22 Jul 2025
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Gut-health
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We get it, receiving your dog’s Gut Health Test Report can feel daunting.
But no need to worry, there are lots of other dog owners up and down the country going through the exact same thing - including right here at Pooch!
Our Head of Microbiology and gut health extraordinaire, Dr Bushra Schuitemaker, also tested her dog’s gut health. So, we sat down with her whilst she went through her results.
Take a look!
Artemis is a one-year-old rescue Lurcher who belongs to our Head of Microbiology, Dr Bushra.
She’s a happy, healthy pup who lives a relatively active lifestyle. Like most dogs, Artemis sometimes likes to play by her own rules, often eating bird poo and drinking from garden water pots.
Whilst this might not sound completely out of character for dogs, it unknowingly has a big impact on their gut microbiome; an impact that would certainly shine through on their Gut Health Test Report.
Dr Bushra says:
“That might seem surprising for a young, energetic dog who looks healthy on the outside. But this is what Invisible Health is all about: showing us the microbial risks we can’t see yet.”
“It’s not about diagnosing illness, it’s about prevention.”
Diversity: Good
Richness: OK
Balance: OK
Resilience: Poor
This tells us that Artemis has a diverse ecosystem of bacteria, one that consists of a variety of species. It also shows that one species isn’t dominating the others, which is a great start!
However, her Poor Resilience score indicates that her gut community struggles to recover from stressors such as diet changes, illness, or environmental exposures (like eating bird poo and drinking pond water).
For further explanation of what these markers will mean on your future Gut Health Test Report, explore ‘What does a dog gut health test tell you about your dog?’ and ‘5 things to know before you get your dog’s Gut Health Test Report’.
When looking into her Digestive Health, Artemis scored quite poorly. Her results indicated that her gut was not efficiently equipped to digest and absorb carbohydrates, protein, and fibre.
This means, even whilst on the best possible diet, Artemis’s body is unable to benefit from the goodness it provides.
When looking at her Immunity & Inflammation scores, these also came back as Poor.
And whilst Artemis isn’t currently inflamed or fighting off infection right now, it means she’s lacking what she needs to do so effectively in the future.
When it came to her Metabolic Function, Artemis even scored 0/100 in some areas.
This included Joints & Mobility, Gut Fuel and Metabolic Energy.
On this, Dr Bushra says:
“This shows Artemis is missing some of the core members of her microbiome team. And this matters. The zeros in Gut Fuel and Metabolic Energy likely explain why I’ve struggled to maintain her weight. Her gut simply doesn’t have the bacteria it needs to generate the most energy.
For Joints & Mobility, it’s an early warning. Her breed is already prone to joint issues, and right now, she’s not getting microbial support in that area.”
With a Gut Health Test Report littered with Poor, Okay and Moderate scores, and a seemingly healthy dog, it may have been easy for Dr Bushra to panic. However, that isn’t the case!
Dr Bushra says:
“Artemis is full of life, affectionate, and outwardly healthy.
These results don’t mean she’s ill; they mean I’ve got the chance to step in early.
By rebuilding those missing core bacteria, strengthening her digestion, and boosting resilience, I can unlock more from her diet and protect her long-term health.”
Artemis’s Gut Health Supplement plan will reflect those areas in which her gut needs support. After 6 months, Dr Bushra will test her gut again to see the impact this extra support has had on her gut microbiome, and how she can continue to maintain this.
And that is the power of Gut Health intervention, Gut Health Tests and knowing their Invisible Health Score. It helps us identify missing core bacteria and hidden risks, allowing us to act on them and prevent problems before they arise.
To find out more, explore Gut Health at Pooch & Mutt, and contact our expert team with any further questions and advice.
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