Understanding the Microbiome of the Dog

Did you know that the dog has trillions of little friends who manage his microbiome? Your dog is made up of trillions of little cells. These cells form your dog’s bones, organs and skin. And their functions are controlled by your dog’s genes. There are other residents in your dog such as tiny little microorganisms like bacteria, fungi and viruses. The bacteria in your dog outnumber his cells 10 to 1! The bacteria genes outnumber your dog’s genes by more than 100 times. These little communities of microbes are called the microbiome. And, if you neglect to treat his little friends as well as you treat your dog, his health will suffer. In fact, the microbiome is so important to your dog’s health that it’s called the “forgotten organ.”

A healthy microbiome has thousands of different kinds of microbes to make up a diverse, balanced community. But when there aren’t enough beneficial microbes or there are too many harmful ones, some of that community’s important functions stop working and your pet may develop uncomfortable symptoms like diarrhea or itchy skin. This kind of disruption in the gut microbiome can be caused by a variety of factors, including disease, age, diet and medications – especially antibiotics.

The microbes in your dog’s microbiome can protect your dog from viruses like parvovirus or distemper, fungi like yeast, harmful bacteria like E. coli or salmonella and other pathogens and leptospirosis or Lyme. The friendly bacteria secrete chemicals that can kill off these harmful invaders. When friendly bacteria outnumber the pathogenic bacteria, they steal nutrients and space. This starves the pathogenic bacteria and leaves them nowhere to attach to in the gut. The microbiome can form a protective barrier. This offers defense against drugs, toxins, allergens and carcinogens. The little microbes can also attach to invaders. This prevents toxins from moving deeper into the body and removes them in the feces.

The friendly bacteria in your dog’s gut microbiome produce special proteins called enzymes. These help your dog digest and use his food. If those friendly bacteria aren’t around, your dog won’t get the nutrition he needs from his meals. These bacteria transport nutrients across the intestinal wall and into your dog’s bloodstream. This provides energy support to his cells to maintain their health and build new ones.

These microbes also produce short-chain fatty acids by fermenting fiber in your dog’s colon. These critical fats help to absorb important minerals, including calcium, magnesium and iron. The gut-brain axis is his communication system between the microbiome and his brain. The little bugs that live in your dog talk with your dog’s brain through nerves and hormones. The brain can signal the microbiome and demand more food or even control the immune system. By far, the most important job of the microbiome is to support the immune system. Your dog’s intestinal tract is lined with a mucous membrane. In this membrane is something called the GALT, or gut-associated lymphoid tissue. The GALT works very closely with the microbiome to form up to 90% of your dog’s immune system. The GALT contains special immune cells, such as lymphocytes, T and B cells. These cells are the main workers in the immune system. The GALT is so critical that it’s the largest organ in your dog’s immune system. So your dog’s microbiome plays a key role not just in his nutrition, but in his health and happiness.

Most processed foods are high in starch. Sugar and refined starches are quickly absorbed before the microbes can digest them. This leaves them looking for an alternate source of food. And the microbes can start to eat away the cells that line your dog’s intestines. This often shows up as allergy symptoms, yeast, joint pain and other ailments. Processed foods are also sterile. The bacteria have been heated and processed out of them. The microbes living in your dog’s gut die off and need to be replaced in his diet. If his food is deficient in bacteria, your dog’s microbiome will begin to become less populated and the colonies will start to die off without any new immigrants. QCBN

By Sandy Haffner

Sandy Haffner is a pet nutrition specialist and owner of
Preskitt’s Pawz N Clawz.