Looking beyond the mind: the gut microbiome as a potential new avenue for treating behavioral disorders in dogs. Current state of the art and potential future perspectives

The gut-microbiota-brain axis represents a complex and essential bidirectional communication system that governs physiological and mental health in dogs. Canine cognitive dysfunction, anxiety, and neurobehavioral comorbidities linked to epilepsy are progressively acknowledged as conditions potentially involving intestinal dysbiosis. Increasing evidence regarding this axis has prompted research into novel gut microbiota-based therapeutic approaches. This review examines current research investigating the modulation of gut-microbiome to treat behavioral disorders. Promising outcomes from specific probiotic strains, nutraceutical supplements, and fecal microbiota transplantation are examined, emphasizing their capacity to modulate stress markers and enhance behavioral deficits. Despite the interest surrounding these new frontiers, the existing data reveal significant heterogeneity, attributable to the diversity of the samples (companion, working, and shelter dogs) and the absence of methodological standardization. Conclusions derived from animal models (e.g., rodents) and human clinical studies, while intriguing, are not directly applicable to veterinary practice.