute diarrhea in dogs. From common causes to the best treatment options, we've got you covered!

Pancreatitis in Dogs

Pancreatitis is a condition that all dog owners should have on their radar. To learn more about what it is, what risk factors to be aware of, and how nutrition can play an important role in the prevention and management of pancreatitis, check out our blog post

Feline Hepatic Lipidosis

This blog post goes into detail on one the common liver diseases in cats: Feline hepatic lipidosis (FHL), also known as fatty liver disease. If you'd like more information on what exactly FHL is, the clinical signs to watch out for, what to do if you suspect your cat may have this disease, and how to treat and prevent it, give this a read!

Probiotics 101

The gastrointestinal tract (GIT) of animals houses a wide range of microorganisms. It has been estimated that the total number within the intestine can reach up to 100 trillion microbial cells, representing most of the host’s microbial genome (Suchodolski, 2020).

Pumpkin as a Fibre Source

It’s that time of the year again, as green leaves blossom into hues of red, yellow, and orange and the smell of pumpkin spice fills coffee shops. With autumn in the air, Halloween is just around the corner, and this means candy, costumes, and...PUMPKINS! Pumpkins are an essential part of Halloween for carving and decorating but, more recently, pumpkins have also gained increasing attention for their health benefits in humans and pets. And so, now is an excellent time to begin the conversation around the use of pumpkins as a dietary fibre supplement for pets.

The Effect of Starch Sources on Gastric Emptying in Dogs

In humans, gastric emptying rates (GER) have been implicated with obesity, diabetes, and other gastrointestinal disorders. While there is extensive research investigating the impacts of dietary protein and fats on GER, there is a lack of research, specifically in dogs, that focuses on the impacts of carbohydrates. Congratulations to our research team for another publication! Taylor Richards and colleagues investigated the effects of starch sources on gastric emptying in dogs.