5 Natural Ways to Support Your Pet’s Gut

Talk about gut health is everywhere these days, it's a buzzword. From trending products on social media to the latest scientific studies, it’s clear that the wellness movement has put our microbiome in the spotlight.

And the exciting part is this growing awareness isn’t just for humans. It’s also drawing attention to how vital gut health is for our pets, too. Your dog’s and cat's gut is home to trillions of microbes, known as the gut microbiome.

These tiny organisms influence a range of lifestyle factors, including digestion, immunity, skin health, even mood and behaviour. A healthy microbiome is diverse, balanced, and resilient, but it’s also easily disrupted by stress, medications, or processed foods.

A balanced raw diet provides the strongest foundation for a healthy gut in pets, and you can go a step further by adding species-appropriate food boosters. While some of these may already be in your home kitchen, others are specialised products crafted to deliver maximum health benefits for cats and dogs. Whichever option you choose, it can make a difference in your cat's or dog’s overall health.

Here are five ways to support gut health in pets with common household items and offerings by us, Furchild:

1. Probiotics & Enzymes

Probiotics introduce good bacteria to the gut, while digestive enzymes facilitate the breakdown of food, allowing nutrients to be absorbed more efficiently. Together, they support your pet and reduce digestive stress, balance the microbiome, and support pets recovering from antibiotics or illness.

At home: A spoon of plain, unsweetened yogurt can offer some live cultures (beneficial bacteria) that act as a gentle probiotic for some dogs. However, not all pets tolerate pasteurised dairy from cows well. In fact, many dogs can handle small amounts, but some are lactose-sensitive and may get loose stools or gas. As for cats, most cats are lactose-intolerant, so yogurt isn’t usually recommended.

Furchild menu: If you want to try something similar to yogurt, the best options are our raw goat’s milk, raw goat kefir, or raw goat yogurt would also be an option if available for purchase. Raw milk is easier for our pets to digest in comparison to pasteurised milk. Also, goat milk is easier to digest than cow’s milk and naturally lower in lactose, especially if it's fermented, making it a better option for sensitive stomachs.

We also offer many options for probiotics. Our Complete Probiotics and Probiotics & Enzymes powdered supplement by Bark & Whiskers provides species-appropriate strains and enzyme blends. Unlike human supplements or dairy products, they’re designed to work with a dog or cat’s digestive system safely and effectively. And, they are very easy to use - simply, scoop and pour over any food.

2. Fermented, Live Culture Foods

Fermented foods can be purchased or made at home. They naturally contain beneficial microbes that support gut health. They also add enzymes and bioactive compounds that soothe the digestive tract.

At home: Fermented vegetables or even a teaspoon of sauerkraut brine (just the juice, not the cabbage chunks) can deliver live cultures. Ensure it’s unpasteurized, free from salt, garlic, and spices and be aware, most sauerkraut sold in grocery stores contains high sodium and spices that may cause digestive upset or salt toxicity in dogs.

Furchild menu: Our Raw Goat Kefir are safe, palatable ways to deliver tonnes of probiotics and diverse strains. Kefir is so great that studies show it can modulate canine gut bacteria in just two weeks. It's also easy to use, pour over meals as a food topper, or freeze it into probiotic ice cubes as frozen treat.

3. Keep Your Cat & Dog Hydrated

Hydration is essential for everyone, but is often overlooked regarding its importance to overall gut health. Water helps food move smoothly through the digestive tract, keeps the gut lining moist, and prevents constipation.

Household items: Add a splash of warm water to meals or make a simple, pet-safe broth at home (no onion, garlic, or added salt).

Furchild menu: Our Bone Broth and Hydrators go further, providing collagen, gelatin, and minerals that actively repair and strengthen the gut lining. Our Raw Goat Milk and Kefirs will also add lots of hydration to any meal.

Feeding Tip: Many of our pet parents use our Bone Broth to encourage picky eaters, or as a comforting “soup” for senior pets who struggle with appetite or illnesses. Simply warm it up and pour it on their food.

4. Rotate Proteins & Add Whole Foods

A diverse microbiome thrives on a variety of nutrients. Rotating proteins ensures your pet gets different amino acids, fatty acids, and micronutrients. Adding small amounts of fresh species-appropriate produce can also provide natural fibre and antioxidants.

Household option: Safe vegetables like zucchini, pumpkin, or blueberries are easy add-ins. A spoon of pumpkin puree, for example, can help with both constipation and loose stools.

Furchild menu: Our raw recipes are available in multiple proteins, designed for rotation if you want to feed your pet a variety. Our Green Tripe is especially valuable, packed with natural enzymes and beneficial microbes that support digestion. And if you don't feel like preparing pumpkin at home, you can use our frozen organic pumpkin puree.

Rotation isn’t just variety for variety’s sake (although it is nice for your pet's taste buds), it directly feeds microbial diversity, helping your pet’s gut adapt and stay resilient.

Tip 5: Avoid Stressors & Support Recovery

The microbiome can be disrupted by more than just a poor-quality pet food. A wide variety of factors can negatively impact the gut, including antibiotics, processed treats or bones, sudden diet changes, or even emotional stress. When this happens, restorative nutrition can help speed recovery.

Household option: Plain pumpkin or sweet potato mash can soothe the gut and provide soluble fibre during mild digestive upset.

Furchild menu: A combination of our Bone Broth for gut lining support and our Probiotics and Enzymes, or our 100% Grass-fed Beef Green Tripe, all help to reseed the microbiome, helping restore balance after any type of disruption.

Boosting your pet's bowl by supporting your dog or cat’s gut health doesn’t have to be complicated. From small additions to their current routine to rotating recipes, small steps create lasting health improvements.

For pet parents who want the next level of support, Furchild’s toppers, hydrators, and supplements are crafted to work along side our complete and balanced raw meals, making it easy to give your cat and dog the gut health foundation they deserve.

For more information on gut health, read our blog, "The Gut Microbiome in Pets: Why Diet Matters."