Just like humans, dogs have a complex community of microorganisms living in their digestive systems, known as the microbiome. This microscopic ecosystem plays a crucial role in your dog's overall health, influencing everything from digestion and immune function to mood and behavior.
Several factors can impact your dog's microbiome, including diet, environment, age, certain medications (including over-vaccination and antibiotics) and even stress levels. A balanced microbiome is essential for maintaining good health, while an imbalance can lead to various health issues, such as digestive problems, allergies, and infections.
Testing your dog's microbiome can provide valuable insights into their health and help you make informed decisions about their diet and lifestyle. By understanding the unique composition of your dog's microbiome, you can tailor their care to support a healthy and happy life.
Often, dogs will present with chronic itching, yeast infections, gut issues, or even anxiety and other behaviour challenges. Most commonly pet guardians are told to purchase "allergy tests" which do not test for actual allergies, but in fact intolerances or sensitivities. These tests are unreliable, often using food flavourings or cooked proteins to test against which negates their efficiency for raw fed dogs. True allergies to raw foods are extremely rare and actually most commonly the issue is due to a microbiome imbalance. Given this, at RFFDMSUK we instead recommend to pet guardians that should they suspect allergies are at play, that they consider Microbiome Testing to unlock the true cause of their dogs health issue.
Positive influences on the microbiome
Plant Matter: There is often a lot of fear around feeding foods that contain anti-nutrients. Anti nutrients are lectins, glucosinolates, oxalates, phytates, saponins, tannins. They make other nutrients less bioavailable.
In reality, in a raw diet where the animal produce is so high, the volume of anti-nutrients fed through plant matter will be outweighed by the plant matter's health benefits.
That being said, of course this doesn’t mean it is safe to pile your dog's plate / bowl full of one vegetable type day in, day out, but as a part of your plant matter rotation you can feed vegetables that contain these.
If someone fed a diet high in anti nutrients foods such as a high starch, high carb or vegan diet, this would be a huge risk due to the anti nutrients.
Some medical conditions can warrant needing to completely avoid certain plant matter in the diet entirely. If your dog has a confirmed medical diagnosis, we recommend consulting with a holistic vet and / or a 1 on 1 nutritionist.
Mother Nature: It is long believed that spending time in nature, specifically where ancient trees are, can help to positively influence the microbiome.
A species appropriate diet: A raw diet has been proven to promote a healthier and more diverse microbiome as well as healthier gut functions, better digestion and fewer allergies developing. Dogs are 22% less likely to develop CE (Chronic enteropathy) if fed unprocessed meat, organ, fish, eggs, bones and berries and veg
Foods to boost the microbiome:
Every part of the dandelion - flowers, stems, leaves, and roots—is edible. They are rich in prebiotic fibre, cleanse the liver and bloodstream, and are more nutritious than kale. Packed with vitamins C, beta-carotene, K, and potassium, dandelions are like a free medicine cabinet in your backyard! (Just ensure they haven't been sprayed with pesticides.)
Bananas are a good source of potassium, but ripe bananas are high in sugar (one medium banana has 14 grams of sugar, or 3.5 teaspoons). Unripe bananas have lower fructose content and contain resistant starches that feed your dog's microbiome. They also offer antioxidants, anticancer, and anti-inflammatory tannins, along with carotenoids that help prevent oxidative stress. Choose the greenest bananas and cut them into pea-sized cubes for tiny training treats.
Jicama is a crispy vegetable that tastes like a mix between an apple and a potato. It's an excellent training treat, packed with prebiotic fibre (inulin) and vitamin C.
Avocados are creamy fruits packed with vitamins C and E, potassium, folate, and fibre. They contain oleic acid, a healthy monounsaturated fat that supports brain function and overall health. Emerging research shows avocados benefit skin, eye, and joint health. They also contain heart-friendly phytosterols like beta-sitosterol.
Raspberries, blackberries, mulberries, and blueberries are excellent sources of prebiotic fibre and polyphenols, including ellagic acid. In sled dogs, blueberry supplementation increased antioxidant levels in their blood plasma post-exercise, protecting them from oxidative stress
Okra and asparagus are great sources of prebiotics and vitamins. Asparagus is unique for its natural glutathione, a powerful antioxidant and detoxifier that benefits the brain.
Cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and arugula are rich in gut-friendly fiber, vitamins, antioxidants, and anti-inflammatory substances. Broccoli contains two powerful compounds: 3,3' Diindolylmethane (DIM) and sulforaphane. DIM helps balance hormones and clear harmful chemicals, while sulforaphane boosts glutathione levels and has anticancer properties in dogs.
Strawberries contain fisetin, a plant compound with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Fisetin kills senescent cells, which are linked to premature aging. Studies show fisetin can extend lifespan and reduce age-related issues. It also mimics the benefits of fasting and protects the heart and nervous system. To avoid stomach upset in dogs, remove the green stems and choose spray-free or organic strawberries.
Jerusalem artichoke (sunroot, sunchoke, or earth apple): This knotty tuber root vegetable, which is not related to globe artichokes, comes from the sunflower family and is packed with inulin.
To prepare the above veggies:
Wash Thoroughly: Rinse the greens under cold water to remove any dirt.
Chop Finely: Cut the greens into small, bite-sized pieces to make them easier for your dog to eat and digest.
Serve Fresh: You can serve the chopped greens raw as a topper to your dog's regular food. This preserves their nutritional value and prebiotic fiber content.
Feeding guidelines for the above veggies (not all at once of course):
Small dogs (up to 10kg) - 1 teaspoon of chopped dandelion greens per day.
Medium dogs (10kg-25kg) - 1 tablespoon of chopped dandelion greens per day.
Large dogs (over 25kg) - 2 tablespoons of chopped dandelion greens per day.
Fermented veggies, either store-bought or homemade, are a rich source of probiotics for dogs. The problem is getting finicky dogs to eat these twangy, tart blends. If your dog will indulge, make sure they’re onion-free and give one half of a teaspoon for every 10kg of dog weight, once a day, mixed in food.
Pomegranates help protect cells and the heart, which is crucial since cardiac diseases are a leading cause of death in dogs. Heart conditions including dilated cardiomyopathy are common in older dogs. Oxidative damage can lead to heart failure. A study found that pomegranate extract provides significant heart and health benefits for dogs. Pomegranates contain ellagitannins, which gut microbes convert to urolithin A. Urolithin A regenerates mitochondria, increasing lifespan and improving endurance in studies. Many dogs enjoy these tart, crunchy jewels mixed with their food, about 1-2 teaspoons per 10kg of dog weight.
Where can I find out more?
To find out more about microbiome testing:
Watch our Group Live with Dr Carol Hughes: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1DQvcNPL3w/
Visit the Pet Biome / Biome4Pets website: PetBiome
If you decide to order the microbiome test for your dog / dogs, please do use our group discount code to save some cash, This can be found here:
What about the science?