The gastrointestinal (GI) microbiome refers to the ecosystem consisting of billions of microorganisms that live within an individual’s gastrointestinal tract. 
 
 Soluble prebiotic dietary fibres are an important substrate for the colonic bacteria within the GI microbiome. They are metabolised to form end products including short-chain fatty-acids (SCFA) and antioxidant and anti-inflammatory-rich polyphenols; many of which can be beneficial for the host.
 
 Nutrition has the ability to use the power of the pet’s own GI microbiome to support digestive health, and because dogs and cats have to eat every day, choosing complete and balanced foods specifically designed to promote digestive health is the most practical and lasting strategy to positively influence the GI microbiome.
 
 This lecture will discuss ground-breaking new research highlighting the critical role nutrition can play for a dog’s GI microbiome - not only for GI disease, but also for overall health and well-being.