Gut Health Re-Imagined
Innovation in pet food is ever-changing, with sustainable practices, transparency and traceability of ingredients, and new protein sources. However, gut health is now on the rise more than ever. Since 2018, searches for “dog probiotics” have increased by 179% with more than 33,000 searches per month.1 For both cat and dog probiotic searches, the volume has doubled in 2021 with the US leading with the most searches, followed by Canada, the UK, Australia, and Singapore.2
What are probiotics?
Probiotics are viable microorganisms that are intended to have health benefits when consumed. The gut microbiome is a delicate balance of beneficial, opportunistic, and pathogenic microorganisms that are within the digestive tract. This balanced microbiome supports the host’s gastrointestinal (GI) tract as well as other organ systems. When consumed, the beneficial bacteria in probiotics can bind to attachment sites within the GI tract and replicate to improve the microbial balance, which has many health benefits for the host. These health benefits can vary based on the probiotic strain but can include immune system support, protection against infections, control, or improvement of allergic disorders, reducing signs of gastrointestinal upset, supporting cognition and behavioral responses, and supporting digestibility.
Why do they matter?
While bacteria are commonly associated with disease in humans and animals, they are an essential part of a healthy and properly functioning digestive tract. The microbiome is home to trillions of microorganisms that exist in (hopefully) symbiosis with their host animal. A balanced microbiome can ensure proper digestion and absorption of nutrients and prevent common GI diseases such as diarrhea. In fact, many GI diseases occur when an opportunistic or pathogenic organism can proliferate and out-compete the other species present. While this is not preventable in all circumstances, probiotic consumption can “seed” the GI tract with beneficial bacteria and reduce the likelihood of dysbiosis (an imbalance in the microbiome), as well as provide a variety of benefits to the animal. Many pet parents choose to proactively administer probiotics to their pets to aid in the maintenance of a healthy microbiome. In fact, preventatively feeding synbiotics, or a combination of probiotics and prebiotics, has been shown to reduce the incidence of diarrhea in dogs during stressful periods such as kenneling.3
How do they work?
The mode of action of probiotics is complex and dependent on the specific bacterial strain. When the pet’s microbiome isn’t properly balanced, they can experience digestive upset, inflammation, and other ailments harmful to their wellbeing. Probiotics can help by supplying specific bacterial strains to ensure the microbiome stays balanced, and the pet’s digestive health remains in good shape. While this may seem complicated, there are companies that will test the pet’s feces to identify imbalances and provide suggestions to correct it.
What to look for on the packaging
Being able to look at the back of pet food packaging and understand the probiotic strains and amounts is important for pet retailers. Colony Forming Units (CFU) are commonly used in the guaranteed analysis. The CFU is the number of viable (alive) microorganisms in a probiotic, or in this case, in the food per pound or kg. Like most things listed on the guaranteed analysis, this is just a guaranteed minimum amount. Another thing to look for is the strains of bacteria. Not all strains of bacteria are created equally. Some are considered hardier, being able to survive more intense environmental factors, such as those in the manufacturing process. Some strains are known for being heat-sensitive and may not survive the application or shelf life. Lastly, how many different probiotic strains are there? As previously mentioned, the gut’s microbial balance is delicate and there are many internal and external factors that can create dysbiosis. This is also true for beneficial bacteria as there are five common phyla found in the dog’s gastrointestinal tract.
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The four key questions to ask brands that have probiotics on their label include:
1. What is the application process?
Depending on if the probiotics are added during extrusion or post-extrusion and what the environment is during the application process can greatly affect the viability of the probiotic.
2. Do the strains have any protective shield?
Meaning, is the probiotic in its natural form, or is it encapsulated? Sometimes, encapsulation of probiotics can help with the survivability of the application process. Additionally, is the probiotic spore-forming? Spore-forming probiotics, such as Bacillus spp. can withstand higher temperatures. This does not mean it is heat-proof, but the amount of probiotics to add to account for damage can be reduced.
3. Who is the supplier?
While this may seem like an unimportant question to ask, in the probiotic world, not all are created equally. It is important that the supplier has done their research on which strains and the source of those strains, understand the application process and is able to provide advice to achieve a specific guaranteed analysis, and understands the importance of viable strains being consumed. Without these three basic knowledge points, companies could be putting strains in and receiving no efficacy.
4. What is the shelf-life?
Not only do the strains have to remain viable throughout the application process, but most pet foods have an 18-month shelf life. Are the probiotics protected enough to maintain viability and the guaranteed analysis claim? Has the brand done any testing to confirm CFU recovery?
What’s on the horizon for pet gut/digestive health
Probiotics are a small portion of many options for digestive health, such as prebiotic fibers, postbiotics, enzymes, and herbal remedies. As we begin to better understand the GI microbiome, interest in supplementing probiotics to pets will undoubtedly increase. With recent advancements in technology, we are beginning to better understand the interaction between the animal and the microbiome. In fact, some researchers are using machine learning algorithms to understand, characterize, and classify the microbiome, and ultimately predict its effect on health.4 With these advances, we can better select specific probiotic strains to target an ailment or organ system of interest, ultimately leading to more personalized therapy. With digestive health at an all-time google search high, it is important that the appropriate questions are being asked and retailers can educate pet parents on a product best suited for their needs.
References
1. Vanderhoydonck, P. 2022. Trend alert: Probiotics for dogs and cats. https://globalpetindustry.com/article/trend-alert-probiotics-dogs-and-cats
2. Grzeskowiak, K., Endo, A., Beasley, S., Salminen, S. Microbiota and probiotics in canine and feline welfare. Anaerobe, 2015. 34:14-23. doi: 10.1016/j.anaerobe.2015.04.002.
3. Rose, L., et al., Efficacy of a probiotic‐prebiotic supplement on incidence of diarrhea in a dog shelter: a randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled trial. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine, 2017. 31(2):377-382.
4. Marcos-Zambrano, L.J., et al., Applications of Machine Learning in Human Microbiome Studies: A Review on Feature Selection, Biomarker Identification, Disease Prediction and Treatment. Frontiers in Microbiology, 2021. 12.
