The gut microbiome of Australian cats and dogs: Dietary influences, health impacts, and emerging research

IF 2.7 2区农林科学 Q1 VETERINARY SCIENCES

Veterinary journal Pub Date : 2026-02-01 Epub Date: 2026-01-15 DOI:10.1016/j.tvjl.2026.106566

Mithila Banik , Saroj Bashyal , Khandaker Asif Ahmed PhD , Kakon Banik , Kamal Dua PhD , Jaesung P. Choi PhD , Keshav Raj Paudel PhD , Rajib Majumder PhD

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Abstract

The gut microbiome plays a pivotal role in the health, metabolism, and behaviour of companion animals, yet comprehensive syntheses of its composition and functional relevance in cats and dogs in Australia are overlooked and remain limited globally. This review synthesises current knowledge on the gut microbial communities inhabiting the gastrointestinal tracts of dog and cats, with a particular focus on taxonomic diversity, dietary modulation, and associations with disease states within Australian context. Core phyla including Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, Proteobacteria, and Actinobacteria dominate the canine and feline gut, but marked interspecies and individual variability is shaped by factors such as feeding practices, living environment, obesity, and chronic disease. Recent studies have elucidated functional signatures linked to conditions ranging from the influence of microplastics to pet gut health, as well as gut-microbiome transmission between pets and their owners, highlighting this area as a promising field of investigation. In parallel, this review contextualizes the broader landscape of pet ownership in Australia, where nearly 70 % of households own pets, and significant resources are devoted to nutrition, veterinary care, and preventive health. Emerging evidence also suggests bidirectional influences between pets and their human companions’ microbiota, highlighting opportunities for integrated approaches. We identify critical knowledge gaps, including the need for region-specific microbial baselines, standardized methodologies, and controlled intervention trials targeting microbiome modulation and transmission. By consolidating advances across microbial ecology, veterinary medicine, and translational research, this review provides a foundation for future studies that aim to harness the diagnostic and therapeutic potential of the pet microbiome, thereby improving health outcomes for animals and humans alike.

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澳大利亚猫和狗的肠道微生物组：饮食影响，健康影响和新兴研究。

肠道微生物组在伴侣动物的健康、代谢和行为中起着关键作用，但对澳大利亚猫和狗的组成和功能相关性的全面综合却被忽视，在全球范围内仍然有限。这篇综述综合了目前关于居住在狗和猫胃肠道的肠道微生物群落的知识，特别关注澳大利亚背景下的分类多样性、饮食调节以及与疾病状态的关联。包括厚壁菌门、拟杆菌门、变形菌门和放线菌门在内的核心门在犬和猫的肠道中占主导地位，但明显的种间和个体差异是由喂养方式、生活环境、肥胖和慢性疾病等因素决定的。最近的研究已经阐明了与微塑料对宠物肠道健康的影响以及宠物与其主人之间肠道微生物群传播有关的功能特征，强调了这一领域是一个有前途的研究领域。与此同时，本综述将澳大利亚更广泛的宠物饲养情况置于背景下，在澳大利亚，近70%的家庭拥有宠物，大量资源用于营养、兽医护理和预防健康。新出现的证据还表明，宠物及其人类伴侣的微生物群之间存在双向影响，这凸显了采用综合方法的机会。我们确定了关键的知识空白，包括对特定区域微生物基线、标准化方法和针对微生物组调节和传播的对照干预试验的需求。通过整合微生物生态学、兽医学和转化研究的进展，本综述为未来的研究提供了基础，旨在利用宠物微生物组的诊断和治疗潜力，从而改善动物和人类的健康结果。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Veterinary journal 农林科学-兽医学

CiteScore

4.10

自引率

4.50%

发文量

审稿时长

40 days

期刊介绍： The Veterinary Journal (established 1875) publishes worldwide contributions on all aspects of veterinary science and its related subjects. It provides regular book reviews and a short communications section. The journal regularly commissions topical reviews and commentaries on features of major importance. Research areas include infectious diseases, applied biochemistry, parasitology, endocrinology, microbiology, immunology, pathology, pharmacology, physiology, molecular biology, immunogenetics, surgery, ophthalmology, dermatology and oncology.