Here at Scrumbles we are all about keeping your pets happy and healthy so they can live a long and healthy life. A key factor in the overall wellbeing of your four-legged friends is their microbiome. Like with us humans, cats and dogs need to have a balanced gut microbiome so that they can produce pretty poos!

The microbiome is a topic which has been rumbling on for a while now, but we’ve always known it’s important. Scientists are learning more and more about the gut microbiome and how it can benefit us and our furry friends. Let’s delve in to the teeny tiny world of the microbiome, there’s a lot to digest!

WHAT IS THE MICROBIOME?

The microbiome is a bustling ecosystem full of millions and trillions of tiny microorganisms, some good, some bad. These work in harmony to keep your pets immune system in top notch condition as well as their digestive system and can even help with smelly breath- who’d have thought?

WHY DOES THE MICROBIOME MATTER?

As science progresses both in humans and our four-legged friends, more and more links are found between the gut microbiome and other bodily systems, think of it like a second brain.

The tiny microbes in the gut are thought to be linked to immunity, digestion, behaviour, liver health, as well as oral, skin and coat health. An impressive list which will likely keep growing!

Let’s see why some of these links are so impawtant:

IMMUNITY:

A balanced gut microbiome is vital for an effective immune system. Did you know, 70% of your pets immune system is regulated by the microbes within their gut?

By keeping your floofs gut microbiome in tip-top condition you will help them to support their gut barrier, produce anti-inflammatory compounds, and outcompete harmful pathogens.

Let’s take a closer look at the hard work these gut bugs do:

A physical barrier: With the support of a healthy microbiome, the lining of the gut acts as a physical barrier preventing the entry of pathogens (the nasty bugs).

Chemical Barrier: Microbial metabolites (end products of the good bacteria), such as short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), support the integrity of the gut barrier and have anti-inflammatory properties.

Pathogen Defence: The microbiome helps in defending against pathogens by outcompeting bad bacteria and producing antimicrobial substances.

Reducing Infection Risk: A balanced microbiome helps prevent the overgrowth of bad bacteria, reducing the risk of infections. Think of it like a well-kept garden, you don’t see many weeds at the Chelsea Flower Show!

DIGESTIVE SUPPORT:

Nutrient absorption is key for your furry friend and once again, the microbiome comes in handy to support with this. More specifically, the bacteria in the gut make enzymes which help to break down fat and protein into fatty acids and amino acids which can be absorbed into the body.

Now we’ve mentioned fats and proteins, let’s not leave carbohydrates out of the picture (we don’t discriminate). The microbes within the gut break down complex-carbohydrates and fibres leading to the formation of SCFAs. These things are pretty amazing and work hard to provide energy to your pooch and maintain their gut health. 

ORAL HEALTH:

Just like in us humans, dogs and cats are susceptible to oral health issues such as gum disease, tooth decay, and bad breath. At the heart of oral health lies the oral microbiome, a diverse ecosystem of microorganisms inhabiting the mouth. One of the most common signs of oral health issues in dogs and cats is oral malodour, commonly known as bad breath (we suggest our Gnashers).

Contrary to popular belief, bad breath in pets is not merely an inconvenience but often a symptom of underlying oral health problems such as gingivitis and periodontitis.

While genetics play a role in predisposing certain breeds to dental issues, proper oral hygiene practices, such as regular tooth brushing and dental cleanings, play a crucial role in preventing oral health problems and maintaining a healthy oral microbiome.

BEHAVIOUR:

Have you ever had a ‘gut feeling’ about something? Like knowing Scrumbles is the best choice for your pooch or cat? Well, that term comes from something called the Gut-Brain Axis (GBA) whereby the gut is considered the second brain.

Did you know the gut has its own nervous system, with more nerves than the entire spinal cord! Three of the most important neurotransmitters which influence behaviour are produced by the gut. You’ll probably have heard of serotonin and dopamine and maybe GABA (Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid- that’s a right mouthful!). It is thought that around 90% of serotonin is produced in the gut, this is important for your floofs mood as it affects happiness and anxiety. GABA is great at calming your stressed-out pet and helps with anxiety too.

This Gut-Brain Axis is mainly linked by the vagus nerve which connects the two ‘brains’ of the body. The microbes in the gut send signals directly to the brain via this pathway, ultimately affecting behaviour. The difference between a cool cat and a delinquent dog could be down to the bugs in their gut. An imbalanced gut microbiome has been linked to behavioural issues such as aggression and anxiety so if you keep those microbes happy, you’ll also keep your pet happy.  

WHAT AFFECTS YOUR FURRY COMPANIONS MICROBIOME?

DIET:

Ensuring a high quality and nutritionally balanced diet for your pet, you can enable the gut flora to thrive and survive.

Feeding your furry friend cheese and crackers everyday will not do wonders for their gut microbiome, that’s why we work hard behind the scenes to make a complete and healthy meal ready to go to feed to your pet.

ANTIBIOTICS:

Alterations to the microbiome can be caused by medication, particularly antibiotics. While sometimes necessary, the overuse of antibiotics can set your furry friends microbiome out of kilter by killing off the friendly bugs as well as the nasty ones.

LIFESTYLE:

Exposure to different stressors could upset your pets tum, such as moving home, meeting other animals, changing feeding regime. Make sure not to change too many things at one time for your furry friend if you can.

HOW TO SUPPORT YOUR PETS MICROBIOME?

DIET:

If you have concerns about your pets gut health, it is worth keeping an eye out for ingredients such as prebiotics, probiotics and even postbiotics (lots of P’s), along with polyphenols, vitamins, minerals, and amino acids.

These all play important roles in keeping the gut microbiome balanced.

Prebiotics are non-digestible fibres which you may see written on ingredient lists as ‘inulin’ or ‘fructooligosaccharides’ (you can just say FOS). These feed the microbes in the gut, keeping them happy and allowing them to produce some useful end products.

Probiotics are live microorganisms that confer a benefit to your pet when given in adequate amounts. Here at Scrumbles we add probiotics (in adequate amounts) to all our dry complete foods to ensure your puppies, dogs, kittens, and cats all get a fair share of this funky ingredient.

Postbiotics are the beneficial substances that are produced by probiotics (good bacteria) during the fermentation process in the gut. These include things like vitamins and SCFAs.

Omega 3 fatty acids are another important nutrient, found in high levels in fish. These have an anti-inflammatory effect which soothes the gut lining from any irritation as well as supporting their joints, skin, and coat.

HOW CAN SCRUMBLES HELP?

That was a lot to unpick wasn’t it, well done if you’re still reading, and if you skipped down to this bit, you cheated!

The microbiome really is amazing and affects more things than you might think so it’s worth keeping it in good shape.

At Scrumbles, we make sure to include pre and probiotics in our gut friendly recipes. Look out for Enterococcus faecium (try and pronounce that), this is the probiotic we add to our complete dry foods, and it is found naturally in the gut flora of your pet. We add a good helping of this probiotic, one billion CFU (colony forming units) to be exact, don’t try counting this yourself.

If you feed your pet a well-balanced, nutritionally complete food with added prebiotics and probiotics, you can ensure their microbiome is balanced and thriving. Scrumbles have a range of complete dry and wet foods and a selection of treats to go on the side which can support your four-legged friends on their gut-health journey.          

Go with your gut and trust Scrumbles to achieve pretty poos.

MICROBIOME KEYWORDS:

Anti-inflammatory compounds: Substances which help to reduce inflammation like swelling within the body.

Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD): A nasty disease where the kidneys cannot filter the blood of waste products efficiently.

Cytokines: Small proteins which help in cell signalling (a long pathway of signals- surprise!).

Ecosystem: A diverse community of things, in this case lots and lots (and lots) of microbes living and working together. 

Gingivitis: Gum disease, aka, periodontal disease.

Gut: The long passageway of the digestive system that runs from one end to the other (I’ll let you picture it). 

Gut Flora: A nice way of describing the trillions of teeny tiny microbes hanging out in the gut, nothing to do with flowers.

Gut Microbiome: The ecosystem of microorganisms working together in the gut.

Macrophages: A type of white blood cell that kills microorganisms, they’re good guys. 

Malodour Breath: Stinky breath (if you’re reading this, try our Gnashers).

Microorganism: A tiny organism that can only be spotted if you look through a microscope, e.g. bacteria and algae.

Microbial metabolites: Metabolic end-products produced by the microbiome, e.g. Butyrate.

Oral Microbiome: The diverse group of microbes hanging out in the mouth.

Pathogens: The bad bacteria which cause disease, we’re personally not a fan!

Periodontitis: progressive inflammation of the structures supporting the teeth and, if left untreated, can lead to tooth loss and even systemic health complications.

Postbiotic: The end products of the good bacteria eating the indigestible fibres in the gut, e.g. butyrate.

Prebiotic: Indigestible food for the good bacteria in the gut.

Probiotic: The good bacteria which is found in the gut, we add extra to some of our foods.

Short chain fatty acids (SCFAs): The opposite of long chain fatty acids, an output of the microbes in the gut which contain 5 or less carbon atoms. 

T-Cells: A type of white blood cell which help protect against infections.

WHILST YOU’RE HERE WHY NOT READ:

1. PROBIOTICS VS PREBIOTICS FOR DOGS; WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE?
2. 6 BENEFITS OF SLIPPERY ELM FOR DOGS AND CATS
3. PROBIOTICS FOR DOGS AKA THE JOURNEY TO THE PERFECT POOP!

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