Your dog's gut microbiome: What it is and how to support it

You may have heard the term ‘microbiome’ getting thrown around a lot recently – on TV, in award-winning books, and even just in everyday conversation – and there’s good reason for that.

The term ‘microbiome’ refers to the community of bacteria that live inside us (and other living organisms), in the gut, but also in the mouth and other areas of the body. Recent research from leading scientists, including Tim Spector, has suggested that a healthy microbiome plays an immense role in promoting overall health, longevity and wellbeing.

Of course, our pets have microbiomes too…

What is your dog's gut microbiome?

The dog microbiome is an amazing part of their digestive system. The right way to think of a gut microbiome (both yours and your dog’s) is as a living ecosystem that exists inside the body. But instead of lush vegetation, voles, badgers, and maybe the occasional wildebeest, this entire ecosystem is made up of a careful balance of microorganisms, including fungi, bacteria, and viruses.

The more we learn about the gut microbiome, the more incredible we find out it is. Increasingly, the microbiome is even being seen as a functioning organ in its own right. The gut microbiome is perhaps the one that gets the most attention. It’s made up of all the microorganisms living along the gastrointestinal tract, from the mouth to the tail. In dogs, around 98% of the gut microbiome is made up of bacteria. These good microorganisms live in harmony with your dog’s body, with dog and microbiome supporting each other in various ways.

Here’s just one example: bacteria in the intestine ferment some types of food, producing important nutrients and ‘postbiotics’ for your dog to use. For example, they break down certain types of fibre into short-chain-fatty-acids (SCFAs). These SCFAs are then absorbed by your dog’s colon and used for energy. In this way, the bacteria help your dog by releasing an energy source from fibre, which your dog otherwise wouldn’t have been able to digest and use. Read our guide to the benefits of fibre in dogs.

A healthy microbiome may also be one of the keys to a healthy mind, as it’s now known that a large portion of the body’s serotonin is actually made in the intestine. Serotonin is a very important neurotransmitter, meaning it plays a vital role in the nervous system. It’s also known as a ‘happy hormone’ that influences mood.

All in all, there’s good reason to think that a healthy gut microbiome could also be important for controlling anxiety.

So, what’s your dog doing to contribute to this great two-way relationship? Well, other than providing shelter for those friendly microbes, the cells lining your dog’s intestine also feed the bacteria by producing a mucous that they consume. Everybody wins!

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Why is a healthy microbiome important?

The microbiome is important because it’s involved in several bodily functions, including:

• Teaching the immune system the difference between ‘normal’ or ‘good’ microorganisms and infectious agents (such as harmful bacteria and viruses)
• Protecting against infectious agents
• Metabolism, or converting food into energy

In a healthy microbiome, the vast majority of bacteria are beneficial, with only a very small number being harmful. As long as the immune system is also healthy, it will ‘tolerate’ these good bacteria – meaning that it won’t react to them. But if the number of harmful bacteria living in the microbiome increases, the immune system will start to attack the microbiome. Importantly, it will also start to attack the tissues that the microbes are living on.

What would this mean for your dog? Well, let’s take the mouth, for example. In your dog’s mouth, an unbalanced local microbiome can cause the immune system to attack various tissues, including the gums and the ligaments that hold your dog’s teeth in place.

When looking again at the gut microbiome in particular, we know that its status can also have wide-ranging effects elsewhere in the body. As well as the relationship between the brain and digestive tract, another good example of this is the connection between the gut microbiome and the skin. Evidence suggests that there is a bidirectional communication pathway that exists between skin and gut, also known as the gut-skin axis.
 
Simply put, when your dog’s gut microbiome is compromised, it can have a knock-on effect to their skin, due to factors like compromised immunological health and immune-tolerance mechanisms, as well as decreased nutrient absorption. One recent study showed that dogs with atopic dermatitis (skin allergies) have a significantly lower gut microbial diversity compared to healthy dogs, and that probiotic administration can reduce the clinical severity of their skin allergy symptoms. Which is amazing when you think about it!

While research is ongoing into the various implications of an imbalanced microbiome, it’s clear that the microbiome is an important part of your dog’s body!

Signs your dog's gut microbiome may be unbalanced

There’s no clear-cut, one-size-fits-all list of signs that indicate an imbalanced microbiome. That’s because an imbalanced microbiome is thought to have a vast range of potential knock-on effects.

Signs in the mouth

In your dog’s mouth, an imbalanced microbiome may contribute to:

• Bad breath
• Red, swollen gums which may bleed easily
• Red, swollen lips, inner cheeks, tongue, or fauces (back of the mouth)
• Tooth loss
  

If you’re worried that your dog has any of the above, you should call your vet as soon as possible.

Signs in the gut

A chronic imbalance in the gut microbiome can mean the gut’s defence system can become impaired, and substances that normally can’t pass through the gut wall are now able to get through and enter the bloodstream. Symptoms of poor gut health include:

• Diarrhoea or soft stools
• Excessive gas
• Weight loss
  

While these could be signs your dog needs probiotics, they can also indicate underlying health issues. If left untreated, these could lead to even more serious complications, so you should check in with your vet as soon as possible if your dog is unwell.

Signs on the skin

The skin microbiome of healthy dogs is a careful balance of commensal bacteria and yeasts. Dogs with skin disorders often have a reduction in the diversity of their skin microbiome with an overgrowth in certain populations such as Staphylococcus pseudointermedius and Malassezia pachydermatis. Symptoms could include –

• Itchy skin
• Dull coat
• Recurrent skin or ear infections
• Areas of inflamed skin or hair loss
  

It’s important to get your dog checked out by your vet so that underlying issues like parasites, hormonal issues, and skin allergies can be addressed, as well as any infections.

What can disrupt the microbiome?

The most common things to interrupt the gut microbiome in dogs are –

Antibiotics – A dog on antibiotics is at increased risk of dysbiosis. This is because antibiotics don’t just target the harmful bacteria in the infection we are trying to treat; they can also affect useful bacteria found in the gut microbiome. This can lead to antibiotic-side effects like loose stools and increased flatulence. Studies indicate that administering a symbiotic (a combination of probiotics and prebiotics) alongside antibiotic treatment can reduce antibiotic-associated gastrointestinal signs.
 
Sudden diet changes – While some dogs can cope with sudden dietary changes, not all can, which may result in digestive upset. The gut microbiome carefully adapts its population levels to deal with the current diet, so it may not be able to easily handle the sudden presentation of a new dog food. Any changes in diet should be done gradually, with a transition period of 7 – 10 days, to allow your dog’s microbiota to adapt accordingly.
 
Stress – Long-term stress could impact your dog’s digestive health. We’ve already touched on the pathway that exists between brain and gut, which means that the health of the gut microbiome can influence your dog’s behaviour. But this means that, in turn, chronic stress can impact digestive and immune-system health, with studies in humans demonstrating modifications in gut microbiota. Research in our canine companions is ongoing.
 
Ageing – Age-associated shifts in the gut microbiome have been demonstrated in dogs. A 2019 study in older dogs showed a decrease in microbial diversity. The mechanism remains unclear, and it’s not certain whether age-related digestive conditions like inflammatory bowel disease and cancer cause these shifts, or whether the shifts in bacterial populations contribute to the development of these conditions. Chicken and egg!

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How can I help support my dog’s microbiome?

Your dog’s microbiome will be affected by many things, such as age, genetics, and diet. Currently, there’s lots of ongoing research into how diet can alter the microbiome, and which diets are best for a healthy microbiome. The aim of a microbiome-friendly diet is to support naturally good bacteria while limiting bad bacteria, in order to restore an optimal balance.
 
A good quality, complete diet is always recommended. This should be appropriate for your dog’s age and size. However, many owners are looking into other natural food options to help their pet’s digestive system. These include –

Kefir

Kefir is a fermented milk drink, although it also comes in thicker, yoghurt-like varieties too. Kefir grains, small mixtures of beneficial microbes, are added to milk, and as the mixture ferments it becomes thicker and develops a gentle fizz. These live microbes can help support digestion and help with microbiome balance. The fermentation process also helps reduce the lactose content of the milk, meaning symptoms of dairy intolerance are less likely.
 
Can dogs have kefir? Dogs can have kefir if you give it sensibly. There is no specific kefir for dogs available at the moment, so it’s important to choose wisely when looking at the human food items on supermarket shelves. Stick to a plain variety, with no added sugar or flavourings.
 
When offering your dog kefir, it’s important not to overdo things, as you could accidentally create an unbalanced diet. Stick to a small spoonful for little dogs, a tablespoon for medium-sized dogs, and two tablespoons for large breeds. This can be added to their food or spread on a lick-mat.

Bone Broth

Bone broth for dogs has increased in popularity for many reasons. Bone broth is a stock made from boiling animal bones in water for several hours, allowing all the nutrients to infuse with the water. Dogs love this nutritious, meaty broth, but is bone broth good for dogs?
 
The answer is yes! This natural product is rich in nutrition with the following health benefits:

• Supports joint health – Collagen, chondroitin, and glucosamine are the building blocks needed for healthy cartilage, so bone broth can support joint health and mobility.
• Improves gut health – Nutrients like gelatine, proline, and glycine promote gut health. While not directly impacting microbe levels in the gut, they can help with inflammation and improve the gut lining.
• Promotes healthy skin and coat – Collagen and amino acids are essential to the health of our pet’s skin and coat. Bone broth is rich in these nutrients, so it could help dogs in need of a skin boost.
• Helps hydration – Bone broth can help encourage more fluid intake, which can be particularly useful in warm weather.
• Can help fussy eaters – Mixing bone broth into their normal food can help encourage picky dogs to eat.
  

When choosing a bone broth for your dog, pick a low-salt variety with no added seasoning.  It must never be served hot for dogs, only lukewarm or cold.

Fermented & Fibre-Rich Foods

In humans, fermented foods like kimchi, sauerkraut, and kombucha have become more popular. It’s thought that regular consumption of fermented foods can encourage microbial diversity, improve immune function, and aid digestion. While some dogs will happily eat anything, including pickled cabbage, others… not so much.
 
Care needs to be taken if you are thinking of offering any of these products, as some, like kimchi and miso, also contain other ingredients like garlic, salt, onions, and chilli. These can be harmful to your dog. Most vets would tell you to avoid offering your pet fermented human foods for this reason.
 
However, fibre-rich foods can be beneficial to dogs. Increasing the fibre in your pet’s diet can help the gut microbiome and improve stool consistency. Good examples of fibre-rich foods include wheatgerm, milled flaxseed, kelp, and vegetables like pumpkin, kale, carrots, and broccoli.
 
However, fussy eaters may not fancy these additions to their diet, and it can be easy to accidentally create dietary imbalances. So, any fibre-rich extras should be given in moderation and make up no more than 10% of your dog’s daily diet. Some pets get on better with a fibre supplement.

While natural food options can be helpful aids, for targeted microbiome support, a supplement specifically aimed at digestive health is usually recommended by vets.

Consider the right supplement to help support your dog’s microbiome

Taking steps to ensure your dog has a healthy microbiome is one of the best things you can do to support their health and wellbeing. While diet and lifestyle are the first – and most important – things to get right when it comes to supporting your dog’s microbiome, we’d also recommend giving them YuMOVE Digestive Care Probiotic & Fibre.

YuMOVE Probiotic & Fibre is packed with natural fibre to help support healthy anal glands and aid stool consistency, while probiotics for dogs and prebiotics help support the natural balance of the gut. Each pouch contains 12 billion CFUs of probiotic bacteria, along with prebiotics to support the natural balance of healthy bacteria in the gut.

Final thoughts

More research is needed, and plenty is already underway, into the role of the microbiome and how to use diet to change it for the better. However, enough research does already exist to show that the microbiome is important for overall health, and not just for gut health. For example, in the mouth, an unhealthy microbiome can contribute to poor dental health. So, if your dog has red gums or unexplained smelly breath, or they are showing any of the other digestive or skin symptoms listed in this article, have a chat with your vet!