Gut-Brain Axis

Today, the Gut-Brain Axis (GBA) is a well-demonstrated concept in most mammals, pets included, showing that the gut microbiota communicates with nervous, emotional, and cognitive systems playing a central part in the maintenance of overall pet physical and mental health.

Stress and anxiety are concerns for pet owners who have developed close bonds with their pets and place importance on their well-being. It has been estimated that 29% of dogs exhibit signs of anxiety (i.e.: hypervigilance, excessive barking, lip licking, etc.) while 10% of cats suffer from separation anxiety.

Animals have highly evolved mechanisms enabling them to deal with acute stressors efficiently. If anxious pets are stressed by many day-to-day stimuli, they may be living in a state of chronic physiological stress, which is detrimental to their health and also to their relationship with their owner. This can obviously become a well-being issue.

Microbial solutions such as prebiotics, probiotics, and postbiotics can significantly benefit gastrointestinal functions, gut microbiota composition, and its metabolic products. Supplementation with functional feed ingredients is an efficient way to stabilize the gut microbiota and maintain pets’ overall health and well-being.