Research into the gut microbiome of companion animals is revealing connections between microbiome composition, immune function, behavior, and welfare, with dietary and management interventions offering new welfare improvement pathways.
Gut microbiome research is opening new understanding of the connections between digestive health, immune function, and behavioral welfare in companion animals. The finding that gut bacteria influence brain chemistry through the vagus nerve creates a biological pathway between dietary welfare and behavioral welfare. Disruption of the microbiome through antibiotics or poor diet may contribute to anxiety and behavioral problems beyond its direct gastrointestinal effects. This emerging field suggests that dietary welfare - providing appropriate, diverse, and consistent nutrition - has broader welfare implications than previously recognized.