The Effects of Gluten

Our knowledge about the effects in gluten and pets has been growing for a
long time. I found a paper written in 1991 "Abnormal permeability precedes
the development of a gluten sensitive enteropathy in Irish setter dogs". In
2000, a paper about gluten sensitivity in Soft-Coated Wheaten Terriers was
published. Today, most dogs, purebreds and mutts, as well as people have
gluten sensitivity.

Gluten has gotten "stickier" over the past 50 years. It is used in a wide range
of food and cosmetic products. The "stickiness" has gone from 2% to 60%.
If you want to imagine what happens to your intestines, think of drinking a
bottle of glue.

    Did you know...
    * Gluten is in all grains, but wheat has the highest amount.
    * "When you get more than 50% of your calories from grains, you typically develop may nutrient deficiences".
        Dr. Loren Cordain
    * There are over 200 medical conditions related to gluten.
    * When we eat gluten several times a day, we are likely to leak some incompletely digested proteins into our    bloodstreams leading to a "leaky gut".
    * Our intestines have good and bad bacteria. The good bacteria controls the bad when we have a healthy
       immune system.
    * Babies get their gut flora from their mothers (and fathers) so if a mother has digestive issues (like a leaky
       gut), the baby may suffer from digestive problems, allergies, and a host of other problems.
    * Cats and dogs are not grain-eaters by choice. Many pet food manufacturers blend animal fats and meals
       with soy and wheat grains, then add vitamins and minerals.
      A study of dogs that have a tendency to get dermatitis (Boxers, Bullterriers, and West Highland Whites)
      showed that if the mother was fed a diet of non-commercial foods without grains before
      she began lactating, she gave the puppies protection through her milk. Pups whose mothers were
      fed commercial diets were twice as high to get dermatitis.

    Gluten Characteristics

    Patricia M. Kortekaas, an osteopathic physical therapist for people and pets, conducted an informal
    research     on over 1,200 dogs and recorded the "red flag" symptoms:
      Kidney or bladder stones
      Frequent urination or the inability to urinate easily
      Bladder infections
      Musculo-skeletal symptoms - some are:
        Right diaphragm is flat and restrictive
        Intermittent right rear limping and/or front right limping
        Soreness and heat over the right kidney
        Right hip restricted for internal rotation
        Tight in the viscera especially the small and large intestines
        Cervial spine C6-7 facet joint dysfunction
    While most damage from gluten in people are found at the cecum area of the colon, in cats and dogs,
    the right kidney located the closest to the iliocecal valve becomes restricted.

    Animal Normalization Therapy (developed by Patricia Kortekaas) provides vascular, fascial, and
    neurological manipulations to reduce the tightness of the kidney. However, the pet must not eat gluten
    or the tightness will quickly return.