There’s a story I’ve been holding close to my heart lately. It’s about my dear friend Jenn and her chocolate lab, Fern 🐶
Fern is the kind of dog who makes you pause and smile. You know the type—goofy, full of silliness and joy.
That’s Fern 🦮
But beneath that vibrant spirit, Fern had been battling chronic GI issues for years.
Her mom, Jenn, had tried everything she could think of.
Even after visiting specialists and ruling out the really scary stuff like lymphoma, the best answer she was given was: “It’s a helicobacter infection. Just keep giving her antibiotics. If it doesn’t work, give her more.”
(Spoiler alert: it didn’t work. In fact, it made things worse.)
Jenn was exhausted and heartbroken.
That’s when she reached out to me and I suggested something a little outside the box: microbiome therapy (aka fecal transplants 💩)
And yes, she was skeptical.
But totally fair, right? I mean, it’s not every day someone tells you to mix up poop and give it as an enema 💁♀️
But she was willing to try anything. And with the support of her vet team, she went for it.
4 weeks later, after 8 years of chronic GI issues, Fern had her very first normal poop 💩
Jenn was so overjoyed that she celebrated right there on the sidewalk. For the first time, she could pick it up with a bag—no rocks, no dirt, no mess (IYKYK)
Now, whenever Fern has a little flare-up (which isn’t often anymore), Jenn doesn’t panic. And she doesn’t reach for antibiotics either.
She knows exactly what her girl needs. A quick microbiome reset, and Fern is back to her goofy, tail-wagging self again 💩✨
And it’s not just pets…
One story that’s etched in my mind is about Catherine Duff, a woman from Indiana.
She was battling her sixth C. diff infection in 6 years. She was struggling with severe GI symptoms, and a surgeon told her it would be “easier” to remove her colon 😳
But her husband just wouldn’t give up. They found Dr. Thomas Borody’s work on fecal transplants, and when her doctors refused to do it, her husband, John, a retired submarine commander, stepped in.
He had his stool screened, blended it with saline, gave her an enema at 4 pm, kissed her forehead, reassured her… and then threw away the blender 😬
Catherine lay there, legs up, holding it in for 4 hours.
By 10 pm that same night, she felt almost completely better—after nearly facing renal failure the day before! 🥳
Why Microbiome Therapy is a Game-Changer
Fern’s story is just one of many.
I’ve seen microbiome therapy quietly work miracles in the lives of pets struggling with all kinds of chronic conditions, whether it’s relentless diarrhea, stubborn skin issues, or even helping anxious or reactive dogs become calmer.
And here’s what makes it so special: it’s a do-no-harm protocol.
No invasive procedures. No harsh meds. Just a gentle, natural way to restore balance where it matters most in the gut.
But there’s something important I want you to know…
If a pet isn’t responding to fecal transplants, it’s often because the gut is too inflamed to welcome and nourish those beautiful, beneficial bacteria 🦠
That’s when we hit pause and focus on healing first so the microbiome reset can truly take root.
Natural Ways to Reduce Gut Inflammation in Pets
Dietary Approaches
- ✨This is individualized for each pet but generally avoiding highly processed foods is a great start
- ✨Adding fiber and variety of fresh food topper (we like Standard Process Whole Food fiber and Inulin)
- ✨Consider doing food sensitivity testing to know which foods to avoid (We like the one from Glacier Peaks. We are also doing the in-house Qest4 bioenergetic scan to individualize the recommendations)
Supplements and Natural Remedies
- ✨Rotate probiotics (canine-specific strains like the ones from Adored Beast, whole food sources like the ones from Green Juju) and digestive enzymes (Standard Process, Adored Beast, Rx vitamins carry great ones!) to restore balance and improve nutrient absorption. It’s important to note that you don’t want to use the same probiotics for longer than 3 months at a time. Variety is important!
- ✨We have also seen benefits with soil-based pre and probiotics like Ion Gut Support for pets.
- ✨High quality medicinal mushrooms!
Lifestyle Factors
- ✨Reduce stress with regular exercise, peaceful environments, and calming essential oils (always use pet safe brands like Wild Thyme and make sure your pet can choose to leave the room and be away from the scent) and flower essences are lovely too.
If you’re curious and want to go deeper into microbiome therapy, you can still get access to the limited-time replay of my Microbiome Class inside the Concierge Membership for just $27.
Just send us an email to info@integrativepet.com and we’ll send you the link
Your Unicorn Vet,
Dr. Lily 💖
P.S. Check out our 👉💌 Microbiome Podcast Playlist
P.P. S. Here is the full article with Catherine Duff’s story if you’d like to read it 💩👇
