Good health depends on balance. For dogs and cats — as with humans — that means promoting a balanced gut microbiome to bolster their defense against diseases.
No doubt, it’s the inside that counts. Every digestive system (aka “gut”) is host to a microbiome featuring billions of microbes with a dynamic balance of favourable and unfavourable bacteria. That balance is unique to each pet, and disruptions to it (aka dysbiosis) can trigger a range of acute and chronic disorders, such as constipation or diarrhea.
Left unchecked, harmful changes to the microbiome can also result in sustained damages to the gut. This, in turn, harms a pet’s immune system while negatively impacting its ability to absorb water, produce mucus and absorb key nutrients.
Striking a balance
Gastrointestinal (GI) disorders are not uncommon among dogs and cats. And as owners can attest, these can significantly impact their pet’s quality of life. The good news is that food can play a key role in mitigating GI issues.
“Providing food that nourishes and activates desirable microbes may be the most effective way of maintaining a healthy balanced microbiome,” says the team of researchers with Hill’s Pet Nutrition.
Such is the science behind Hill’s line of Prescription Diet GI Biome digestive care solutions. Designed to promote healthy GI activity within dogs and cats, the food features ActivBiome+ ingredient Technology that offers a proprietary blend of fibers shown to nourish and activate gut microbiome to promote digestive health and well-being.
“The microbes ferment the fibres and produce gut-nourishing compounds, as well as release and activate anti-oxidants and anti-inflammatory polyphenols,” the company explains, noting the ActivBiome technology also stimulates the release of post-biotics at significantly higher levels than traditional fibre-based foods, which serve to promote healthy stool.
Several studies have put the benefits of ActivBiome in the spotlight. In a multi-center, blinded, controlled, and longitudinal feline study, researchers found that cats with constipation or diarrhea who were fed GI Biome Feline demonstrated significant clinical improvements in as little as 24 hours*.
Moreover, the study showed that more cats fed with GI Biome demonstrated a positive or complete response over the 58-day study period than those who ate Control Food, and none of the cats experienced a recurrence of their prior GI disorders during the eight-week study period.
“These results demonstrate that Gastrointestinal Biome Feline begins to work quickly to improve diarrhea or constipation in client-owned cats, within 24 hours,” the study states, noting, “Additionally, the majority of cats with diarrhea or constipation fed Gastrointestinal Biome are likely to have a positive or complete response within 72 hours.**
The science can be complex, but the outcome is simple: a balanced gastrointestinal microbiome is the foundation of a cat or dog’s health. And thanks to advances in the pet food industry such as Hill’s ActivBiome tech, owners have proven options for keeping their companions well-fed and living comfortably.
*Wernimont, S.M. et al. Food with Specialized Dietary Fiber Sources Improves Clinical Outcomes in Adult Cats with Constipation or Diarrhea
FASEB J. 2020;34(1).
** *Some cats with constipation may require multimodal therapy depending on the severity of constipation and the underlying cause.
Veterinary clinical judgement should be used when assessing the need for multimodal therapy for each cat.
