Debunking Pet Care

  “Leaky gut syndrome” in dogs refers to increased intestinal permeability — where the gut lining becomes damaged and allows unwanted particles like bacteria and toxins to enter the body. This leakage can trigger inflammation and immune reactions.   Pancreatic sensitivity, including pancreatitis, involves inflammation of the pancreas and can cause abdominal pain, vomiting, and serious illness. Common contributors include high-fat diets, obesity, and underlying metabolic disorders.   Research and veterinary sources suggest that leaky gut and pancreatic inflammation can influence one another. When the gut barrier is compromised, food antigens and microbes may pass into the bloodstream, potentially fueling systemic inflammation that affects organs like the pancreas. Some nutrition and veterinary sources propose that food sensitivities linked to barrier dysfunction may trigger pancreatic flare-ups.   What causes the cycle?   Both conditions share overlapping trigger...

 What is intestinal barrier dysfunction? The intestinal tract normally acts as a selective barrier: it permits nutrient absorption while preventing harmful substances (toxins, microbes, undigested food) from entering the bloodstream. When this barrier is compromised, increased permeability (the “leaky gut” phenomenon) may allow undue passage of luminal contents, provoking immune-activation and inflammation in the body.  In veterinary medicine, the precise term “leaky gut syndrome” is not a formal diagnosis for dogs, but the concept (intestinal hyper-permeability) is increasingly being studied and considered in connection with gastrointestinal and systemic disease. Evidence of barrier dysfunction in dogs   One study compared dogs with Atopic dermatitis (a skin ‐ allergy condition) to healthy dogs, and found elevated biomarkers (intestinal alkaline phosphatase [IAP] and trefoil factor-3 [TFF-3]) consistent with intestinal epithelial damage in the atopic dogs. The authors ...