You’ve heard of Zoe for humans, where you take a microbiome test to see what’s going on in your gut?
Well, you can get them for your dog too, and we were invited to try out Biome9, a new testing kit and personalised supplement programme for dogs.
Your dog’s gut health offers a window into their overall wellbeing, and their gut microbiome can reveal valuable insights into their digestive health, nutrient absorption, and general health.
This test provides a ‘gut health score’ and personalised dietary recommendations to support your dog’s long-term health.
The results can help identify issues with your dog’s joints, skin, immunity, behaviour, and mental health that are linked to their gut microbiome.
As a dog lover, you want to give your pet the best chance at living a healthy, happy, and long life, so why not look at their health on the inside too?
In this blog post, you’ll learn what microbiome testing is and how it can help your dog, plus insights from Dr Joe Inglis from Biome9 and my personal experience of trying the test with Patch.
Why test your dog’s gut microbiome?
When we have the technology to see what’s happening with our dogs’ internal health, why not access that information?
Dr Joe Inglis, Head of Veterinary Science and Nutrition at Biome9, explains: “The gut microbiome plays a massive role in almost all aspects of a dog’s health and wellbeing, including digestion, joints, skin, immunity, behaviour, and mental health.
“There are actually more cells of bacterial origin in a dog’s digestive system than there are dog cells in the rest of the dog.
“So, it’s not surprising that these populations play a massive role in almost all aspects of canine and our own health.
“Microbiome testing is something that’s been developed over quite a few years now.
“We’re really starting to understand the impact these bacterial populations have and how dietary, environmental, and lifestyle factors can affect those populations in the digestive system.
“And that can then have knock-on effects on diverse aspects of health, such as digestive health, joints, skin, and even behaviour and mental health.”
Where has microbiome testing come from?
There’s been a huge rise in gut health testing for humans, with companies like Zoe being championed by celebrities Davina McCall and Nigella Lawson.
Zoe’s gut microbiome testing provides personalised insights into our digestive health by testing stool samples to analyse the bacteria present, comparing these to a database of healthy individuals, and offering tailored dietary recommendations.
This helps improve gut health, which can affect digestion, nutrient absorption, and overall wellbeing.
Former Hollyoaks actress Davinia Taylor kickstarted the conversation around biohacking in 2021 when she shared how she’d lost three stone by changing her gut microbiome.
And now, we can do the same for our pets.
How does a microbiome test for dogs work?
You’re sent a testing kit in the post with a small tube and a stick to scoop the poop with, plus antibacterial wipes and a set of gloves.
There’s also a handy ‘purse’ to pop the sample in if you need to capture it in public. Take your dog for a walk or let them out in the garden and wait for nature to take its course.
Then you take your sample, put it in the pre-paid envelope, and send it off to be tested.
What else do you need to take the microbiome test?
When you receive your kit, you need to register it and set up a profile for your pet.
Here, you’re asked a series of questions about your pet, including their name, age, breed, weight, body condition, diet, any food intolerances, their poo consistency, any health or emotional conditions or concerns, activity levels, and whether they have had worming treatments or antibiotics.
Once the profile is filled in and the sample dispatched, you wait for your results.
What happens next?
The lab extracts the genetic material from the bacteria in the sample and analyses the different species present.
Biome9 then compares the dog’s bacterial populations to a reference database of healthy dogs to provide an ‘invisible health score’ and insights into the dog’s digestive health, nutrient absorption, and other aspects of wellbeing.
Based on the test results, Biome9 provides personalised dietary recommendations and a supplement programme to help rebalance your dog’s gut microbiome and support their overall health.
Patch’s results and what you’ll learn in the report about your dog
I try to give Patch a healthy diet. He eats raw food, natural treats, gets plenty of exercise, spends lots of time outdoors, and I clean his teeth. I could go on and on.
So, I expected him to have a reasonable ‘invisible health score,’ and when the results came back and he scored only 21%, I was alarmed.
It coincided with me moving house, so when I took him to register at the vet and for a health check, I shared my concerns.
My vet checked his weight, eyes, ears, teeth, skin, and coat and said he was healthy and there was no cause for concern.
But looking at the score, I felt like I’d failed him.
So why was it so low? I asked Joe for his thoughts
He said: “I don’t think anyone should feel worried about their dog just because of the score. It’s just a snapshot of one day in Patch’s life, reflecting the bacteria present at that time.
“The data is constantly evolving, so in six months or a year, we might find that Patch’s score wasn’t as concerning as we thought. It doesn’t mean there’s anything terribly wrong with him or that he’s about to drop dead.
“It just means his microbiome doesn’t align with the statistical model of a healthy dog. We also know there are many versions of what ‘healthy’ can look like.
“The type of diet also plays a significant role. A raw diet, for example, leads to different microbiome results compared to a more processed, dry, or freshly cooked diet, due to the live bacteria involved.
“Patch had some salmonella, likely from his raw diet, but as long as he isn’t showing symptoms, it’s probably not an issue.”
Once you have the information, what can you do to support your dog?
When Patch’s results came back, I was able to speak to Joe and the team at Biome9 to find out the next steps to improve his health.
Recommendations are made in the report too, and I’ve attached some screenshots below.
You have the option to buy the Biome9 supplements, which will ensure your dog has all of the nutrients that the tests have shown they need.
Patch’s recommended supplement plan for six months would cost £240.
Phase one is to restore gut health during the first two months; phase two is to repopulate bacteria during months three and four; and phase three is to optimise gut health during months five and six, and it was recommended I continue with these.
I understand this is expensive and something that’s not possible for many dog owners, and so does Joe.
He said: “In an ideal world, we’d all feed our dogs beautiful fresh food of some kind, but it’s not feasible for most people and it’s really expensive.
“Dry food has its place; lots of dogs live to a ripe old age eating nothing but dry food.
“But if we can help people improve their dog’s health by maybe adding some fresh food to the dog bowl – some spinach, kale, flaxseed – lots of things can be added in to improve the quality of what they’re eating and improve the health of their microbiome, without having to make wholesale changes to how they feed their dog or their weekly budget.”
So, you can take the information and make the changes to their diet yourself
First, I should increase the fibre in Patch’s diet to promote healthy digestion. Since he’s on a raw diet, adding finely chopped raw vegetables like broccoli, carrots, or celery would be beneficial.
I bought ready-made frozen green, purple, and orange cubes from Enjoy The Paws toppers, which you can add to your dog’s food from our local pet shop, Pets Pantry in Stockton Heath.
To support Patch’s joint health, I need to incorporate omega-3 fatty acids through fish or hempseed oils.
Adding joint supplements like glucosamine, chondroitin, MSM, and boswellia was also suggested. For enhancing Patch’s immune function, the report recommends foods containing omega-3 oils, fruits, spinach, almonds, red peppers, broccoli, and ginger.
Many of these are included in the ‘Enjoy The Paws’ toppers (£8.50), and I was also recommended Dorwest Keeper’s Mix (£15.50).
With regard to the recommendation for an omega-3 rich diet, Keeper’s Mix contains celery seeds, which are a source of omega-3 fatty acids, plus nettles, rosemary, and wild yam, which can help support immune function.
Other recommendations were to give Patch linseed (flaxseed) – 1/2 tsp per 5kg of body weight – to reduce inflammation and support his skin, coat, and immune system.
Foods to avoid include sugary treats, butter, and other dairy products (he does love a bit of cheese!).
Following these recommendations aims to rebalance Patch’s gut microbiome and improve his overall health and wellbeing.
The report also suggested a retest in six months which I will do and update this post. It was first published in July 2024.
What does this mean for our dogs?
Advances in technology mean we can do more for our dogs. Many of the dog owners I know pride themselves on caring more for their pets than they do for themselves.
I baulk at the thought of treating myself to a Zoe test, but for Patch, I jumped at the chance to try this out.
Knowing what’s happening on the inside means you can make a difference to your dog’s health, their life, and the time you have together, and who wouldn’t want to do that?
How taking a Biome9 test helps your dog and other dogs too
Taking the test means your dog’s details are added to the Biome9 database, and the more dogs are tested, the more data they have, and the more accurate the recommendations can be.
Joe explains: “What we’re seeing is that the scores are lower than we were anticipating.
“I think part of that is that it’s a new science, we’re evolving in science, and we’re improving the accuracy of our correlations between the bacterial populations and their health outcomes.
“So I think those scores will come up as our data gets bigger and more accurate.”
Joe added: “As we’ve tested more and more dogs, now into the thousands, we’ve been able to build up a larger metadata set of dog health information from the owners.
“This allows us to correlate the microbiome results with actual reported health conditions and continually enhance the accuracy and effectiveness of our reporting.”
What’s next for Biome9?
The company is currently conducting a microbiome trial with 100 Guide Dog puppies and looking at various factors, such as how their microbiome responds to vaccinations.
This is part of a larger 1000 Dog Longevity Study Biome9 is launching, which will investigate the impact of the gut microbiome on dogs’ lifespan.
Joe added: “This will be launching later in the year, and we will be recruiting people into it as well. So we’re doing lots of exciting research, and the collaboration with Guide Dogs is really exciting as well.”
To find out more about Biome9, visit https://biome9.com/
We were gifted a Biome9 testing kit in return for an honest review.
Further reading if you enjoyed this post:
How understanding your dog’s functional character can help your relationship
What happens when you have a DNA test for your dog?
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