Dig Deeper LLC

07/18/2025

Let’s play a game of **“Did You Know?” — Dog Edition!**
Guess which one of these facts is TRUE:

A) Dogs have more taste buds than humans 😋
😎 A healthy gut makes up 70% of your dog’s immune system 🧫
C) Kibble stays fresh forever if the bag is sealed 🧐
D) All dogs love peanut butter (no exceptions!) 🥜

Drop your guess in the comments below! 👇
(And if you guessed **B**, you're already thinking like a Dig Deeper pup parent! 🧠🐶)

Your dog’s health journey starts with what’s in their bowl. Let’s make every bite count. 💚
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07/17/2025

🐾 Let’s Talk Fresh Food! 🥦🍗

If you've ever thought about switching your dog to a fresh, healthier diet—what questions or concerns pop into your mind first?

👇 Drop them in the comments! 👇
No judgment here—this space is for learning, sharing, and *digging deeper* into what’s really best for our pets’ long-term health.

💬 Are you unsure about balance?
💬 Confused by conflicting advice?
💬 Worried about cost or time?

Whatever it is—we’re here to help guide you through it. Your question might help another pet parent too! 🐶💚

✨ Healing one bowl at a time.

07/17/2025

**How Long Should Your Dog’s Kibble Really Last? 🐾**

Let’s talk about something that often gets overlooked: how long your dog’s dry food stays fresh after you open the bag.

It might seem like a good deal to buy the largest bag of kibble—especially if the label says it’s good for a year—but if you’ve got a small dog who doesn’t eat much, that giant bag can become more harmful than helpful.

Here’s why ⬇️
Once a bag of kibble is opened, oxygen starts reacting with the fats in the food—a process called **oxidation**. Within **7–14 days**, those healthy fats can turn rancid, especially if the food is being exposed to air repeatedly. That means every time you roll the bag shut and leave it in a warm pantry or garage, the food is slowly losing its nutritional value.

**What can rancid fats do to your dog?**
They can damage vital nutrients in the food, cause vitamin deficiencies, contribute to skin issues, digestive problems, and even lead to long-term health risks like liver or kidney disease—and yes, even cancer.

🛑 And don’t rely on preservatives alone. While some natural preservatives like **mixed tocopherols (Vitamin E)**, **ascorbic acid (Vitamin C)**, and **rosemary extract** can help slow spoilage, they’re not a long-term fix.
Stay far away from artificial additives like **BHA, BHT, TBHQ, or Ethoxyquin**—these have been linked to serious health issues, including cancer.

**How to keep your dog’s kibble fresher, longer:**

✅ Buy smaller bags and aim to use them up within 7–14 days of opening
✅ Always store kibble in its original packaging—never pour it into plastic containers
✅ Keep the bag tightly sealed in a cool, dry, dark place (not the garage or outside)
✅ Avoid foods that include fish oils or added omegas in the bag—they go bad quickly. Instead, add healthy fats like fish oil fresh at mealtime
✅ Label the bag with the date you opened it to help track freshness
✅ Want to get fancy? Vacuum-seal daily portions for the ultimate freshness boost—plus, it makes traveling with your pet’s food super easy!

📌 Reminder: The “best by” date only applies if the bag is unopened. Once air hits those fats, the clock starts ticking.

And finally… if you’re not sure how long that bag has been open or it’s been sitting in questionable conditions? Trust your gut—**when in doubt, throw it out**. Your dog’s health is worth it.

07/15/2025

Let Me Explain Why My Role as a Pet Nutritionist Is So Important 🐾**

At *Dig Deeper*, my job isn’t just about recommending food—it’s about helping you uncover the *why* behind your pet’s symptoms, behaviors, and health challenges.

As a nutritionist, I help bridge the gap between symptoms and solutions. When your dog is dealing with chronic issues—like allergies, yeast, inflammation, or weight gain—these are all signs the body is out of balance. My job is to *decode those signs* and build a plan that supports true healing from the inside out.

✨ Here’s what I really do:

🔬 **I help you look at the body differently**
When we go deeper, we stop chasing surface-level symptoms. I help you understand what signs like itchy skin, ear infections, or digestive upset are *really telling us*—they’re messages from the body, not just annoyances to mask with medication.

🩸 **I interpret blood work and test results through a nutritional lens**
Lab work is more than numbers. I teach you how to spot nutritional deficiencies, liver strain, or gut imbalances that traditional interpretations might miss—then we build a healing protocol based on what your pet’s body is actually asking for.

🍽️ **I craft healing meal plans that work with your dog’s unique needs**
From allergy sensitivities to microbiome imbalances, I create targeted nutrition plans that give the body what it needs to detox, restore, and thrive. This isn’t about trendy ingredients—it’s about functional, therapeutic food.

⚖️ **I help pets (and owners) reach healthy weight goals**
Weight is a symptom too—not just a math problem. I help you understand why weight may be stuck (inflammation, poor gut health, metabolic issues) and how to support the body in letting go of it naturally.

💡 It’s never just “a food thing.” It’s a whole-body thing.

When we *dig deeper* and give the body the right tools, it can heal. I’m not here to throw supplements at symptoms or chase every trend—I’m here to help you understand what’s really going on and support your pet’s body every step of the way.

Because every bowl is a chance to heal.
🖤 *Healing One Bowl at a Time*

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07/14/2025

"Our research indicated that dogs fed a non-processed meat-based diet during the weaning period, puppyhood, and adolescence, which corresponds to the age range of 1 month to 1 or 1.5 years, were associated with a significantly lower risk of developing DC later in life. Conversely, dogs consumed an ultra-processed carbohydrate-based diet during the same periods was associated with a significantly higher risk (p = 0.01, p = 0.001, and p = 0.02 for weaning, puppyhood, and adolescence, respectively). Additionally, residing with other dogs was significantly associated with a decreased likelihood of DC development later in life (p = 0.015). Moreover, from the non-modifiable factors model, a maternal history of DC and small size of the dog were strongly associated with an increased risk of DC development later in life."

07/14/2025

Luna’s Healing Journey – Part Three: Finally, Real Answers**

After years of discomfort, trial-and-error diets, and medications that only masked symptoms, we finally uncovered a missing piece of Luna’s health puzzle: her *allergy saliva test results*.

This simple, non-invasive test gave us clear insight into the foods triggering chronic inflammation and immune responses in her body. Luna was reacting to a surprising list of common ingredients—including **salmon, quinoa, corn, milk, pork, turkey, barley, lentils, white potatoes, duck, wheat, rice, millet, peanuts, and even rabbit**.

Many of these ingredients are found in popular commercial dog foods, including “limited ingredient” or “grain-free” options. Without this test, we never would’ve known what was silently working against her healing.

With this information, we were finally able to **build Luna a truly personalized meal plan**—one that nourishes, not harms.

🦴 We removed all trigger ingredients.
🥩 We focused on **novel proteins** she tolerates, such as **bison and grass-fed beef**.
🥦 We added **anti-inflammatory vegetables** like broccoli and leafy greens.
🍠 We used **gut-friendly carbs** like sweet potato and butternut squash.
🌿 We supported detox and repair with **supplements like slippery elm, krill oil, and mushrooms** for her gut and immune health.

It’s not about feeding what’s *popular* or what the pet store recommends—it’s about feeding what’s *right* for *your dog’s unique body*.

The difference in Luna’s comfort, skin, digestion, and energy has been night and day. 🐾

✨ We’re not just feeding Luna anymore—we’re *healing* her, one bowl at a time.

07/13/2025

Great information about kennel cough and some all natural supplements to help aid.

Kennel cough is caused by a mix of viral and bacterial pathogens most commonly Bordetella bronchiseptica and the parainfluenza virus, but also including canine adenovirus type 2, herpesvirus, and others. These germs spread through airborne droplets and contaminated surfaces, especially in crowded or stressful settings. Infected dogs can continue to spread the illness for 6 to 14 weeks, even after their symptoms have resolved.

Even if your dog has received the Bordetella vaccine, visits to boarding facilities, groomers, daycare, or even dog parks can still put them at risk for kennel cough, especially in crowded, high-stress environments.

That’s why this Sunday, we’re covering:

🦠 Which form of the Bordetella vaccine may be best (if it’s required)
🦠 Protocols and remedies to help your dog recover from kennel cough
🦠 Tips for preventing respiratory illnesses
🦠 When the vaccine may—or may not—be needed

🎁 PLUS: Download a bonus guide with Dr. Becker’s go-to supplements and recovery protocols with dosages - available inside the Inside Scoop group Sunday morning!

For exclusive access to all our live and previous podcasts, downloads, and participate in Q&As with us we hope you'll consider subscribing to our community.

Comment SCOOPERS and we’ll send you the link to join Inside Scoop—our Planet Paws monthly subscription group! Get instant access to all live podcast replays, plus over 5 years of exclusive content, including interviews, downloadable ebooks, and more!

07/11/2025

"This study adds to the growing area of microbiome research as it relates to animal behaviour and provides novel insight into the links between behaviour and the gut microbiome in family dogs. Despite a relatively small sample size, we were able to consistently identify differences between behavioural groups that differed in levels of anxiety and aggression using various approaches. In particular, the genus Blautia was consistently identified by our analyses as having a close relationship with anxiety in pet dogs.

Given the current knowledge that dietary changes in dogs can alter both gut microbiota and behaviour, and that the composition of the gut microbiota is linked to behaviour, there is an early promise that modifying the gut microbiome via dietary changes or supplementation with probiotics may be beneficial in the treatment of behavioural issues in dogs." - Proactive Paws

07/11/2025

**Luna's Story – Part Two: What Her Gut Was Telling Us**

After years of dealing with nonstop itching, chronic yeast infections, and inflammation, we finally got a window into what was really going on inside Luna—with **a microbiome test**.

The results confirmed what we suspected: Luna's gut was **severely imbalanced**. While her symptoms showed on the outside, the real chaos was happening on the inside.

What We Found in Luna’s Gut:

🦠 **High levels of harmful Clostridium (Clostridium sensu stricto 1)** – This group of bacteria is linked to chronic inflammation, digestive issues, and can suppress the growth of healthy microbes.

🚫 **No Collinsella** – This important group helps break down fiber and produce short-chain fatty acids like butyrate, which reduce gut inflammation and support immune balance.

⚠️ **Elevated Lachnoclostridium (Type 2)** – Often associated with gut imbalance and linked to poor digestion and immune dysfunction when overgrown.

⚠️ **High Paeniclostridium** – Another “bad actor” that tends to overgrow when the gut is stressed or lacking diversity. It’s commonly seen in dogs who’ve had lots of antibiotics or a highly processed diet.

Luna’s gut was overwhelmed with “bullies” and missing many of the friendly bacteria she needed to thrive.

Why Gut Health Matters

Your dog’s gut isn’t just for digestion—it’s the control center for their whole body. Over **70% of their immune system** lives there. When the gut microbiome is imbalanced, it can show up as:

* Itchy, inflamed skin
* Chronic ear or yeast infections
* Digestive troubles
* Anxiety or behavior changes
* Low energy or poor healing

Luna’s body was stuck in a cycle of inflammation, and her gut was at the root of it.

How We're Healing Her Microbiome

✅ **Feeding Gut-Healing, Fresh Whole Foods** – No more processed kibble. Instead, Luna gets meals full of anti-inflammatory nutrients, fiber, and variety.

✅ **Adding Missing Prebiotics** – Foods like steamed asparagus, blueberries, and burdock root help feed friendly bacteria like *Collinsella* and support good diversity.

✅ **Supplementing with Spore-Based Probiotics** – These tough probiotics can survive stomach acid and help reduce the harmful clostridia overgrowth naturally.

✅ **Herbal & Mushroom Support** – Luna gets a rotation of **Lion’s Mane**, **Turkey Tail**, and **Slippery Elm** to support gut lining, immune strength, and balance inflammation.

Ready to Dig Deeper Into Your Dog's Gut?

If your dog is constantly struggling with skin issues, ear infections, or belly problems, don’t keep guessing. **The microbiome test can show us exactly what’s wrong—and how to fix it**.

💌 Message me to get started with your dog’s microbiome testing and personalized healing plan.

Let’s finally restore your dog’s health **from the inside out—one bowl at a time.** 🐾

07/10/2025

🌿 **Thinking of switching to fresh food? Start with testing first!** 🐾

Before diving into a fresh food diet, we always recommend two key tools:

✅ **Allergy Saliva Test** – Uncovers hidden food sensitivities and environmental triggers that could be causing itching, ear infections, or tummy issues.

✅ **Microbiome Test** – Gives a clear picture of your dog’s gut health, showing imbalances like yeast or bad bacteria, and helps us build a plan to restore and heal.

🍲 Feeding fresh is powerful — but *targeted* feeding based on your dog’s unique needs? That’s where true healing begins.

📩 Message Dig Deeper to learn how to get started.
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07/08/2025

If your dog’s skin looks like this then we should talk. Swelling, inflammation, and sores all food related.
Before switching foods I highly recommend getting some testing done so you can tackle these issues with an arsenal of facts.
Message us for more details

07/08/2025

🌿🐾 **Meet Luna: A Dig Deeper Story – Part 1**

**“The Dog Who Never Got Better”**

Luna is an 11-year-old pitbull with the sweetest soul and the toughest journey.

For most of her life, Luna has battled *chronic yeast infections*, *hot spots*, *constant itching*, and *painful inflammation*. Her skin was red, raw, and smelly no matter how many medicated baths, creams, or prescriptions she was given.

Year after year, vet visit after vet visit, the answer was always the same: more medication. Steroids for the itching. Antibiotics for the flare-ups. Anti-fungals for the yeast. Prescription food for her “sensitive stomach.”

But nothing ever worked for long. And worse—Luna's symptoms would come back stronger, deeper, and more widespread than before.

Her family was heartbroken, frustrated, and exhausted. They were doing everything they were told—but Luna was still suffering.

So glad I found her 🐾♥️

Instead of masking symptoms, we wanted to understand what was really going on inside Luna’s body. So we ran two powerful, non-invasive tests:

1️⃣ A **Gut Health Test** – to look deep into Luna’s microbiome: the bacteria, yeast, and overall digestive function.
2️⃣ A **Food Sensitivity Test** – to identify ingredients that may be triggering inflammation, allergic responses, or discomfort.

Finally, we had a starting point. Not just a list of symptoms… but **data. Clues. Root causes.**

➡️ Stay tuned for **Part 2** as we reveal what we found in Luna’s gut—and how it explained so many of her chronic issues.

Because healing doesn’t happen from the outside in. It happens from the inside out.
And we’re just getting started. 💛

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