World Class Research
Supported by world class laboratories, our highly skilled team of researchers study many aspects of pet health and nutrition.
Working in collaboration with specialists and institutes around the world, our team has pioneered many important advances in pet science.
For example, using a technique called Fluorescence In Situ Hybridisation (F.I.S.H.) to identify and quantify particular bacterial populations, we were able to investigate the effect of a probiotic supplement on the gastrointestinal bacteria of dogs.
F.I.S.H. uses a small DNA ‘probe’ that is specifically designed for any bacterial population that we wish to study. When applied to a sample (in this case faeces), the probe binds to the target bacterial species and the fluorescent tag on the probe causes the bacteria to fluoresce or glow (Figure 1). F.I.S.H. probes can be designed to target many different bacterial species.
With this technique WALTHAM® demonstrated that the gastrointestinal and immune health of cats and dogs were enhanced when the probiotic Lactobacillus acidophilus DSM 13241 was added to their diet. This probiotic showed benefits when fed to healthy pets, including the reduction of harmful bacteria clostridia (Figure 2), and may be particularly useful in pets susceptible to gastrointestinal infections, immuno-compromised pets or in anticipation of stresses such as kennelling or illness.
