The Studies: 5 Surprising Ways Gut Health Impacts Your Dog

Understand the hidden link between your dog's well-being and their gut. The risks, the dangers, and how to help.

Scientists are discovering how important gut bacteria are to your dog’s health. Research shows that gut health affects digestion, skin, behavior, happiness, and even lifespan.

Here’s what you need to know.

1. Gut Health and Digestion

A well-balanced gut microbiome is essential for digestion and overall gut function. When this balance is disrupted—a condition known as dysbiosis—dogs may suffer from chronic digestive issues.

• "The Role of the Canine Gut Microbiome and Metabolome in Health and Gastrointestinal Disease" (Pilla & Suchodolski, 2020) found that gut imbalance can lead to inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and digestive issues.
• Effects on Dogs: Less good bacteria mean more harmful bacteria, causing diarrhea, inflammation, and trouble absorbing nutrients, which can also have long-term impact on health and longevity.

Source: Frontiers in Veterinary Science

2. Gut Health and Skin (Scratching & Paw Licking)

Your dog’s relentless itching and paw licking is usually not just a skin issue—it’s most often linked to their gut microbiome.

• "A Comprehensive Analysis of Gut and Skin Microbiota in Canine Atopic Dermatitis" (2023) found that dogs with atopic dermatitis have distinct gut microbiome imbalances. Specifically, they have lower levels of beneficial bacteria, which are crucial for immune health.
• Effects on Dogs: Low levels of good bacteria can trigger immune issues, leading to allergies and skin problems.

Source: Microbiome Journal

3. Gut Health and Behavior (Anxiety & Aggression)

Did you know that your dog’s gut bacteria may affect their mood? The gut-brain axis plays a crucial role in regulating neurotransmitters like serotonin, which influence mood and behavior.

• "The Relationship Between Canine Behavioral Disorders and Gut Microbiome" (Kiełbik & Witkowska-Piłaszewicz, 2024) suggests that an unhealthy gut can lead to anxiety and aggression.
• Effects on Dogs: Dogs with gut dysbiosis exhibit more anxiety-driven behaviors due to disruptions in serotonin production.

Source: MDPI Journal

4. Gut Health and Longevity

A healthy gut may help dogs live longer by preventing metabolic diseases.

• "Canine Gut Microbiota and Longevity: The Role of Metabolic Health" (2023) found that older dogs with a diverse gut microbiome had fewer age-related diseases and better overall health.

• Effects on Dogs: Poor gut health can contribute to metabolic issues, obesity, and inflammation, all of which shorten lifespan.

Source:  ScienceDirect

5. Gut Health and Serotonin Levels

Serotonin, a key mood chemical, is mostly made in the gut.

Key Study:

• "Comparison of the Gut Microbiome Between Atopic and Healthy Dogs" (2022) found that allergic dogs had less diverse gut bacteria, which affected serotonin production.
• Effects on Dogs: Less gut diversity can increase stress and anxiety.

Source: MDPI Journal

What This Means for Your Dog

The science is clear: gut health is key to your dog’s well-being. A strong gut supports digestion, skin, mood, and even lifespan.

Itching & scratching, paw licking and poor digestion are just the first signs your dog's gut is in trouble.

While these all need to be solved, it's the underlying cause of poor gut health that you need to address.

How to Improve Your Dog’s Gut Health

✅ Prebiotics: The food for good bacteria in your dog's gut so that it can multiply and overcome the bad bacteria. 

✅ Probiotics: The actual good bacteria that will help re-establish your dog's gut balance.

✅ Postbiotics: Beneficial compounds, which are usually produced by probiotics, to directly improve your dog's immune health and overall gut health faster than with probiotics alone. 

Taking care of your dog’s gut means a happier, healthier life. A healthy gut leads to a happy dog!