Did you know that dogs have trillions of microorganisms, like bacteria, and even viruses and fungi, living in their guts? This hidden metropolis in their gastrointestinal tract plays a crucial role in their overall health. But understanding what this means for our dogs isn't always easy. Sometimes, what looks like normal behavior or a small change in how they act or look can be a clue that something's not right in their gut.

Here are 3 signs that your dog’s gut might be struggling with a bad bacteria overgrowth:

1. Itching and Scratching Excessively

   Dogs’ skin and coats are sensitive to gut imbalances as even the smallest shift in their diets can easily manifest in the most obvious way possible. Aside from possible ticks and flea infections, random excessive scratching could be a sign of gut discomfort possibly due to bad gut bacteria.

   
   

2. Paw Licking All the Time

   Dogs, even in grooming themselves, don’t always lick their paws and when they do, it’s because something’s been ticking them off. This behavior is often seen as dogs trying to soothe themselves after some discomfort or irritation. It is easy to rule out bad bacteria overgrowth within their stomach as a possible cause of excessive paw licking.

   
   

3. Stains Around Their Eyes

   Tears around your dog’s eyes were already a sign of discomfort as they do not usually tear up unless their body needs to do so. They don’t cry like us humans so there’s no reason for them to tear up. These tears can solidify into obvious stains that could be a sign of something awry under their bellies that shouldn’t be ignored.