Dog Microbiome Tests (A Vet Explains)
Join vet Dr Joanna Woodnutt MRCVS as she explains why you might test your dog’s microbiome and what to look for in a good dog microbiome test.
Have you ever heard of a dog microbiome test? Perhaps you have a dog with a dodgy gut, and you aren’t sure whether to start probiotics? Or maybe you’re trying to help your dog with skin allergies? A dog microbiome test might be the answer you’re looking for. Let’s take a look…
What is a dog microbiome test?
A dog microbiome test tells us what’s in your dog’s gut microbiome – the community of bacteria, yeasts, viruses, and other ‘microflora’ in your dog’s gut. This result is compared to thousands of other dogs to see whether your dog’s gut is ‘normal’ for dogs or not. An abnormal microbiome could be a reason for several symptoms, including fear and anxiety, chronic soft stool, explosive diarrhoea, itching, and more.
How do I test my dog’s microbiome?
It’s actually really simple for you to test your dog’s gut microbiome. Most tests work from just a stool sample. Although exact instructions may differ, essentially you need to collect a sample of stool from your dog and post it off to a lab. You may have to add something to the stool to help preserve it, but full instructions (and any needed ingredients) will be provided in your dog microbiome test kit.
How does a dog microbiome test work?
A dog microbiome test examines a sample of your dog’s stool and uses DNA testing to determine what’s living in your dog’s gut. It then compares the DNA sequences found to a reference database – a large ‘normal’ dog population. The differences between your dog’s microbiome results and the reference database can give clues as to your dog’s gut health, and help us target gut support to what they actually need.
What to expect from dog microbiome test results
The exact results you get from your dog gut microbiome test depends on the company you use and whether your vet orders the test. In most cases, you can expect to see your dog’s main gut bacteria listed, and the proportions (or ‘relative abundance’). You might also see this compared to normal dogs, with some explanation of what the major issues are. If you test your dog’s microbiome yourself, these results can be confusing, and you may need to ask a vet to explain them. That said, some companies – including my favourite dog microbiome testing company Biome9 (see below) – will give you a simple report designed with pet parents in mind.
Once you’ve got your dog’s microbiome results, it’s time to work out what to do about them. Again, discussion with your vet might be handy here, although Biome9 offers a free consultation with their microbiologist – one of the reasons I think GutDiscovery is the best dog microbiome test! Hopefully, either the company or your vet will be able to create you an action plan from your dog’s results – this might involve adding prebiotics or fibre to your dog’s diet, giving the best dog probiotics, or changing their diet altogether to help restore their microbiome.
Do I need to retest?
If you’re following a targeted action plan to address your dog’s microbial imbalances, it’s definitely worth retesting to see what impact you’ve had on your dog’s microbiome. This can help you know how long to carry on with your action plan, or even whether it’s working – you might need to adjust the plan slightly to make sure you’re impacting your dog’s health.
Dog microbiome tests: What to look for?
So, what’s available for testing your dog’s microbiome? Well, firstly, there aren’t all that many companies offering microbiome testing for dogs in the UK. This technology is still pretty new, so you don’t have a wide choice.
When it comes to choosing a microbiome testing company, try to check:
- What they’ll give you with the results (a confusing report? Something simpler? A free consultation?)
- Are the results AI-generated, or is a human in charge? (Ideally, you want a combination of both!)
- Does the company get involved with research? (Look for a company actively involved with microbiome research as this is a good sign that they’re reputable)
Now, having looked at the dog microbiome testing companies out there, I have to say I really like Biome9. Their results are presented beautifully and simply, making it easy for pet owners to access this technology. They also offer free consultations after you’ve got your report. The results are assessed by a combination of AI and humans, with humans supervising AI’s learning and answers. And, lastly, they’re actively involved in research, both by conducting in-house research and by loaning their database out to universities and research scientists studying the microbiome.
If you’d like to test your dog’s microbiome, the link below will give you 15% off!
Summary
If your dog has signs of gut microbiome dysbiosis, testing their microbiome can help reveal what’s up, so you can target their treatment. Dog microbiome tests are fairly new technology, but there are some great companies out there. My personal favourite, Biome9, has lots to recommend it, including great research efforts, a user-friendly report, and a world-leading process. What’s more, they’ve agreed to give 15% off their GutDiscovery test kit if customers follow my link above (and pay me a small commission to thank me for my time and support).
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