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The Winter Microbiome: Supporting Your Dog’s Health Through the Season

As winter sets in, it’s not just humans who feel the effects of shorter days and colder weather. Our dogs experience seasonal changes too, and with winter comes new challenges for their immune health, digestive balance, and overall wellness. The cooler months are prime time to check in on your dog’s gut health and take simple steps to support their microbiome.

January 6, 2025 • 2 min read

Bushra Schuitemaker

Lead Microbiologist

Tis the Season for Coughs, Colds, and Lower Immunity

Winter is well-known for increasing the likelihood of respiratory issues, and dogs are no exception. Just as our immune systems can dip during the colder months, so can theirs. Cold air, indoor heating, and less sunlight can weaken immune defences. Since much of the immune system is influenced by gut health, a strong microbiome is essential to helping your dog stay resilient and prepared for the season.

Changing Environmental Exposures

With more time spent indoors, dogs are often less exposed to their typical natural stimulants, like soil microbes or varied scents encountered on longer, exploratory walks. This shift can affect the diversity of bacteria in their gut, impacting their immune system and mood. And let’s not forget that your dog’s sniffing environment at home may be subtly different in winter. Animals like birds and hedgehogs migrate or hibernate, and different wildlife may appear in the garden, changing your dog’s exposures.

Appetite, Water, and Diet Adjustments

You may notice a change in your dog’s appetite as the temperatures drop. Many dogs eat more in the cold, needing extra energy to stay warm. However, hydration can sometimes suffer as dogs may drink less water when it’s colder outside. Gut-friendly foods like seasonal root vegetables can be warming and nutritious, while winter meats like venison and rabbit (often available this season) provide a unique variety that benefits the gut microbiome.

Why Test Your Dog’s Microbiome in Winter?

Understanding your dog’s microbiome can reveal crucial information about how well they’re equipped for seasonal challenges. A microbiome test will highlight beneficial bacteria to foster, and any pathogens or imbalances that need attention, helping you to adjust their diet, supplements, and care routines to keep them at their healthiest throughout the winter.

Supporting your dog’s health is a year-round job, but winter brings its own unique considerations. With small tweaks to their diet, routine, and microbiome care, you can help them stay resilient through the colder months and beyond.

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Frequently asked questions

The microbiome is the name given to the collection of microbes, mostly bacteria, but also fungi and protozoa, that exist within your dog’s gut. It is a diverse and complex microbial community which can directly affect health and wellbeing. We know that 90% of a human’s body cells are microbes, with only 10% being human cells – it’s just that human cells are markedly larger than the microbes. It’s similar for our four-legged friends. Testing the microbiome gives us an idea of exactly which bacteria are present in your dog’s gut and this can help indicate existing or future health problems.
A healthy diversity within the microbiome has been found to be an accurate indicator of overall health and wellbeing. If your dog appears healthy, but has an imbalance in their microbiome, then this could be an indicator of a potential future health issue. If your dog has any existing health complaints, then improving the health of their microbiome can help to improve immune system health and overall wellbeing, as well as improving disease symptoms.
Testing and treatment have the potential to help with a whole range of different health complaints. The immune system is very closely associated with the gut, so any imbalance in the microbiome can influence immune system health, overall vitality and wellbeing. Our supplement recommendations are also tailored to your individual dog, with specific ranges designed to help with gastrointestinal inflammation, joint problems, allergies and skin complaints, to name a few.
All you need to do is order a kit online and fill in our questionnaire about your dog and their general health. We will then send the kit out to you by post. You then just need to collect a sample and return it to us, again by post. Once the test is performed, we will email the results directly to you.
You do not need to get your vet’s permission to test, or talk to them about performing the test beforehand. We do recommend that you pass on a copy of your test results to your regular vets, as it may help them in understanding your pet’s current health, and any future complaints they may have.