Studies Show Early-Life Antibiotics Trigger Obesity in Pets

Most researchers agree that microbiota, much like all the organ systems of the body, is hugely important in terms of its impact on human and animal health. (In this context, microbiota, also called the "microbiome," is the collection of microorganisms that lives in and on the body.) Microbiota serve many beneficial functions, including controlling pathogens, supporting the immune system, and producing vitamins and short chain fatty acids. Currently there is exciting research underway into the microbiota of dogs and cats, and specifically, how it is impacted by the use of antibiotics. Many Common Pet Diseases Are Linked to Changes in Microbiota A nutritionist at the University of Illinois, Kelly Swanson, PhD, has spent a decade studying the way in which microbes affect the health of the body, and how changing the microbiome impacts certain types of diseases. During the course of his research, Swanson has looked at how probiotics, prebiotics and antibiotics affect the gut microbiome of dogs and cats. Swanson looks for patterns and relationships in conditions like obesity, diabetes, and other metabolic diseases in dogs and cats. He believes many of the conditions often seen in pets, such as oral disease, GI disease, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), skin and urinary tract diseases, and bacterial infections, are all linked to changes in the microbiome. One of the challenges Swanson and other researchers face is the incredible variability in the microbiomes from one animal t...
Source: Healthy Living - The Huffington Post - Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news