The gut microbiome of companion animals plays a crucial role in health, immunity, and behaviour, with diet and antibiotic use among the most significant factors affecting microbiome composition and animal wellbeing.
Microbiome disruption causes digestive discomfort, immune dysfunction, and potentially behavioural changes that affect animal wellbeing. Dogs and cats on highly processed, low-fibre diets may have chronically impoverished microbiomes contributing to digestive sensitivity and immune problems. Unnecessary antibiotic use risks creating lasting microbiome imbalances. Supporting microbiome health through appropriate diet, limited antibiotic exposure, and targeted probiotic use is an emerging frontier in companion animal welfare.