Inside the microbiome—the helpful organism living in your dogs and cats

Caitlyn Getty, DVM, PhD, DACVIM (Nutrition), breaks down the concept of the microbiome for veterinarians, describing it as a complex “separate organism” living within dogs and cats. She explains that the gastrointestinal (GI) microbiome comprises bacteria, viruses, archaea, and protozoa that create their own environment within the host, emphasizing that this ecosystem can either support or harm health—and that veterinarians can actively nurture it to promote overall well-being in pets.

Below is the transcript, which has been edited for clarity.

dvm360: How would you describe the microbiome to a general practitioner who wants a working understanding of why it matters in day-to-day practice?

Getty: That is a fantastic question, and I think we hear a lot about the microbiome right now. It's kind of this nebulous concept. But I like to think about it as a separate organism that lives within your dog or cat, and it's actually even a couple of organisms, depending on what you're talking about.

Most commonly, we think of the GI microbiome. It’s this complex organism of things like viruses, bacteria, archaea, protozoa—things that have their own environment that can help benefit the host, the dog or the cat. In some cases, it can cause detrimental effects, but it's really this cool other organism living within your dog or cat that can help support [their] health.

Caitlyn Getty, DVM, PhD, DACVIM (Nutrition), is a board-certified veterinary nutritionist and PhD scientist working to improve the health and well-being of dogs and cats through nutrition.