The gut microbiome of companion animals plays a critical role in health, immunity, and behavior — and is increasingly recognized as a welfare-relevant dimension of pet care.
The gut microbiome is increasingly understood as a key mediator of health and wellbeing in companion animals. Dysbiosis — imbalance in the microbial community — is associated with gastrointestinal disease, immune dysfunction, and emerging evidence links gut health to behavioral outcomes including anxiety and stress responses via the gut-brain axis. Antibiotic use, sudden dietary changes, chronic stress, and early life factors all influence microbiome composition. Welfare-conscious pet care includes minimizing unnecessary antibiotic exposure, feeding varied and appropriate diets, and considering probiotic or prebiotic support where clinically indicated. This is an active research area with significant welfare implications.