Many cats and dogs with digestive problems, skin issues, or other symptoms turn out to be missing certain important gut bacteria. In these cases, we need to add those missing bacteria to the microbiome and help those new populations grow and thrive.

Probiotic products contain beneficial microorganisms, but even the leading probiotics can’t restore an imbalanced microbiome. Fortunately, there’s a better option. A growing body of research has found that FMT can help improve several different gastrointestinal disorders (as well as many other conditions) by improving the gut microbiome.

Also called fecal microbiota transplantation, an FMT is the process by which stool from a healthy donor is transferred to the intestines of a sick recipient. The stool from the donor contains a healthy community of bacteria that can take up residence in the sick recipient’s gut. In human medicine, for example, FMT is used to treat C. difficile (aka C. diff) infections.

AnimalBIome's DoggyBiome Gut Restore FMT Capsules and KittyBiome Gut Restore FMT Capsules provide a whole community of healthy native cat- or dog-specific bacteria, sourced from the freeze-dried fecal matter of carefully screened donor dogs and cats. By seeding your pet’s microbiome with native microbes in the right proportions, our enterically-coated Gut Restore capsules can help reestablish balance and resolve the symptoms of even the most severe and chronic cases of IBD, diarrhea, and dermatitis. The enteric coating on the capsules helps to ensure that the microbes withstand the harsh environment in the stomach and get the the intestines to do their important work.

In a controlled study, AnimalBiome scientists gave 72 cats and 40 dogs with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) a 25-day course of DoggyBiome and KittyBiome Gut Restore Supplement. IBD was studied because it is a very difficult condition to treat with no known cure.

After finishing the course of capsules, 83% of the cats and 80% of the dogs had improved symptoms. Appetite also increased for a quarter of the cats and half of the dogs. Researchers continue to learn about the therapeutic benefits of FMT for many different health issues, and this study showed that even for pets with chronic conditions like IBD, FMT can improve symptoms and increase quality of life.