Intestinal dysbiosis is an imbalance in the intestinal flora – there is a change in the quantity and/or distribution of microorganisms that inhabit the dog’s (or cat’s) digestive tract, resulting in a loss of balance between this population and its host.

 

The dog’s/cat’s intestinal flora, the microbiome, is composed of bacteria, protozoa, fungi, and viruses.

 

This imbalance results in inflammation of the digestive mucosa, which becomes permeable to potentially pathogenic microorganisms or undigested food – leading to the appearance of food intolerances.

 

These changes cause gastrointestinal symptoms such as loose stools, borborygmus, pica, occasional vomiting, changes in appetite (alternating hunger with periods of inappetence), and obvious abdominal discomfort. In addition, it can lead to dermatological symptoms as a result of food intolerances: itching, redness, ear changes, etc.

 

Furthermore, mood and behavioral changes may be related to dysbiosis.

Uncorrected and prolonged dysbiosis can lead to the development of autoimmune diseases, chronic inflammatory bowel disease, or allergies.
Several factors can cause gastrointestinal dysbiosis. The most common are carbohydrate-based diets that predispose to food fermentation, consumption of dry food contaminated with fungi or herbicides, prolonged use of antibiotics, recurrent deworming (many of them unnecessary), among others

 

Severe dysbiosis can be very difficult to treat. Prevention is always the best option! Combining probiotics with prolonged medication or with a diet change is a good practice for preserving the microbiome.Likewise, deworming should only be done after a positive stool test or when clearly needed.A healthy microbiome also depends on our dog’s/cat’s lifestyle. It’s important to “let the animal be an animal.” Daily exposure to microorganisms in the environment helps keep the microbiome healthy and alert to possible pathogenic microorganisms.