Meet your dog’s gut bacteria: Actinobacteria

Members of this phylum play important roles in nature, mainly in decomposing organic matter in soil and water and turning it into nutrients for nearby plants. Members of this phylum also produce about two-thirds of all naturally derived antibiotics in current clinical use, as well as many anticancer and antifungal compounds. This phylum also includes some infamous pathogens, such as the bacteria responsible for tuberculosis.

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Fast Facts:

• In the gut, the overall impact of this diverse group of bacteria on dogs’ health is not completely understood, and research indicates they can have positive and negative impacts.
• Dogs with high levels of Actinobacteria had higher levels of compounds related to good digestion.
• Dogs suffering from joint diseases or sudden gut disorder had less Actinobacteria in their gut compared to healthy dogs.
• Dogs suffering from a chronic gut disease had more Actinobacteria in their gut compared to healthy dogs.
• Obese dogs were also found to have higher than typical levels of this phylum in their body.

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The relations between the food and Actinobacteria abundance in the gut are also muddled. Some research found that raw meat diets, high in proteins and fat, help Actinobacteria prosper. Other studies show the opposite results. There is still a lot we have to learn about this phylum.

Every microbiome sample we get from our members adds important data for our scientists to use to help us understand this complicated group of bacteria and how it affects each dog.

Stay’s unique recipes are rich in a variety of digestible proteins, dietary fibers, and other nutrients specially designed to feed the different beneficial bacteria in your dog’s gut and sustain a healthy balance between the five common phyla.

Our biofeedback process and seasonal microbiome checks allow us to understand how nutrition is impacting this delicate balance, as well as specific important bacteria in each phylum, and make sure your dog’s food is meeting the needs of the beneficial bacteria in their gut.