Bacteria, viruses and other tiny microorganisms. The bad guys? Now we know that’s not the case. 99% of these tiny creatures are actually doing a huge amount of good. They help modulate our dog’s (& our) bodily function – their risk of allergies, their mood, how many long-term chronic diseases they’ll get - these are all things that are heavily dictated by their gut microbiome.
This crazy science started when a bunch of scientists started literally transferring microbiomes between different individuals and seeing widespread effects on their physical and mental being.
“Disruption to the canine microbiome has since been observed in conditions including inflammatory bowel disease, acute diarrhea, skin and ear infection, and obesity”
Nature, Science 2022 (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41522-022-00329-5)
So what’s the big deal? Well, we know that the gut microbiome is incredibly important for our long-term health, and sadly the prospects for our dog’s long-term health are looking incredibly and increasingly bleak. 50% of dogs after the age of 10 develop cancer. Correct, there’s a 1 in 2 chance of your dog developing cancer if they live longer than 10 years. This rise in chronic health conditions has been linked to our dog’s modern lifestyles, that have been associated with a deterioration in their gut health.
Sterile environments, antibiotic use and a lack of diverse, fresh foods (and a host of heavily-processed kibbles on offer) - these are all examples of things that contribute to a worsening in our dog’s guts.
The good news is? Now we can analyse our dog’s guts to understand them better from the inside-out. Identify any disruption and modifying their lifestyle to ensure we are restoring and maintaining their little microbiome army for a long and happy life.
Don’t just take our word for it – https://www.theguardian.com/society/2021/jul/11/unlocking-the-gut-microbiome-and-its-massive-significance-to-our-health
Want to learn more? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VzPD009qTN4&ab_channel=Kurzgesagt%E2%80%93InaNutshell