Modifying the gut microbiota – an update on the evidence for dietary interventions, probiotics and faecal microbiota transplantation in chronic gastrointestinal diseases of dogs and cats

Modifications of the intestinal microbiota can be achieved by dietary manipulations, introduction of probiotics, and faecal microbiota transplantation (FMT). Most dietary changes have a moderate impact on microbiota composition and diversity. For individual macro- and micronutrients like dietary fibre and other prebiotics, changes in “gut health” parameters have been observed in healthy animals, but the effect in gastrointestinal disease is less clear. For probiotics, results are mixed, likely due to the use of different probiotic strains, dosages, durations, and the assessment of different outcomes. While FMT is a promising new treatment modality, information of its optimal use in small animals is currently too scarce to make recommendations.