Chronic diarrhoea, irregular stools, a stomach that is frequently upset - these are complaints that recur in many dogs. The cause is often sought in allergies, stress, or infections. But research points to a factor that begins much earlier: what your dog ate in the first months of their life.
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What is IBD in dogs?
IBD, inflammatory bowel disease, is an umbrella term for chronic inflammatory conditions of the gastrointestinal tract in dogs. It is characterised by persistent or recurring digestive complaints: diarrhoea, vomiting, weight loss, inconsistent appetite, or a stomach that never seems to fully settle.
The condition is multifactorial: genetics, gut flora, environment, and diet all play a role. What had barely been studied until recently is the link between early diet - what a dog eats as a puppy - and the risk of IBD later in life.
Within the DogRisk population of over 10,000 dogs, approximately 16.4% of owners reported IBD-related complaints. The authors explicitly state that the true prevalence of IBD in dogs in general is unknown.
The study: 7,015 dogs, University of Helsinki
DogRisk - University of Helsinki
Hemida et al. (2021) investigated, in collaboration with the University of Helsinki, which early life factors are associated with IBD in adult dogs. The study used the DogRisk food frequency questionnaire, a validated online survey that has been running since 2009 and has received more than 16,000 responses from dog owners in Finland.
After excluding dogs under one year of age and incomplete responses, 7,015 dogs were analysed. Two dietary patterns were central:
- NPMD non-processed meat-based diet: raw meat, fish, organs, bones, raw vegetables and berries. Rich in animal proteins and fats, low in carbohydrates.
- UPCD ultra-processed carbohydrate-based diet: extruded kibble. Typically 40 to 60% processed carbohydrates (grains, rice, potato).
What the numbers show
Significant associations were found for two specific periods: the first solid food (1-2 months) and the diet from 2 to 6 months. A raw diet during both periods was associated with a lower IBD risk later in life. The opposite applied to kibble. The mother's diet during the nursing period showed a trend in the same direction, but did not reach statistical significance.
Hemida et al., 2021 |
Frontiers in Veterinary Science, Vol. 8, Art. 552350 — First study to systematically investigate early diet and IBD risk in dogs. n=7,015 dogs. DogRisk FFQ, University of Helsinki. DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2021.552350 |
Other findings from the study
Mother with IBD
The strongest risk factor for IBD in offspring was a maternal IBD history. This points to a genetic component, but the authors state that genetics alone does not fully explain the increased risk.
Sex
Male dogs in this study had approximately twice the risk of IBD compared to female dogs (OR 2.158 · p<0.001).
Body condition in the puppy phase
Lean puppies were found to develop IBD significantly more often in adulthood, possibly reflecting early active but undetected bowel disease.
Breed predisposition
Dogs of breeds with a known predisposition to IBD also showed a higher prevalence in this study.
Why early diet shapes the immune system
The researchers describe a hypothetical mechanism in which diet, gut microbiome, and immune system influence each other. They refer to earlier research in which raw food is associated with a more diverse gut microbiome in dogs - this mechanism was not investigated in this study itself.
A diverse gut flora in the early life phase could train the immune system to respond adequately to stimuli. The authors also refer to mouse studies suggesting that diets rich in refined carbohydrates promote intestinal dysbiosis and increased gut permeability, but emphasise that this has not been directly demonstrated in dogs.
The ultra-processed carbohydrate-rich diet studied contains, according to the authors, relatively little dietary fibre, and is exposed to processes such as extrusion and heat treatment that reduce the bioavailability of vitamins and minerals.
Scientifically honest
This is an observational study based on owner-reported data, not a controlled experiment. The authors explicitly emphasise that the findings suggest an association but do not prove a causal relationship. There is recall bias and the IBD diagnosis was not veterinarily verified in all cases. Future prospective intervention research is needed to confirm the relationship. This does not change the fact that this is the first and largest study in this field, with significant findings across two early dietary periods.
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Source
Hemida, M., Vuori, K.A., Moore, R., Anturaniemi, J. & Hielm-Björkman, A. (2021). Early Life Modifiable Exposures and Their Association With Owner Reported Inflammatory Bowel Disease Symptoms in Adult Dogs. Frontiers in Veterinary Science, 8:552350. DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2021.552350