🦠 Post-Live Summary: Giardia & the Canine Gut In Wednesday’s live we looked at a study exploring how Giardia infection affects the developing gut microbiome in puppies (even when those puppies appear completely healthy). A key takeaway was that “asymptomatic” doesn’t necessarily mean “unaffected.”In this study, puppies showed no diarrhoea and maintained normal weight, yet there were measurable changes in gut bacteria and markers of low-grade inflammation over time. The research highlighted that: - Parasite load mattered more than a simple positive/negative result - Age and timing influenced how the gut microbiome responded - Some beneficial bacteria declined as Giardia burden increased - Subtle, chronic inflammation may develop quietly, without obvious clinical signs - Overall, the study adds to a growing body of evidence suggesting that gut health is about far more than stool quality. It plays a role in immune development, resilience, and long-term wellbeing. As always, this was an observational study with limitations (small sample size, single environment), so it’s about understanding patterns, not jumping to conclusions or treatment decisions. I’ve attached a short PDF summary for anyone who’d like to explore the findings in more detail and reflect on what this might mean for the dogs in their care.

Hi all, I hope you found the live useful😁 Here's a quick overview. I've attached a PDF with a more thorough review of the study. This study looked at how chronic musculoskeletal pain affects dogs’ overall quality of life, not just movement, but emotional wellbeing, behaviour, sleep, and daily enjoyment. The key takeaway is that chronic pain doesn’t only show up as limping or stiffness. Many of the biggest impacts were emotional and behavioural: increased anxiety, lower tolerance, slower recovery from stress, withdrawal from play, and reduced engagement with the world. Importantly, dogs with pain didn’t always “look unwell.” Body weight and outward appearance were poor indicators, meaning pain can be easily missed if we only look for obvious physical signs. The study reinforces something many of us suspect: 👉 behaviour change is often an early clue, not a separate problem 👉 pain reduces resilience, choice, and enjoyment 👉 wellbeing declines can happen long before pain is clearly recognised