Gut health of dogs: prebiotics against inflammation and chronic infections

Over the past decade, the connection between nutrition, gut microbiota (and its metabolites) and host health has been the subject of numerous studies. As is now well known, for example, fiber consumption brings numerous health benefits to the host, especially when considering foods rich in polyphenols. What metabolic changes do high-fiber foods cause? Foods high in fiber result in an increase in short-chain fatty acids (SCFA)-used as energy sources for colonocytes-contributing to the maintenance of proper permeability of the intestinal barrier and thereby decreasing the inflammatory state. In particular, scientific evidence has shown...