What is psyllium?
Blonde psyllium is the fruit of Plantago ovata, an annual plant grown in India, Iran and Pakistan, better known as Ispaghul or Indian plantain. This fruit comes in the form of a capsule containing two very small oval and flattened seeds whose integument (the envelope) is mainly used reduced to powder as a natural food supplement for dogs.
Good to know
There is also a black psyllium, derived from another plant, Plantago psyllium, which should be avoided in dogs because of its irritant potential for the intestinal mucosa.
The benefits of blond psyllium in dogs
The benefits of blond psyllium husk lie in its high content of mucilage, soluble fibers which have the particularity of absorbing several times their weight in water in the dog's intestine and creating a viscous gel there. not absorbed by his body. These soluble fibers are part of the “family” of non-assimilable carbohydrates.
Psyllium to fight constipation or diarrhea in dogs
We use the properties of these mucilages in humans as in dogs to relieve occasional constipation. These are in fact bulk laxatives which act by a purely mechanical action in the intestine. By absorbing water, they make it possible to increase the volume of the stools, thus promoting intestinal peristalsis and creating a gel that facilitates the elimination of the latter through a "lubricating" effect. Blond psyllium can in particular be used in certain dogs whose intestinal transit is somewhat sluggish, in particular in very sedentary dogs.It is then necessary to ensure in parallel that the dog drinks enough water under pen alty of aggravating the constipation of the animal.
Warning!
Psyllium can be used in dogs if it is a banal constipation, not associated with an underlying he alth problem. If your dog's constipation is related to digestive obstruction or megacolon then psyllium could be doing your dog more harm than good! In any case, ask your veterinarian for advice beforehand. If your dog's constipation persists for more than 48 hours and/or is accompanied by other symptoms, consult without delay.
" Conversely, psyllium can also be used in dogs suffering from diarrhea. It will then serve as a support for the good intestinal bacteria which must repopulate its intestine."
Psyllium to help control blood sugar in diabetic dogs
Soluble fibres, such as those of blond psyllium, have the property of slowing down the rate of emptying of the stomach, of decreasing the speed of digestion of food and of slowing down the absorption of nutrients resulting from this digestion .In doing so, they reduce the glycemic response to the ingestion of food in dogs and therefore help control glycemia (blood glucose level) in diabetic animals. Thus, psyllium can constitute an interesting contribution of soluble fibers in the diet of a diabetic dog. Ask your veterinarian for advice before introducing it into the bowl of your diabetic animal!
Where to find psyllium? What is its dosage for dogs?
Blond psyllium can already be an integral part of your dog's diet if his kibble contains it. To find out, just check the list of ingredients on the packaging of your industrial feed.
If the dog is fed with homemade food or if his kibble does not provide him with it or not enough, it will then be possible to add it to his ration at the rate of a teaspoon of blond psyllium per 10kg per day maximum.Start with lower doses to ensure the dog's tolerance to psyllium and its effects on constipation or blood sugar.
This food supplement is on sale in most veterinary practices or clinics in the form of integument powder. You can also find psyllium husks or whole blond psyllium seeds in organic stores.
Before administering psyllium to the dog, whether it is powder or whole seeds of blond psyllium (and not black), remember to rehydrate it well in half a glass of water, which you pour the contents on the dog's food.