Potato Starch – Valuable Prebiotic for Dog Gut Health
Summary
Potato starch (Solanum tuberosum) serves a dual role in canine nutrition that is often overlooked. As a polysaccharide composed of amylose and amylopectin, it provides both a digestible energy source and a resistant starch fraction that functions as a prebiotic substrate in the large intestine. In supplement formulations, potato starch also contributes valuable functional properties — acting as a binding agent, moisture manager, and carrier that helps deliver bioactive ingredients in a palatable, stable form.
What makes potato starch particularly interesting from a nutritional science perspective is the behaviour of its resistant starch (RS2) fraction. Unlike the digestible portion, RS2 resists enzymatic breakdown in the small intestine and arrives intact in the colon, where it is fermented by beneficial bacteria to produce short-chain fatty acids — particularly butyrate, the primary energy source for colonocytes and a key mediator of gut barrier integrity.¹⁻³
Bonza includes potato starch at 8.00% in Bounce (joint support) and 7.00% in Boost (complete nutrition), where it works alongside potato fibre to provide both immediate functional benefits and longer-term support for the gut microbiome.
Key Takeaways
- Potato starch contains two functionally distinct fractions: a digestible portion that provides readily available glucose for energy, and a resistant starch (RS2) fraction that functions as a prebiotic substrate in the colon.
- The resistant starch fraction of potato starch preferentially increases faecal butyrate production in dogs — the short-chain fatty acid most important for colonocyte health and gut barrier integrity.¹⁻³
- Canine feeding trials demonstrate that dietary resistant starch significantly increases total SCFA and butyrate concentrations, lowers faecal pH, and elevates faecal immunoglobulin A (IgA), indicating enhanced gut immune function.¹⁻²
- Processing significantly affects the RS2 content: gelatinisation during high-heat manufacturing destroys crystalline starch structures, but retrogradation during cooling can generate RS3, partially recovering the resistant fraction.
- Potato starch and potato fibre are complementary, not redundant — potato starch contributes primarily through its resistant starch fraction and energy provision, while potato fibre delivers structural cell-wall polysaccharides including cellulose, hemicellulose, and pectin that support different stages of colonic fermentation.⁴
- In supplement formulations, potato starch provides essential functional properties including binding, moisture management, and carrier function that support product stability and palatability.
In this guide:
- Summary
- Key Takeaways
- What Is Potato Starch?
- Composition and Bioactive Fractions
- Health Benefits for Dogs
- Potato Starch and Gut Health
- Potato Starch vs Potato Fibre: Complementary, Not Redundant
- Why Bonza Includes Potato Starch in Bounce and Boost
- Safety Profile
- How to Support Your Dog’s Gut Health Through Diet
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Related Reading
- References
- Editorial Information
- About the Author
What Is Potato Starch?
Potato starch is a fine, white powder extracted from the tubers of Solanum tuberosum through a process of washing, crushing, and separation that isolates the starch granules from the plant’s cell wall material, protein, and other components. It is one of the most widely used starches globally, valued in both food and pharmaceutical applications for its distinctive functional properties.⁷
Potato starch granules are among the largest of any botanical source, with diameters typically ranging from 15 to 100 μm — significantly larger than wheat starch (which has a bimodal distribution of 10–35 μm large granules and 1–10 μm small granules) or rice starch (2–9 μm).⁷ This large granule size contributes to potato starch’s characteristically high water-binding capacity, low gelatinisation temperature, and excellent viscosity development, properties that make it particularly effective as a binding and texturising agent in dog supplement formulations.
The granules are composed of two glucose polymers arranged in a semi-crystalline structure. Amylose, a predominantly linear molecule linked by α-1,4-glycosidic bonds, typically accounts for 20–25% of potato starch. Amylopectin, a highly branched molecule with both α-1,4 and α-1,6 bonds, makes up the remaining 75–80%.⁷ This ratio is nutritionally significant because amylose’s linear structure makes it more resistant to enzymatic digestion than the branched amylopectin, and it is primarily the amylose fraction that contributes to resistant starch formation.
A distinguishing feature of potato starch is its naturally high phosphate ester content. These negatively charged phosphate groups create ionic repulsion between starch molecules, increasing water-binding capacity and swelling power compared with cereal starches.⁷ This property is advantageous both for the functional performance of supplements and for the resistant starch fraction’s behaviour in the gut.
Composition and Bioactive Fractions
Understanding potato starch’s health relevance requires recognising that it contains two functionally distinct fractions with fundamentally different metabolic fates.
The digestible fraction comprises gelatinised or readily accessible starch — primarily the amylopectin component and any amylose that has been disrupted by processing. This fraction is broken down by pancreatic α-amylase and brush border enzymes (maltase-glucoamylase, sucrase-isomaltase) in the small intestine, releasing glucose that is absorbed and used for energy.⁶ Dogs are well adapted to starch digestion, possessing multiple copies of the AMY2B gene encoding pancreatic amylase, with activity levels far exceeding those of obligate carnivores such as cats.
The resistant starch fraction (RS2) is the portion that escapes enzymatic digestion in the small intestine. In raw or minimally processed potato starch, the crystalline packing of amylose within the native granule renders it inaccessible to amylolytic enzymes.⁷ Raw potato starch contains one of the highest RS2 levels of any food ingredient — studies report values of 60-66% resistant starch content in raw potato starch, substantially higher than most cereal starches in their native form.⁷ This RS2 fraction reaches the colon intact, where it becomes a fermentation substrate for the resident microbiota.
Processing effects on resistant starch content are critical to understand. When potato starch is heated above its gelatinisation temperature (approximately 58–68°C in the presence of water), the crystalline granule structure is disrupted and the starch becomes fully digestible — effectively eliminating the RS2 fraction.⁷ However, when gelatinised starch cools, the amylose chains can reassociate into ordered crystalline structures through a process called retrogradation, forming RS3 (retrograded resistant starch). Cold storage at 4°C has been shown to increase resistant starch content by a factor of approximately 2.8 compared with freshly cooked starch.
For supplement manufacturing, this means the final resistant starch content depends on the specific processing conditions — temperature, moisture, shear force, and cooling regime. Mild processing conditions, such as those used in Bonza’s low-temperature manufacturing, are more likely to preserve a proportion of the native RS2 structure or allow RS3 formation during cooling.¹ ⁷
Additional nutritional components of potato starch include trace minerals, particularly potassium and phosphorus (the latter partly from the naturally occurring phosphate esters), though these are present at relatively low concentrations in the purified starch form used in supplement manufacture.
Health Benefits for Dogs
Efficient, Readily Available Energy
The digestible fraction of potato starch provides glucose — the body’s primary metabolic fuel — through a well-characterised enzymatic pathway. Dogs have evolved robust starch-digesting capacity, and cooked or gelatinised starch from potato sources is typically digested with apparent total tract digestibility exceeding 95%.⁶ This makes potato starch an efficient energy contributor in supplement formulations, supporting the caloric density needed to deliver bioactive ingredients in a palatable, appropriately sized serving.
Prebiotic-Like Activity Through Resistant Starch
The resistant starch fraction of potato starch acts as a prebiotic substrate — escaping small intestinal digestion to reach the colon where it selectively fuels beneficial bacteria.¹⁻³ This fermentation produces short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), predominantly acetate, propionate, and butyrate, which serve as energy sources for colonocytes and mediators of systemic health.
The butyrate-producing effect of resistant starch is particularly noteworthy. Multiple canine feeding trials have demonstrated that diets with higher resistant starch content significantly increase faecal butyrate concentrations compared with low-RS controls.¹⁻³ Jackson et al. (2020) found that dogs consuming food with higher RS levels (preserved through mild extrusion) had significantly greater faecal butyrate (p = 0.030) and total SCFA (p = 0.043) at six weeks, with the greatest individual SCFA effect being on butyrate rather than acetate or propionate.¹ This butyrate-preferential effect is consistent with the known fermentation profile of resistant starch across species and distinguishes it from many other dietary fibres.
Blood Glucose Modulation
Because the resistant starch fraction escapes small intestinal digestion, it does not contribute to postprandial blood glucose elevation. Ribeiro et al. (2019) demonstrated that dogs fed diets with higher resistant starch content showed modulated postprandial glucose and insulin responses compared with low-RS controls, suggesting potential benefits for metabolic health and weight management.³ This “slow-release” energy profile means potato starch contributes to sustained energy availability rather than rapid glucose spikes.
Functional Formulation Benefits
Beyond its nutritional contributions, potato starch serves essential functional roles in supplement manufacture. Its high water-binding capacity and viscosity development make it an effective binding agent, helping maintain the structural integrity of chewable supplements. Potato starch’s large granule size contributes to smooth mouthfeel and palatable texture — important factors in ensuring consistent daily intake. It also functions as a carrier matrix, helping to distribute and stabilise bioactive ingredients evenly throughout the formulation, and its moisture management properties support shelf stability.⁷
Potato Starch and Gut Health
The gut health relevance of potato starch centres on the behaviour of its resistant starch fraction in the canine large intestine, and the downstream effects of the SCFAs produced through its fermentation.
Colonic Fermentation and SCFA Production
When RS2 from potato starch reaches the colon, it is fermented by specific members of the microbiota — principally Ruminococcus bromii, Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, Eubacterium rectale, and Roseburia spp. — which are specialists in degrading crystalline starch structures.⁸ This fermentation generates SCFAs in a profile that is characteristically rich in butyrate compared with other fermentable substrates.
In a canine feeding trial, Peixoto et al. (2018) found that geriatric Beagles fed a diet with 1.46% resistant starch (versus 0.21% in the control) for 61 days had significantly higher faecal concentrations of butyrate, propionate, total volatile fatty acids, and lactate, along with significantly lower faecal pH.² The lower pH itself creates a colonic environment less favourable to potentially pathogenic bacteria, contributing to microbial balance.
Jackson et al. (2020) extended these findings, demonstrating that the RS-driven increase in butyrate was accompanied by extensive changes to saccharolytic and fermentative capacity of the canine microbiome, with significant differences in 166 faecal metabolites — including changes in sugars, bile acids, and advanced glycation end products.¹
Gut Barrier Integrity and Immune Function
Butyrate produced from resistant starch fermentation serves as the primary energy source for colonocytes — the epithelial cells lining the colon.⁹ This fuelling of the intestinal epithelium supports tight junction integrity and healthy mucosal barrier function, which are foundational to preventing the translocation of harmful bacteria and endotoxins from the gut lumen into the bloodstream.
The immune relevance is supported by direct canine evidence. Jackson et al. (2020) found that dogs consuming higher-RS food had significantly elevated faecal immunoglobulin A (IgA) levels at three weeks (p = 0.001), indicating enhanced mucosal immune function.¹ IgA is the primary antibody in mucosal secretions and plays a central role in gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT) function — the immune system’s first line of defence in the intestine.
Microbiome Modulation
Resistant starch selectively influences the composition of the gut microbiome. Sandri et al. (2020) compared rice-based and potato-based starch sources in canine diets and found that the potato starch diet (with its higher resistant starch fraction) was associated with reduced faecal ammonia concentrations and shifts in microbial community composition consistent with increased saccharolytic (carbohydrate-fermenting) activity and reduced proteolytic (protein-fermenting) activity.¹⁰ This shift away from putrefactive fermentation is considered beneficial, as protein-derived metabolites such as ammonia, phenols, and indoles can be detrimental to colonocyte health.
However, it is important to note that the canine response to resistant starch is more nuanced than in other species. Beloshapka et al. (2021) found that graded concentrations of dietary RS (0–4%) in dogs produced moderate rather than dramatic shifts in fermentation markers, suggesting that the relatively short colonic transit time and simpler large bowel anatomy of dogs may limit the extent of RS fermentation compared with pigs or humans.⁵ This underscores the value of combining resistant starch with other prebiotic substrates — as Bonza does with potato fibre, chicory root inulin, and yeast-derived MOS — to maximise the breadth and depth of colonic fermentation.
The “One Gut. Whole Dog.” Connection
The gut health effects of potato starch’s resistant fraction connect to Bonza’s broader “One Gut. Whole Dog.” philosophy through the gut–immune axis. The butyrate-mediated support of colonocyte health, barrier integrity, and IgA production represents a direct pathway from gut fermentation to systemic immune resilience. When the gut barrier is healthy and the mucosal immune system is functioning optimally, the downstream inflammatory burden on the whole body is reduced — with implications for joint comfort, skin health, metabolic regulation, and overall vitality.
For Bounce specifically, this gut–immune connection has relevance to the gut–joint axis. Systemic inflammation driven by gut barrier dysfunction (often called “leaky gut”) is increasingly recognised as a contributor to joint inflammation. By supporting colonic butyrate production and barrier integrity, the resistant starch fraction of potato starch contributes to the broader anti-inflammatory environment that complements Bounce’s targeted joint-support ingredients — glucosamine, chondroitin, hyaluronic acid, and ASU.
Potato Starch vs Potato Fibre: Complementary, Not Redundant
Both Bounce and Boost include potato starch and potato fibre at identical inclusion rates (8.00% and 7.00% respectively). This is a deliberate formulation choice, not duplication, because the two ingredients are fundamentally different in composition, mechanism of action, and fermentation profile.
Potato fibre is a co-product of potato starch manufacture, retaining the structural cell-wall material that is removed during starch extraction. It is composed primarily of cellulose, hemicellulose, pectin, and residual starch — approximately 55% total dietary fibre, with only 29% starch.⁴ Its health benefits centre on structural fibre functions: faecal bulking, transit time regulation, and moderate-rate colonic fermentation that produces a balanced SCFA profile across acetate, propionate, and butyrate. Panasevich et al. (2013) demonstrated that graded dietary potato fibre inclusion in dogs linearly increased all individual and total SCFA, linearly decreased faecal pH, and increased populations of Faecalibacterium — without negatively affecting nutrient digestibility.⁴
Potato starch, by contrast, is the purified starch fraction — essentially the intracellular energy storage component of the potato. Its fibre-like health benefits come specifically from the resistant starch (RS2/RS3) fraction, which is fermented by a partially overlapping but distinct set of specialist bacteria (principally Ruminococcus bromii as the primary degrader, cross-feeding to butyrate producers).⁸
The complementary relationship works on several levels. First, the two substrates target different stages of colonic fermentation — potato fibre’s structural polysaccharides are fermented at moderate rates throughout the colon, while resistant starch is typically fermented more rapidly in the proximal colon. This “spatial complementarity” helps distribute SCFA production along the full length of the large intestine. Second, they support partially different microbial populations, contributing to overall microbiome diversity. Third, potato fibre provides faecal bulking and transit regulation that potato starch alone does not deliver, while potato starch’s RS fraction produces a more butyrate-rich SCFA profile than structural fibre alone.
In short, including both ingredients delivers broader prebiotic coverage, more complete colonic fermentation, and a more balanced gut health outcome than either ingredient alone.
Why Bonza Includes Potato Starch in Bounce and Boost
Potato starch is included in Bounce (8.00%) and Boost (7.00%) supplements for both its functional formulation benefits and its nutritional contribution through the resistant starch fraction.
Formulation function: Potato starch’s binding capacity, moisture management, and carrier properties help create the palatable, structurally stable chewable form that makes daily supplementation practical. Its smooth mouthfeel and neutral flavour ensure good acceptance, supporting the consistency that is essential for any supplement to deliver results over time.
Nutritional function: The digestible fraction provides efficient, readily available energy to support the caloric needs of the supplement format, while the resistant starch fraction adds a prebiotic dimension — fuelling butyrate production, supporting gut barrier integrity, and contributing to the mucosal immune function that underpins whole-body health.
Synergy within the formulation: In both Bounce and Boost, potato starch’s resistant fraction works alongside potato fibre, chicory root (inulin and FOS), and yeast-derived MOS to create a multi-substrate prebiotic approach. Each substrate feeds different microbial populations and ferments at different rates, maximising the breadth of SCFA production and microbiome support. This layered approach reflects the principle that microbial diversity thrives on dietary diversity — no single prebiotic substrate is sufficient to support the full complexity of a healthy canine gut ecosystem.
This multi-substrate strategy is supported by recent large-scale genomic evidence. The Waltham catalogue — the most comprehensive mapping of the canine gut microbiome to date, analysing over 500 faecal samples from 107 dogs — found that different bacterial populations specialise in degrading different substrates, with only 22% of species equipped to process starch.¹² The remaining majority of the microbiome depends on other fermentable inputs including cellulose, hemicellulose, and oligosaccharides.¹² Potato starch’s resistant fraction therefore feeds an important but specific microbial community; it is the combination with chicory root inulin, FOS, potato fibre, and yeast-derived MOS in the Bounce and Boost formulations that ensures the broader ecosystem is nourished — translating dietary diversity into microbial diversity and, ultimately, into more resilient SCFA production across the full length of the colon.¹²
For Bounce specifically, this gut-supportive foundation complements the supplement’s targeted joint-support ingredients by helping to maintain the low-grade inflammatory environment that is conducive to joint comfort and mobility.
Safety Profile
Potato starch has a long history of safe use in both human and animal nutrition and is widely accepted as a standard ingredient in commercial pet food and supplement formulations. It is not associated with toxicity, allergenicity (being essentially pure carbohydrate with negligible protein content), or adverse effects at the inclusion levels used in Bonza supplements.
Dogs are well adapted to starch digestion, with multiple copies of the AMY2B gene supporting efficient enzymatic hydrolysis of the digestible fraction.⁶ The resistant starch fraction is fermented by the resident colonic microbiota without adverse effects, though very high levels of dietary resistant starch may soften stool consistency in some dogs, particularly larger breeds.⁵ The inclusion rates in Bounce and Boost are well below thresholds associated with stool changes and are formulated to provide functional and prebiotic benefits without affecting stool quality.
Potato starch is naturally gluten-free and does not contain solanine or glycoalkaloids, which are concentrated in the green parts of the potato plant rather than in the purified starch extracted from the tuber.
As with any dietary change, introducing a new supplement should be done gradually. If your dog has a diagnosed metabolic condition such as diabetes, consult your veterinarian before starting any new supplement.
How to Support Your Dog’s Gut Health Through Diet
A healthy gut microbiome thrives on substrate diversity — feeding different beneficial bacteria with different fermentable compounds.
- Provide a foundation of diverse, fermentable substrates
Offer your dog a diet that includes multiple prebiotic fibre sources rather than relying on a single type. The combination of resistant starch, structural fibres (cellulose, pectin), and prebiotic oligosaccharides (FOS, inulin, MOS) ensures that different microbial populations are supported across the full length of the colon.
- Support consistent daily intake
Gut microbiome benefits from resistant starch and other prebiotic substrates require consistent, sustained intake. Research shows that microbiome adaptations to resistant starch in dogs take at least three to six weeks to fully develop, with butyrate production increasing progressively over this period.¹
- Pair prebiotic substrates with probiotics and postbiotics
Prebiotic fibres and resistant starch provide the fuel, but introducing beneficial bacteria (probiotics) alongside them amplifies the effect. This synbiotic approach — combining the substrate with the organisms that ferment it — is the principle behind Bonza’s formulation strategy across the supplement range.
- Monitor your dog’s response
Look for signs of good gut health: firm, well-formed stools, consistent appetite, healthy coat, and stable energy levels. If stools become loose after introducing a new fibre source, reduce the amount temporarily and increase gradually to allow the microbiome to adapt.
- Maintain the approach long-term
Gut health is not a short-term intervention — it requires ongoing nutritional support. The benefits of resistant starch and prebiotic fibre are cumulative, building microbiome resilience and SCFA production capacity over time through consistent daily feeding.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Potato starch is a widely used, well-tolerated ingredient in commercial dog foods and supplements. It is essentially pure carbohydrate with negligible protein content, making allergic reactions extremely unlikely. Dogs possess robust starch-digesting enzymes, and the inclusion levels in Bonza supplements (7–8%) are well within the range used safely across the pet food industry. It does not contain solanine or glycoalkaloids, which are found in green potato plant tissue, not in purified starch from tubers.
No. While potato starch does serve important formulation functions (binding, texture, moisture management), it also provides genuine nutritional value through two pathways: the digestible fraction supplies readily available glucose for energy, while the resistant starch fraction acts as a prebiotic substrate that fuels butyrate-producing bacteria in the colon. Multiple canine feeding trials demonstrate that resistant starch significantly increases beneficial SCFA production and supports gut immune function through elevated IgA.¹⁻³
Potato starch is the purified intracellular starch extracted from potato tubers — a polysaccharide composed of amylose and amylopectin. Potato fibre is the structural cell-wall material remaining after starch extraction, composed primarily of cellulose, hemicellulose, pectin, and residual starch.⁴ They have fundamentally different compositions, fermentation profiles, and health effects, which is why Bonza includes both in Bounce and Boost for complementary gut health support.
Heating potato starch above its gelatinisation temperature (approximately 58–68°C) disrupts the crystalline RS2 structure, making it fully digestible. However, when gelatinised starch cools, retrogradation can occur — amylose chains reassociate into ordered structures, forming RS3 (retrograded resistant starch).⁷ The extent of RS retention in a finished supplement depends on the specific processing conditions. Bonza’s manufacturing approach is designed to preserve functional ingredient integrity, and even if some RS2 is lost during processing, RS3 formation during cooling may partially compensate.
Potato starch is not a direct joint-support ingredient in the way that glucosamine HCl, chondroitin, or ASU are. However, its resistant starch fraction supports gut barrier integrity and butyrate production, which contribute to healthy systemic inflammatory balance through the gut–immune and gut–joint axes. In Bounce, this foundational gut support complements the targeted joint-active ingredients, helping to create an internal environment more conducive to joint comfort.
Raw potato starch contains one of the highest resistant starch levels of any ingredient — approximately 60–66% in unprocessed form.⁷ However, the amount retained in a finished product depends entirely on processing. Full gelatinisation can reduce RS2 to near zero, while mild processing and cooling can preserve or regenerate a meaningful resistant fraction. The inclusion of potato starch alongside dedicated prebiotic sources (chicory root, potato fibre, MOS) in Bonza’s formulations ensures robust prebiotic coverage regardless of the precise RS retention in the starch component.
Related Reading
- Potato Fibre for Dogs: Digestive Health & Gut Support
- The Dog Gut Microbiome – Vital Key To Dog Health
- Best Prebiotics for Dogs: A Canine Nutritionist’s Complete Guide
- Chicory Root for Dogs: Health Benefits
- The Gut–Immune Axis in Dogs: How Gut Health Supports Immune Health
- The Gut-Joint Axis in Dogs – Nutritional Impact on Mobility
References
- Jackson MI, Waldy C, Cochrane CY, Jewell DE. Consumption of identically formulated foods extruded under low and high shear force reveals that microbiome redox ratios accompany canine immunoglobulin A production. J Anim Physiol Anim Nutr. 2020;104(5):1551–1567. doi: 10.1111/jpn.13419
- Peixoto MC, Ribeiro ÉM, Maria APJ, Loureiro BA, di Santo LG, Putarov TC, Yoshitoshi FN, Pereira GT, Sá LRM, Carciofi AC. Effect of resistant starch on the intestinal health of old dogs: fermentation products and histological features of the intestinal mucosa. J Anim Physiol Anim Nutr. 2018;102(1):e111–e121. doi: 10.1111/jpn.12711
- Ribeiro ÉM, Peixoto MC, Putarov TC, Monti M, Pacheco PDG, Loureiro BA, Pereira GT, Carciofi AC. The effects of age and dietary resistant starch on digestibility, fermentation end products in faeces and postprandial glucose and insulin responses of dogs. Arch Anim Nutr. 2019;73(6):485–504. doi: 10.1080/1745039X.2019.1652516
- Panasevich MR, Rossoni Serao MC, de Godoy MRC, Swanson KS, Guérin-Deremaux L, Lynch GL, Wils D, Fahey GC, Dilger RN. Potato fiber as a dietary fiber source in dog foods. J Anim Sci. 2013;91(11):5344–5352. doi: 10.2527/jas.2013-6842
- Beloshapka AN, Cross TWL, Swanson KS. Graded dietary resistant starch concentrations on apparent total tract macronutrient digestibility and fecal fermentative end products and microbial populations of healthy adult dogs. J Anim Sci. 2021;99(1):skaa409. doi: 10.1093/jas/skaa409
- Corsato Alvarenga I, Jackson MI, Jewell DE, Aldrich CG. A low to medium-shear extruded kibble with greater resistant starch increased fecal oligosaccharides, butyric acid, and other saccharolytic fermentation by-products in dogs. Microorganisms. 2021;9(11):2293. doi: 10.3390/microorganisms9112293
- Tong C, Gao H, Luo S, Liu L, Bao J. Toward an understanding of potato starch structure, function, biosynthesis, and applications. Food Frontiers. 2023;4(2):545–564. doi: 10.1002/fft2.223
- Koh A, De Vadder F, Kovatcheva-Datchary P, Bäckhed F. From dietary fiber to host physiology: short-chain fatty acids as key bacterial metabolites. Cell. 2016;165(6):1332–1345. doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2016.05.041
- Sandri M, Sgorlon S, Scarsella E, Stefanon B. Effect of different starch sources in a raw meat-based diet on fecal microbiome in dogs housed in a shelter. Anim Nutr. 2020;6(3):353–361. doi: 10.1016/j.aninu.2020.03.003
- Salavati S, Perez Accino Salgado J, Glendinning L. Microbiota of healthy dogs demonstrate a significant decrease in richness and changes in specific bacterial groups in response to supplementation with resistant starch, but not psyllium or methylcellulose, in a randomized cross-over trial. Access Microbiol. 2024;6(5):000774.v4. doi: 10.1099/acmi.0.000774.v4
- Pilla R, Suchodolski JS. The role of the canine gut microbiome and metabolome in health and gastrointestinal disease. Front Vet Sci. 2020;6:498. doi: 10.3389/fvets.2019.00498
- astillo-Fernandez J, Gilroy R, Jones RB, et al. Waltham catalogue for the canine gut microbiome: a complete taxonomic and functional catalogue of the canine gut microbiome through novel metagenomic based genome discovery. Microbiome. 2026;14(1):25. Published 2026 Jan 17. doi:10.1186/s40168-025-02265-w
Editorial Information
| Field | Detail |
|---|---|
| Published | February 2026 |
| Last Updated | February 2026 — Original publication |
| Reviewed by | Glendon Lloyd, Dip. Canine Nutrition (Dist.), Dip. Canine Nutrigenomics (Dist.) |
| Next Review | February 2027 |
| Author | Glendon Lloyd |
| Disclaimer | This article is for informational purposes only and is not intended as veterinary advice. Always consult a qualified veterinarian before making changes to your dog’s diet or supplement regimen. |
About the Author
Glendon Lloyd | Dip. Canine Nutrition (Dist.) | Dip. Canine Nutrigenomics (Dist.) Founder, Bonza
Glendon Lloyd is a canine nutrition researcher specialising in nutrigenomics, gut microbiome science, and the therapeutic application of plant-based bioactive compounds. His work at Bonza is informed by his academic training in how nutrients influence gene expression, immune function, and the gut–organ axes that connect digestive health to whole-body wellbeing. Glendon reads 5–6 peer-reviewed studies weekly to ensure Bonza’s formulations and educational content reflect the most current evidence in canine nutritional science.
