A dog microbiome test analyses a faecal sample to report which bacterial groups live in your dog's gut. In Australia the practical question is not only which test, but how far the sample has to travel — many consumer kits are processed overseas, and transit time and summer heat are variables the report never shows you.
Two tests, one name
Consumer sequencing kits use 16S rRNA sequencing to list hundreds of bacterial taxa and score them against the company's own reference dogs, usually North American ones.
The Dysbiosis Index (DI), developed at the Texas A&M Gastrointestinal Laboratory and requested through your vet, runs quantitative PCR on eight defined targets — total bacteria, Faecalibacterium, Turicibacter, Escherichia coli, Streptococcus, Blautia, Fusobacterium and Clostridium hiranonis — and returns one number: negative for normobiosis, positive for dysbiosis (AlShawaqfeh et al., FEMS Microbiology Ecology, 2017).
It was validated on faecal DNA from 95 healthy dogs and 106 dogs with histologically confirmed chronic inflammatory enteropathy, reaching 74% sensitivity and 95% specificity at a threshold of zero. Strong at confirming a problem, weaker at excluding one.
| Consumer kit | Veterinary Dysbiosis Index | |
|---|---|---|
| Method | 16S rRNA sequencing | qPCR, 8 defined targets |
| Result | Long taxa list, in-house scoring | One number |
| Published canine validation | Varies; often none peer-reviewed | 95 healthy vs 106 chronic enteropathy dogs |
| Ordered by | Owner | Your vet, via a veterinary laboratory |
| Sample journey | Often posted offshore | Handled through the practice's usual lab courier |
Four things that move an Australian result before any supplement does
- Heat and transit. A sample sitting in a hot letterbox in a Queensland or Northern Territory summer is not the same sample that left your house. Ask any provider how the collection tube stabilises DNA, and how long shipping takes to their lab, before you pay.
- Recent metronidazole. A 14-day course in healthy dogs significantly reduced faecal richness, dropped key taxa such as Fusobacteria, significantly raised the Dysbiosis Index, and the changes had not fully resolved four weeks after stopping (Pilla et al., JVIM, 2020).
- A recent diet change. Abrupt transitions shift digestive function and gut microbiota in dogs (Journal of Animal Science, 2025).
- Undiagnosed EPI. Dogs with exocrine pancreatic insufficiency showed raised E. coli, Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium, reduced Fusobacterium and C. hiranonis, and a higher Dysbiosis Index (Blake et al., PLoS ONE, 2019). A TLI blood test answers that question directly and locally.
Worth adding for Australian owners: intestinal worms and protozoa are a far more common cause of loose stool than an exotic bacterial imbalance, and a faecal float at your local clinic costs a fraction of a sequencing kit.
Should you test?
- Healthy dog, firm stools. A report is unlikely to change what you do.
- Chronic loose stool, weight loss, blood, vomiting. Vet first — faecal parasitology, bloods and TLI answer more, faster.
- Diagnosed chronic enteropathy. The DI can be useful monitoring when your vet orders it, especially around antibiotic courses.
- Report says "dysbiosis". Take it to your vet rather than buying from the recommendations page. Our dysbiosis in dogs guide explains the term.
What cannot honestly be claimed
No published canine trial shows that any probiotic — ours included — normalises the Dysbiosis Index or moves a microbiome test score. Dysbiosis is consistently observed alongside chronic gastrointestinal disease rather than proven to cause it (Suchodolski, The Veterinary Journal, 2016; Suchodolski, Veterinary Clinical Pathology, 2022). Lower faecal short-chain fatty acids have been reported in dogs with chronic enteropathy (Minamoto et al., JVIM, 2019) — a mechanism, not a demonstrated benefit; see short chain fatty acids in dogs.
In Australia, dog supplements that make no therapeutic claim sit outside APVMA registration as veterinary chemical products, and cannot be promoted as treating or preventing disease.
Where daily support fits
Testing describes today. What you give consistently afterwards is the part you control. Chews are palatable and work well for many households. A liquid earns its place when you want dose control by body weight, when your dog spits chews out, when appetite is poor on a bland diet, or when kilojoules are being counted. Our 3B Liquid Probiotic Drops combine probiotics, prebiotics and digestive enzymes in one dropper, with free worldwide shipping, Australia included. Compare formats in liquid vs powder vs chews, see the category overview in best probiotic for dogs, or start with the dog gut health complete guide. Browse everything at Pure Majesty Pets.
When to call your vet instead
Diarrhoea past 48 hours, blood or black tarry stool, repeated vomiting, lethargy, unexplained weight loss, or a puppy, senior or toy breed — book an appointment. A posted kit will not shorten any of those.
Frequently asked questions
Are dog microbiome tests available in Australia?
Yes, though many consumer kits process samples overseas. Ask about transit time and sample stabilisation before buying, and ask your vet what their laboratory offers.
Does summer heat affect the sample?
Transit conditions are a real variable for any posted biological sample. Providers use stabilising media for this reason; confirm what yours uses.
How long after antibiotics should I wait to test?
Metronidazole effects persisted beyond four weeks after the course ended in healthy dogs. Ask your vet for timing specific to your dog.
Will a probiotic change my dog's result?
Current research does not strongly prove that any supplement normalises a canine microbiome test result.
Is it worth testing a healthy dog?
Usually not. It is most useful when your vet orders it while investigating or monitoring a diagnosed gut problem.
Scientific References
- AlShawaqfeh MK, et al. A dysbiosis index to assess microbial changes in fecal samples of dogs with chronic inflammatory enteropathy. FEMS Microbiology Ecology. 2017;93(11). PMID: 29040443
- Suchodolski JS. Diagnosis and interpretation of intestinal dysbiosis in dogs and cats. The Veterinary Journal. 2016. PMID: 27160005
- Suchodolski JS. Analysis of the gut microbiome in dogs and cats. Veterinary Clinical Pathology. 2022. PMID: 34514619
- Pilla R, et al. Effects of metronidazole on the fecal microbiome and metabolome in healthy dogs. JVIM. 2020;34(5):1853-1866. PMID: 32856349
- Blake AB, et al. Altered microbiota, fecal lactate, and fecal bile acids in dogs with gastrointestinal disease. PLoS ONE. 2019;14(10):e0224454. PMID: 31671166
- Minamoto Y, et al. Fecal short-chain fatty acid concentrations and dysbiosis in dogs with chronic enteropathy. JVIM. 2019. PMID: 31099928
- Impact of an abrupt change from dry to canned diet on digestive function and gut microbiota in dogs. Journal of Animal Science. 2025. PMID: 40405061
Educational information only; it does not replace advice from your vet. Pure Majesty Pets products are complementary feed for dogs, not registered veterinary medicines, and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent disease. Speak with your vet before starting any supplement.