“You don’t see wolves buying probiotics.”
“My dog’s gourmet meals give her everything she needs.”
“Doesn’t the gut do its job without extra help?”
Welcome to dog gut health debunk class, where we tackle some of the most common misconceptions about your pet’s microbiome.
If you’ve heard any or all of the above opinions and misconceptions, that’s ok. Gut health for dogs is still a relatively new concept, which means there are a few myths that come up, time and time again.
Let’s give you the quick lore around gut health – and, like any good story, it has a villain (bacteria, but not really), a protagonist (the gut) and the hero of it all: the power of scientific advancement.
For a long time, no-one thought all that much about bacteria until it overgrew and caused problems. For the most part, bacteria were seen as “bad”. Then the early 2000s rolled around and we had the molecular tools to truly evaluate the microbiome – a lot of thanks here goes to the Human Microbiome Project, which in 2007 really pioneered ideas around how a ‘balanced microbiota’ could support whole-body health. The science benefited humans first, but that broader understanding is now being translated over to our pets.
Here are some of the top dog gut health myths that we hear, so we can help set the record straight.
Myth 1: Wolves and tigers don’t need probiotics. Why should my pet?
These wild animals might not have dedicated Pet Loyalists adding supplements into their schedules but you’d be surprised how many probiotics they get. These come from a range of sources including live bacteria from prey, soil and even from grooming each other. In reality, these animals are surrounded by a wealth of good and bad bacteria in the wild that many of our pets simply don’t encounter in their food or environment - no matter how much we pamper them.
Myth 2: Pet probiotics make absolutely no difference
This is one of those tricky points where the response is sort of yes and sort of no. Not all probiotics are created equal, so it’s true that some won’t make a difference. That said, quality, strain-specific probiotics have been proven – in controlled studies in cats and dogs – to improve stool quality, immune response and even stress resilience. In short: get the right formulation and strain and you’re onto a winner.
Myth 3: Isn’t the gut just for digestion?
We really don’t give the gut enough credit, and in truth digestion is a tiny part of all the hard work it does. It’s in constant, bidirectional communication with other organs including the brain and liver – and there’s even evidence it influences your dog's skin, kidneys, lungs and bladder.
Myth 4: Gut health is a nice extra, not an essential
As we like to keep mentioning, the gut’s influence extends far beyond its immediate domain. In fact, there’s really no other organ in your pet’s body that influences so many other organs in turn. Think of it as the command center for the whole body. And if you think of it like that, you can see why proactively supporting gut health really is essential.
Myth 5: Probiotics are a marketing ploy
It’s true that marketing can be seductive, and it’s challenging for Pet Loyalists to understand what’s truly effective and science-backed when there are so many products on offer. We’re constantly learning more about functional nutrition for pets, which means validated probiotics and postbiotics have substantial scientific backing.
Myth 6: My pet gets everything they need from their food
Pet Loyalists put a lot of time and effort into making sure their cats and dogs get the tastiest meals possible. However, every pet has unique needs and metabolic differences, which means reaching optimum nutrition could mean going a step further and pairing that carefully researched and prepared diet with a targeted supplement.
Myth 7: Aren’t probiotics and supplements just for after antibiotics?
The beauty of probiotics is that they don’t just work as a ‘repair tool’ after a course of antibiotics; they’re also a source of constant maintenance. Using probiotics can prevent any imbalance in your pet’s gut by maintaining healthy microbial populations - the state of which can be disrupted by a huge range of things including changes in diet, travel, aging, illness or stress.
Myth 8: The poos are good, so surely their gut is too?
We might not want to admit it, but most Pet Loyalists keep an eye on their dog’s toilet business. It’s just what you do. However, that’s not an infallible guide to what’s going on inside your pet; subtle, microbial shifts can be happening and impacting immune function, behavior, nutrient metabolism and even skin and coat health. So, don’t get too comfortable with just the stool test.
Myth 9: I’m going to have to clear some space in my fridge, aren’t I?
This would have been true in the past, but we’ve got to the point where many high-quality probiotic strains can happily live in capsules or be freeze-dried, so no fridge needed! You can keep them in a drawer along with all your dog’s other toys, treats and goodies.
In summary: there’s a lot of information available surrounding gut health for dogs, and sorting through it all is a job and a half. The joy about looking after your pet’s gut is that it’s a relatively straightforward addition to your normal routine that can have a positive ripple-effect on their entire body. And, because in vets we trust, we asked what they think.
It’s easy to get lost in the noise. But supporting dog gut health is one of the simplest, most impactful ways to start.