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Fibre is one of those words that sounds dull right up until the moment your dog has an unsettled tummy. Then it becomes very interesting indeed.
Psyllium husks are one of the simplest ways to support your dog's or cat's digestion, and they are also one of the easiest to get slightly wrong. Here is what they actually are, how much to give, how to prepare them properly, and how they compare with slippery elm bark, which is the other gut supplement owners usually look at alongside them.
What are psyllium husks?
Psyllium husks are the husks of the plantain plant. They are known for their enormous swelling power and their ability to bind water, and they can absorb many times their own weight in it.
The higher the purity, the better the husks swell. Ours are a natural product with a purity of over 95%, which gives them a swelling number of 67 ml/g. In everyday terms, a very small amount of dry powder turns into a surprising amount of soft gel.
How psyllium supports digestion
Psyllium husks are a supplementary feed that supports digestion and helps stabilise the gastrointestinal tract. The high crude fibre content stimulates the activity of the gastrointestinal tract and can support intestinal activity.
Where diarrhoea is the problem, the husks can help by absorbing the excess water and by significantly prolonging stomach emptying. They are also suited to filling the stomach and intestines and reducing the feeling of hunger, which is why some owners use them with a dog who eats as though every meal is their last.
The taste is largely neutral, which is the quiet reason this one works in practice. A supplement only helps if your pet will actually eat it.
What is in them
| Ingredients | Indian psyllium seed husks |
| Crude protein | 15.3% |
| Crude fat | 6.8% |
| Crude fibre | 19.6% |
| Crude ash | 2.2% |
| Purity | Over 95% |
How much to give
A little goes a long way here, so it is worth measuring rather than guessing. Every tub comes with a measuring cup.
| Dogs up to 10 kg | 1/4 teaspoon daily |
| Dogs over 10 kg | 1/2 teaspoon daily |
| Cats | 1/4 teaspoon daily |
How to prepare them
This is the step that matters most, and it is the one most often skipped.
Allow the psyllium husks to swell with about 15 ml of hot water for about 30 minutes, then mix the gel into your pet's food. Always soak the husks before feeding, and always make sure plenty of water is available.
Store the tub somewhere cool, dry and out of the light.
Psyllium husks or slippery elm bark?
These are the two gut supplements owners most often weigh up against each other, and they are genuinely different things rather than two versions of the same idea.
| Psyllium Husks | Slippery Elm Bark Powder | |
| What it is | Husks of the plantain plant | American slippery elm bark, gently dried and ground |
| Crude fibre | 19.6% | 32.7% |
| What it supports | Digestion and intestinal function, and support with temporary disorders | Harmonising stomach and intestinal activity, and help with vomiting and diarrhoea |
| How you give it | Soaked in hot water for about 30 minutes, then mixed into the food | Stirred into cold water, brought briefly to the boil, cooled, then given by syringe |
| When | With the meal | Ideally 30 minutes before the meal, and not mixed into food |
| Sizes | 250 g | 100 g and 250 g |
The practical difference is the routine. Psyllium soaks for half an hour and goes straight into the bowl. Slippery elm is made up as a syrup on the hob and given separately, which takes more doing but suits a pet who is off their food altogether.
Still not sure which one to pick?
You can't really go wrong either way. Both are single, natural ingredients, and both are there to support the same part of your pet's health.
If you want something you can stir into dinner every day without much thought, psyllium husks are the easier habit to keep. If your pet is already unsettled and not eating properly, slippery elm is designed to be given on its own, away from food, which is the more useful shape in that moment.
And if you're not sure, our team of veterinarians and animal nutritionists can help you choose.
Shop the digestion range
Psyllium Husks for Dogs & Cats 250g – £12.99. Supports digestion and gut health. Natural product, over 95% pure, measuring cup included.
Slippery Elm Bark Powder – 100 g £17.99, 250 g £25.49. To help with vomiting and diarrhoea. 100% American slippery elm bark, gently dried and ground, with a measuring spoon included.
