Healthy From The Inside Out

I’ve been talking a little more about Leroy’s IBD than I have in the past.

The reason being is because after 2 years, I’m a little more comfortable with the subject.

I’ve taken the time to educate myself about the condition and although his IBD status can change at the drop of a hat, I think he’s in a good, healthy place.

I can’t see his insides but I can see everything on the outside and my view is beautiful.

His stool is normal, his gurgling stomach is gone, his appetite is healthy, his weight is ideal, his attitude is right on the money and his skin and coat are glorious. We’ve even managed to get his chronic ear infections under control.

He’s healthy and happy and that makes us happy.

While there’s a lot of things that we do to help him lead a happy healthy IBD life, one of the most important things we do is control his diet.

When Leroy’s IBD lifestyle started we were given a small handful of nutritional plans to try and a whole mess of medications. The issue was that Leroy wasn’t eating, he had lost over 60 pounds and his diet had to be low fat/low protein.

Talk about a challenge.

Luckily, Leroy choose to live and eat.

Weigh in after weigh in his weight continued to climb.

I remember on one of his weigh ins I asked the vet a question that had being weighing on mind, “Should I be giving him a digestive supplement?”  I mean it made sense to me. We need to help heal the gut and support it.

70% of the body’s defenses are housed in the digestive tract. Supporting good intestinal health is important in all dogs and crucial for dogs with intestinal issues.

The vet agreed and said that since Leroy had just finished all of his medications, we could try adding in a digestive supplement.

That was another challenge.

With so many digestive supplements available where do you start?

We knew it would be trial and error and so we started with one that veterinarian recommended and after over almost a year of switching around, we found one that worked well. There really wasn’t one that didn’t work well, it was more of finding one that Leroy’s needs and our budget.

Last year we finally settled on OptaGest by In Clover.

OptaGest is a complete prebiotic + plant enzyme blend.

The prebiotic part may surprise you since probiotics are often used so let’s go over the difference really quick.

What is the difference between prebiotics and probiotics?

Probiotics are living bacteria, and every animal has his or her own unique strain of beneficial bacteria that will be at its highest level when the animal is healthy. Probiotic supplements introduce a foreign strain of bacteria into the system which are generally sourced from a completely different species, like a cow or a goat.

OptaGest works with the body’s natural processes. It contains organic prebiotics which serve as food for friendly bacteria. This targeted feeding promotes a healthy intestinal balance, allowing your pet’s unique, native bacterial strain to thrive.

OptaGest also contains plant based enzymes.

Why enzymes?

Because IBD results in improper digestion of food and absorption of nutrients, a pet’s needs some outside help for his damaged GI tract do its job. Adding extra enzymes to the diet is necessary in order for the stomach and intestines to properly process the pet’s diet. The natural, plant-based enzymes found in OptaGest work from tongue to tail to aid the body in the absorption of nutrients, helping your pet get the most from daily meals.

Check out this video to see the OptaGest at work:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3LRH8PvNfV8

A few reasons why I chose OptaGest for Leroy:

• Plant based enzymes.
• Only 3 kilocalories per 1/4 teaspoon (Leroy gets 1/2 teaspoon per feeding)
• No grains, fillers, lactose, sugar or preservatives that might upset a sensitive system.
• Manufactured in the USA in a USDA inspected facility.
• Comes in a powder. I’m big on powders. I prefer those over chews or tablets.

Some cool facts about In Clover:

• The company is powered by 100% wind energy.
• Products are packaged in recyclable and BPA-free materials.
• In Clover’s office is made complete by a special team of adults with various cognitive, physical and developmental challenges. This hard-working crew assembles samples and fills product while spreading smiles.

If you’re interested in learning more about OptaGest, check them out here. To find a retailer near you, check out their store locator.

It’s important for me to note that this product works well for Leroy but please keep in mind that all dogs are different and that you should check with your veterinarian before adding any new supplements to your dog’s diet.

Disclosure-This post is sponsored by In Clover but My Brown Newfies only shares information and products that we think our readers would be interested in. 

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