Everything, Everything (or how your pet’s microbiome effects their life)

Everything, and I mean absolutely everything with regards to your pet’s health is influenced by their microbiome.

What is a microbiome?

The microbiome is a unique teeming population of microorganisms inside your pet. The health of this microbiome has a direct and profound effect on the health of your dog or cat.

How does the microbiome affect your dog or cat?

For example, an unhealthy microbiome can result in tummy problems such as diarrhoea, constipation, gas, bloating and pain. Gut microbes also assist in the absorption of nutrients from food, so an unhealthy biome can cause nutrient deficencies even when the diet is balanced. On the other hand, a healthy gut bacteria can actually produce some nutrients like vitamin K or B.

Healthy microbiomes also boost immunity.  It’s a numbers game. The more good bacteria your pet has in his/her gut, the better  these bacteria can outcompete the bad bacteria.   Also, good bacteria in your pet’s immune system literally line the intestines, keeping bad bacteria or pathogens from entering the blood.  And a healthy microbiome helps to modulate the immune system as well, helping to keep allergies at bay.

Some recent research has uncovered a definite link between gut health and mental well-being. Although the exact mechanisms need to be worked out, this seems to work in two ways:

• Healthy gut bacteria can manufacture feel-good neurotransmitters such as serotonin, dopamine and GABA.

• There is an intricate connection between our gut and our brain. This is known as the ‘gut-brain axis’ and allows instant communication between the two areas via a network of nerves, hormones and other factors. An unhealthy microbiome can completely disrupt this, leading to problems with mood and behaviour.

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So, what does a healthy pet microbiome look like?

This is a difficult question to answer. Firstly every animals microbiome looks completely different – it is as unique as a fingerprint. But generally speaking, a good microbiome is:

• diverse – we want to see many different species of bacteria, not just one or two cultures

• mostly good – although you will never see zero ‘bad’bacteria in the gut, it is better that the good bacteria out number the bad

• adaptable – a good microbiome quickly bounces back from sickness or a change in diet or environment

• and harmonious – like a good society, a good microbiome works togeter well in a symbiotic relationship to promote overall health.

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How can we optimise our pet’s microbiome?

What can we, as pet owners do, to help our pet’s microbiome?

• Exercise – grab that frisbee or go for a run with your dog, exercise has a very positive effect on gut health.

• Fibre – feed a diet rich in fibre (vegetables, fruits, whole grains can all add healthy fibre to your pet’s diet).

• Supplements – personally I much prefer a good prebiotic supplement than a probiotic supplement. I prefer to feed the individual pet’s existing microbiome with a good prebiotic than add a whole lot of new species of bacteria in the form of a probiotic.

• (Our Everypet Formula, by the way, contains an excellent prebiotic called Fructo-oligosaccharides.)