18 Jul 2025
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Gut-health
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The health and resilience of our dog’s gut will affect a wide range of areas in their life; from how they digest food and absorb nutrients, to things like their mood, mobility and even their immunity. The more research that is being done, the more we discover just how vital a healthy gut is.
The advent of dog Gut Health Tests has been one of the most exciting and promising developments within veterinary medicine in recent years. Having access to this new tool will inevitably change the way I both diagnose and treat a large number of my patients. My hope is that it will allow me to care for them in a more holistic and effective manner.
Canine Gut Health Tests identify any issues within the gut, enabling us to provide our patients with a food and supplement plan they can follow from home. After six months, we then retest the dogs to check how effective this has been, and to identify the best long-term plan for them.
The microbiome is a complex ecosystem of microscopic bacteria and other microorganisms, like viruses and fungi. We can test to see which microbes are present, to help us predict future problems, and to identify any current imbalances.
Many factors influence the microbiome, including health status, medication, diet, supplements, exercise, and a dog’s age and breed. As microbiome testing becomes more widely available for our canine friends, more and more owners will have the option to improve and refine their dogs’ gut health, in ways that are backed by scientific evidence.
Leaky gut is another way of saying that there is an increased permeability of the gut lining, meaning things can get in and out more easily. The leaking of toxins, food particles, and bacteria into the blood can potentially have negative effects on the body.
The belief is that while it is normal to have some level of permeability, a gut that is too leaky can contribute to chronic health issues.
An imbalance in the gut microbiome is referred to as dysbiosis. A disruption in the balance of bacteria has an effect on many areas of a dog’s body and can lead to signs including gastrointestinal upset, lethargy, itchy skin and anxiety.
A canine Gut Health Test at Pooch can identify when dysbiosis is occurring and should highlight the areas where your dog needs support. With a Pooch & Mutt Gut Health Test, they provide everything you need to collect your dog’s stool sample. This will then be sent off to their lab, where their results will be collated into a handy Gut Health Test Report, suggesting the best next steps.
After you’ve received your dog’s Gut Health Test Report, the next six months will see your dog following the recommended, tailored diet and Gut Health Supplement Plan. A 3-phase plan, this will focus on rebalancing their gut and encouraging good bacteria to flourish in the correct proportions. The diet plan will contain the right pre, pro and postbiotics, vitamins, minerals and nutrients to help get things back on track.
There is a focus on establishing microbial diversity and in creating a ‘resilient’ gut. A resilient gut can bounce back from illness and maintain balance, even as the microbiome changes.
After being on an adapted diet and a course of gut health supplements, you’ll want to know how much progress has been made and if your dog is on the right path. Change won’t happen overnight, so waiting for several months is important.
When starting your dog’s gut health journey with Pooch & Mutt, a retest is always recommended. Taking place six months after the first one (nearing the end of the gut supplement plan), it would show the potential improvements or other areas that need to be targeted. The hope is that balance has been restored, there is now a rich microbial diversity, and any pesky symptoms have been alleviated!
Going forward, the aim would be to maintain this thriving, healthy gut. This will allow for efficient nutrition, a strong immune system and overall improved health.
For owners who adhere to the plan, the hope is that they notice improvements in many areas of their dog’s life. These changes can take weeks or even months to come to fruition, so patience is important.
Where we see improvement will depend on how your dog’s dysbiosis has been affecting them. For example, a dog with chronic gastrointestinal disturbances may stop having episodes of loose poo, pass less wind and experience less bloating. Or, a dog with chronic anxiety may have a newfound confidence and be less reactive in general.
As a vet, I’m often asked how to improve gut health naturally, and I genuinely believe that this test is the key. Prior to having access to the canine gut health test, we could only guess at the best dog gut health supplements and food. Now, we are in a much better place to make specific recommendations, rather than implementing a blanket approach and having every single patient on the same diet or probiotics.
I’m a big fan of ‘real data’ and of having analytics that I can use for comparison. When it comes to gut health, having a ‘before and after’ picture is extremely valuable. After retesting the patient, we’re able to assess the progress we’ve made and determine the next best step for them.
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