From Constant Flare-Ups to Confidence | Shug's Gut Health Journey
"I was at the vet every month... and I haven't seen her since speaking to you."
When Shug's Mum first got in touch, she was exhausted. She described herself as a "stressed Border mummy", desperately wanting to help her young dog feel better.
"He's my baby and my priority. I really want to get him sorted."
At not quite two years old, Shug had already spent much of his life battling digestive issues.
Little Shug, 2 year old border terrier who was up and down in terms of wellness. His vet was stumped.
The Challenge
From around six months of age, Shug began experiencing recurring episodes of:
Bloody stools
Vomiting
Painful tummy gurgling
Stretching and abdominal discomfort
Eating wood, mud and grass
Poor appetite and inconsistent eating habits
Despite trying multiple prescription diets, including fish-based diets, hydrolysed foods and hypoallergenic treats, his symptoms continued to return. Mum was constantly waiting for the next flare-up, which is so common when managing dogs with this life long condition.
"I was just always waiting for the next thing."
Alongside this, she suspected a food intolerance and wanted to move away from relying solely on prescription diets, but felt overwhelmed by where to start.
"I was frightened to cook. I just wanted him to eat like a normal dog."
Our Approach
Rather than simply changing his food, we created a plan to support Shug's gut health from the inside out.
Together we:
Investigated potential gluten sensitivity through Laboklin gliadin testing.
Ordered a microbiome test to better understand his gut health.
Introduced carefully selected gut-supporting supplements.
Transitioned him gradually onto a fresh, rotational diet.
Added targeted, functional, clean nutrients.
Developed a realistic long-term feeding plan that Mum felt confident following.
Most importantly, we took things s l o w l y; every change was introduced with a purpose.
The Results
Within just a few weeks, Shug's Mum was already noticing remarkable changes.
"He's been fantastic! He's happy and loving his food. He's getting up earlier because he loves it."
His confidence around food transformed! Instead of walking away from meals, he was excited for both breakfast and dinner.
She also noticed something even more meaningful.
"He's already happier and more settled. The difference in the last three or four weeks is massive."
Happy Shug is a different dog now. He rarely needs to see the vet, and his mum feels so relieved to have the confidence to manage him, herself with my knowledge and experience.
Beyond His Gut
As Shug began feeling better physically, his behaviour changed too. Previously, Mum didn't feel confident letting him off lead.
Now...
"He's off the lead now full time. We have so much more trust. He's listening. The difference is unbelievable."
His improved wellbeing gave everyone more confidence.
Managing the Flare-Ups
Shug still experiences occasional flare-ups as part of the condition, but they're now far less overwhelming. His family understand his triggers, know how to support him and have implemented some fantastic tried and tested practical management strategies to keep him safe. Perhaps the biggest change isn't that every symptom has disappeared. It's that his family no longer feel helpless.
"Even if he has a flare-up, I now feel like I'm doing everything I possibly can."
During one episode that would previously have resulted in an emergency vet visit, they were able to confidently manage him at home.
"I wasn't running to the vets again and pumping him full of meds. He recovered much more quickly."
A New Way of Feeding
Today Shug enjoys a varied diet including:
Fresh food
Rotating safe ingredient cold-pressed dry foods
Bone broth
Functional mushrooms
Fresh vegetables
Carefully selected treats
Rotational proteins to encourage dietary and biome diversity
His family now feel empowered to introduce new foods confidently and understand why variety matters for long-term gut health.
More Than Nutrition
This journey wasn't just about changing food. It was about helping Shug's family understand his body, recognise his triggers and feel confident supporting him through every stage of his recovery. Because it’s not what you do, it’s the way that you do it. As his guardian beautifully put it:
"I couldn't have done it without you. I wouldn't have known where to start."
And perhaps the feedback that means the most...
"If I ever get another dog, they'll be fed proper food from the beginning. I didn't know all of this with my last dog, and I wish I did."
Dogs can have inflammation at any age, but it builds up and gets worse over time. Luckily Shug was nearly 2, but we can start as soon as you decide to welcome a new puppy.
Could your dog benefit from a personalised nutrition plan?
If your dog is struggling with digestive issues, suspected food intolerances, recurring tummy troubles or you're simply unsure where to start with fresh feeding, I'd love to help.
Together we can build a practical, evidence-informed nutrition plan that supports your dog's health while giving you the confidence to make informed choices every step of the way.
Why Border Terriers?
As a Border Terrier specialist, I see cases like Shug's far more often than many people realise. Daily in the Facebook groups, for example, and all over Instagram.
This wonderful breed is particularly prone to digestive issues, food sensitivities and gluten-related conditions, including Paroxysmal Gluten-Sensitive Dyskinesia (often referred to as Spike's Disease). Many Border Terriers also experience ‘reactivity’, chronic gut inflammation, recurring tummy upsets and ‘drunken looking’ cramping and ataxia symptoms that can seem unrelated to diet at first glance.
Understanding what to feed is only one piece of the puzzle.
Knowing how to feed a Border Terrier, when to rotate proteins, how to support the gut microbiome, which supplements to introduce (and when), and how to build a balanced fresh diet without overwhelming the digestive system, is just as important.
Because I've worked with many Border Terriers and have personally experienced these challenges, I understand how worrying and frustrating it can be when your dog isn't thriving, and your health care team isn’t getting to the bottom of WHY? My aim is always to give you a clear, practical plan that feels achievable and is tailored to your individual dog.
Could This Sound Familiar?
If your dog regularly experiences any of the following:
Fussy or inconsistent eating habits
Excessive grass, mud or wood eating
Ongoing digestive problems that never seem fully resolved
Ear infections, dry eye or anal gland problems
Looking drunk or wobbly
Recurring loose or bloody stools
Vomiting or frequent tummy upsets
Reactivity and not wanting to be handled
Gurgly stomach noises
Suspected food intolerances
Gluten sensitivity, CECS or Spike's Disease
...you don't have to navigate it alone.
Every dog is different, but with the right nutrition, appropriate cost effective testing where needed, and a personalised plan, many dogs can become happier, healthier and far more comfortable. Just like Shug.
Ready to Help Your Dog Feel Better?
If you've noticed any of these symptoms in your own dog regardless of the breed, I'd love to help.
Whether you have a Border Terrier or another breed struggling with digestive issues, together we can uncover what's driving the problem and create a nutrition plan that supports your dog's gut health, wellbeing and quality of life.
Get in touch today to book your canine nutrition consultation and let's help your dog thrive from the inside out.
