What if your dog’s separation anxiety has as much to do with his gut as his heart? A recent study published in Scientific reports (Nature, 2025) An idea that is gaining traction among veterinarians, ethicists, and educators is once again on the table: Emotional health and gut balance are closely linked.
What happens in the intestine doesn’t stay there. Through a complex communication network (the so-called gut-brain axis) bacteria, inflammatory molecules and neurotransmitters Sending continuous messages to the central nervous system. When this dialogue changes, the mood changes too.
The work, developed by an international team of researchers, shows how to do this The intestine works almost like a second brain. Chemical messengers such as serotonin or GABA, responsible for modulating calmness and anxiety, are produced.
If the intestinal microflora becomes unbalanced, the body generates inflammation and The dog becomes more reactive and more sensitive to stress. A simple food intolerance or chronic colitis can become an invisible trigger for your emotional discomfort.
“Many guardians think their dog behaves badly when left alone, but in reality he is suffering,” explains Carlos Melara, a dog breeder who specializes in separation anxiety. “If there is abdominal pain or nausea, stress tolerance goes down and what we see is an animal hissing, panting or destroying things. It’s not disobedience, it’s physiology“.
The study specifically points to this two-way relationship: Stress can upset the gut and gut upset can increase stress. This is a vicious circle that is difficult to break if it is not addressed on both fronts. “There is no point in working only on the emotional side if the body is bad, nor on the physical side if the dog continues to be afraid of being alone,” concludes the separation anxiety specialist. “Luxury should be inclusive.”
sometimes, The digestive signs that accompany anxiety problems go unnoticed. Loose, infrequent stools, strong-smelling gas, compulsive foot licking, hunched abdomen, bad breath, or changes in appetite may be clues that something is wrong with your digestive system.
If there is abdominal pain or nausea, stress tolerance decreases and what we see is an animal vocalizing, panting or destroying objects.
Researchers from nature And they noticed that too Increased intestinal permeability (known as “leaky gut”) allows inflammatory molecules to pass into the blood and affect the brain.
The result is Decreased frustration tolerance and amplified emotional response, Which translates to a dog with a tendency to interact, separation anxiety, and other problems associated with frustration and patience.
Therefore, the conclusion is clear: the health of the digestive system is as well as the overall health of the animal One of the pillars of dogs’ emotional well-being. Therefore, reviewing the diet, treating digestive discomfort and accompanying the process with adapted emotional work can make the difference between a dog that suffers from all absence and one that manages to rest in peace when its guardian is away.
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