{"id":4943,"date":"2024-05-09T13:58:02","date_gmt":"2024-05-09T20:58:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.animalhealthfoundation.org\/blog\/?p=4943"},"modified":"2024-05-09T13:59:57","modified_gmt":"2024-05-09T20:59:57","slug":"your-dogs-healthy-gut","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.animalhealthfoundation.org\/blog\/2024\/05\/your-dogs-healthy-gut\/","title":{"rendered":"Here\u2019s how to make an affordable investment in dog gut health."},"content":{"rendered":"
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The best in health, wellness, and positive training from America\u2019s leading dog experts<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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An appropriate diet, enriched with prebiotics and probiotics as needed, will help maintain good gut health.
\nCredit: Don Mason | Getty Images<\/p>\n

By CJ Puotinen\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/a>–\u00a0 Published:<\/span>

DNA research has documented the importance of gut microbes in human and canine health, immunity, and longevity. A healthy microbiome\u2014an umbrella term used to describe communities of bacteria, fungi, and other microbes in the body\u2014destroys harmful pathogens, including disease-causing viruses, fungi, bacteria, and parasites. Most reside in the intestines, where they are known as the \u201cgut microbiome.\u201d<\/p>\n

In a healthy gut, \u201cfriendly\u201d or beneficial microbes secrete chemicals that destroy harmful bacteria and, if they are present in sufficient numbers, colonies of beneficial bacteria starve harmful microbes by depriving them of nutrients and space. In addition, the microbes in a healthy microbiome can bind to toxins, such as allergens and substances that cause cancer, removing them from the body through normal elimination.<\/p>\n

Your Dog\u2019s Microbiome<\/h2>\n

At 6 months of age, the gut microbiomes of healthy puppies contain over 500 different types of microbes. Though the numbers decline as dogs age, older dogs still have over 400 different types of bacteria and other microbes in their digestive tracts, approximately 80% of which are beneficial and 20% potentially harmful.<\/p>\n

An estimated 70-80% of your dog\u2019s immune system<\/a>\u00a0is in the microbiome. Dysbiosis (an imbalance of healthy or beneficial microbes in a dog\u2019s body) leads to a variety of common symptoms that can be treated by improving a dog\u2019s gut health, including:<\/p>\n