In veterinary medicine we often remind ourselves that ‘common things occur commonly’. This is certainly true for pets presenting with dull coats, itchy skin or intermittent gastrointestinal upsets with owners desperate for a resolution.
Nutrition is rarely the only factor, but it is one of the most powerful levers we have. What we feed becomes the substrate for the gut microbiota, and the microbiome in turn shapes digestion, immunity and with increasing understanding, skin health.
Gut Health For Your Pet
The gut of a dog or cat isn’t just a digestion pipe; it is an ecosystem. Beneficial microbes help break down nutrients, synthesise small but important metabolites, or postbiotics, and educate the immune system.
When that ecosystem is healthy, digestion tends to be efficient and immune responses more targeted and appropriate.
When it is out of balance, what we call dysbiosis, we can see problems that reach well beyond the bowel, including flares of allergic or inflammatory skin disease.
While the science is continuing to evolve in this exciting area, we know one thing with certainty, nutrition matters far beyond calories.
Instinctive High Meat Diets and Gut Health
So, what does this mean practically for owners? Well, we need to focus on species appropriate, minimally processed, whole food ingredient recipes that utilise high quality protein. This will feed the microbiota, promoting a healthy microbiome and help to support whole body health.
In cats and dogs, research has shown that high quality, high meat diets help support a gut environment dominated by beneficial bacterial populations while reducing those linked with dysbiosis and inflammation.
High meat diets provide highly digestible amino acids and fats that are efficiently absorbed, leaving less substrate for potentially harmful microbial overgrowth.
Studies in both species indicate that this translates to improved stool quality, reduced markers of intestinal inflammation, and a more balanced microbial community.
Omega-3 and Gut Health
The association between dietary omega-3 fatty acids and skin health is well documented in our pets. In addition, we are now understanding more about the positive benefits on the microbiome and how these may be related.
K9Feline Natural’s Feast Range diets are rich in marine omega-3s EPA and DHA and essential fatty acids found in grass-fed meats. These have been shown to exert anti-inflammatory effects by modulating cytokine production and reducing oxidative stress in the intestinal environment. In essence, creating conditions that favour the growth of beneficial bacteria whilst limiting pro-inflammatory species.
For our pets, this translates to improved digestive resilience, reduced risk of gut-driven inflammation, and downstream benefits for skin, immune, and metabolic health.
In clinical practice, we can see that diets enriched in omega-3s commonly help improve itch, skin texture and barrier function when nutrition is the limiting factor.
Pre-biotics and Pro-biotics and Gut Health
When talking about nutrition and the microbiomes of our pets, we should also consider the role of prebiotics and probiotics. This is an interesting space and evidence in companion animals is growing.
Some controlled trials and recent studies show that targeted probiotics or nutraceutical blends can modulate the gut microbiome and, in some cohorts, reduce clinical signs of allergic or pruritic dermatitis.
Although results are promising, they are not universal, however products like K9 Natural’s Beef Green Tripe Freeze-Dried Booster and Lamb Tripe Topper can be good place to start. Whilst not a targeted probiotic, they are single-ingredient, minimally processed products that are rich in natural enzymes, fatty acids and intrinsic microbes. These attributes are often promoted for digestive and skin support.
In practice I use these as toppers to improve palatability and to provide a gut nourishing wholefood hit when transitioning diets or supporting picky eaters.
Long-Term Nutrition for Lasting Results
Finally, when discussing nutrition, we need to be thinking long term. The microbiome is adaptable but the microbiota population often returns to baseline unless the dietary or therapeutic change is sustained.
Short term “fixes” may nudge symptoms, but lasting benefit frequently requires ongoing, consistent nutrition and attention to underlying medical conditions that also influence skin and gut health.
Nutrition is not a magic bullet but used consistently and intelligently, it is one of the most powerful tools we have to calm skin, settle digestion and ensure our pets live a life well lived.
Written by Dr. Josie Gollan