How a healthy gut flora brings calm, energy and lovely skin

by vet Annette van Weezel Errens, MVSc

A happy tummy, a happy dog

Your dog's gut is home to a whole city of bacteria: the gut flora. When it's in balance, you can see it in his stools, his energy, his mood and his coat. When the balance is off, you often get wind, loose stools, itching or a dog who is more easily wound up.

Gut and brain work together

The gut and the brain are in contact with each other through nerves, such as the vagus nerve, and through substances produced by gut bacteria. This is known as the gut-brain axis. Gut bacteria influence, for example, the production of signalling substances such as serotonin, which play a role in mood and calmness. Good bacteria also convert fibre into short-chain fatty acids, the main fuel for the cells of the gut wall. A well-nourished gut wall absorbs nutrients better. What's more, a gut that isn't constantly irritated costs the body less energy. So in many dogs, a calm gut goes hand in hand with a calmer and more energetic dog.

Gut and skin belong together

A strong mucus layer and a healthy gut wall keep unwanted substances out. When more irritants get through the gut wall, the skin has a harder time too. That's why tummy troubles and skin problems often go together.

Why kibble can sometimes be tricky

Kibble is convenient, but not every tummy copes well with it.

• Kibble is dry. It is only about 10% moisture. The hard pieces can rub against the mucous membrane, and in dogs who gulp their food this can cause small injuries.
• Kibble is heated to high temperatures. This produces Maillard compounds, and the protein bound up in them is poorly digested. It reaches the large intestine undigested and putrefies there, which can throw the gut flora off balance.
• Little variety. A gut flora with many different bacteria benefits from variety, yet many dogs eat the same kibble for years.
• You don't know exactly what's in it. "Meat and animal derivatives" can cover all sorts of things, from offal to skin, bone and feathers. Animal raw materials are often preserved at the supplier's with acids or sulphites that inhibit bacterial growth. These don't have to be listed on the label, and they can also inhibit the good bacteria in the gut.

Not every kibble causes problems. But if your dog has tummy or skin trouble, diet is one of the first things to look at, alongside a visit to the vet.

Why freshly cooked food often agrees better

Freshly cooked food contains 70 to 80% moisture and is gentler on the gut and mucous membranes. It also makes it easy to vary the ingredients. With the Jus added, your dog gets:

• Prebiotic fibres, such as FOS, MOS and beta-glucans, which feed the good bacteria.
• DHA from algae oil, the same omega-3 fatty acid as in fish oil, but fish-free. DHA has an anti-inflammatory effect and supports skin and coat.
• All the vitamins and minerals tailored to your dog to make the meal complete

And in the recipes themselves, we pay attention to the protein:

• Less animal protein. With planet-friendly cooking, which takes both dog and planet into account, no more than 20% of the protein comes from animal sources (less is fine too).
• Highly digestible protein. Every recipe is calculated for protein and its digestibility. The less protein that ends up undigested in the large intestine, the less there is to putrefy.

What does the research say?

In an Italian study from 2024, 167 dogs were given a personalised, freshly cooked diet with a vitamin and mineral supplement. After just over a year, owners of healthy dogs saw a glossier, softer coat in 70% of cases. In dogs with chronic gut problems, 95% of owners saw an improvement. In dogs with skin problems it was 10 out of 12, and the 12 dogs with both tummy and skin problems all improved. According to their owners, dogs who stuck with the diet also more often had more energy than dogs who switched back to their old food.

These are owners' experiences, without a control group, so it isn't conclusive proof. But it fits well with what you would expect if gut and skin work together.

Source: Pignataro et al. (2024), Veterinary Sciences 11(9):438

With Jus'Cani, you stay in control

You cook fresh and choose the ingredients yourself. The Jus tops up with vitamins, minerals, prebiotics and DHA, and every recipe is calculated for your dog and checked against FEDIAF 2025 and NRC. That way you know exactly what goes in the bowl, and your dog's gut flora gets something to work with every day.

Would you like to try it first? Then start with the trial pack: 45 grams of Jus and tailor-made recipes for €6.95.