Yes, in many cases pet insurance companies will cover the cost of both our testing kits and fecal microbiota transplant (FMT) capsules. When you submit a claim, include the following three documents: (1) the receipt from your AnimalBiome purchase; (2) your pet's medical record showing the medical condition you are treating; and (3) a statement from your pet's veterinarian, indicating that they have prescribed this treatment for the condition.
Gut bacteria are essential for proper digestion. They also affect mental health and shape the immune system. Every pet has a unique population of bacteria, and the diversity of this population helps keeps your pet healthy. AnimalBiome allows you to observe the current state of your pet’s gut bacteria (microbiome), and provides you with a report and information to help you decide if there are steps you can take to improve your pet’s gut health.
Your pet could have a bacterial imbalance that you may not know about. Early detection of imbalances in your pet’s microbiome is crucial in identifying potential chronic illnesses before they develop.
Even if your pet already has a healthy gut microbiome, it’s still helpful to see exactly what it looks like. Your pet’s gut bacteria can be disrupted by things like antibiotics, infections, and disease, and having a baseline profile of your healthy pet is the best way to ensure your pet’s gut health returns to its optimal level.
The science of gut microbiome treatment is still maturing. By purchasing an AnimalBiome kit, you help us generate the data needed to pioneer new treatments for your pet and others.
Chronic digestive disorders are very common. More than 10% of pet owners have a cat or dog suffering from a chronic digestive disorder like inflammatory bowel disease.* Most of these disorders are directly linked to imbalanced gut bacteria and can cause life-long discomfort for pets (and their owners). There is currently no cure for chronic digestive disorders, and owners can spend thousands of dollars annually to manage these conditions once they develop. AnimalBiome is currently developing treatments to prevent these conditions from arising in the first place.
*According to statistics gathered from our surveys of the general American population.
The information you learned provides a baseline for your pet's gut microbiome health. AnimalBiome does not currently have a microbiome supplement for pets that have no symptoms yet who test similar to unhealthy pet microbiomes.
Some people suggest giving your pet a probiotic, prebiotic or a raw food diet to restore diversity. We don’t have enough evidence yet to back this advice, although we are working on testing these treatments. If you’ve already had your pet tested and want to try an intervention, contact us and we will provide you with a discounted kit for follow-up testing.
Chronic digestive disorders are defined by their symptoms, not their source. Our Microbiome Test can help you determine if your sick pet has an imbalanced gut microbiome.
Fecal microbiota transplants are growing in popularity as a treatment to restore gut bacteria diversity. If your pet is currently suffering from chronic digestive issues, you may want to consider trying our Fecal Microbiota Transplant Capsules made with material from pre-screened dog and cat donors.
Please see our Fecal microbiota transplant capsules page for more information about how we make the capsules that are included in our Gut Microbiome Restoration Systems.
Don't worry! The FMT pills are perfectly safe at room temperature: the key is that they are kept completely dry, and out of hot, humid environments. The pills can be stored in the refrigerator if that is convenient for you, but it is not necessary. Do not place them in the freezer.
We ship all orders on the business day following the placement of an order. If Express Mail shipping is requested, shipping will take 1-2 days. This is because for the USPS Priority Mail Express, shipping is overnight for certain locations and will take two days for cross-country and rural or remote locations.
Once we receive your pet’s sample, it will take 2-4 weeks for us to process and analyze the data, and provide you with a report (via email and via our online Pet Portal).
Please see our Getting Started with Your AnimalBiome Account page for instructions on how to create your pet's profile, fill out information about them and register their sample code.
Our Microbiome Tests and Supplements work individually, and together, to help improve your pet’s gut and overall health.
1. COLLECT: Order a Microbiome Gut Health Test Kit, collect a small stool sample from your pet, and mail the sample back to us (pre-paid envelope).
2. ANALYZE & REPORT: We extract and sequence DNA from the sample to identify your pet’s gut bacteria. You receive a report (in 2-4 weeks) via email AND can go online to explore and understand your pet’s results.
3. RESTORE: Use our Microbiome Gut Restoration Supplement to replace and rebalance bacteria that are missing, and improve pet gut health.
4. REASSESS: Retest your pet at the end of each supplement cycle, or if symptoms recur. Compare test results through the online Pet Portal. Supplements may be an ongoing part of your pet’s care, or when medication, diet, illness, age or environment cause troublesome digestive and immune system symptoms.
Our online Pet Portal provides access to your pet’s results and in an interactive online dashboard. Through the Pet Portal, you can:
As we keep signing up new pets, your pet’s results will continue to grow. We have new features in the pipeline, so check back regularly or read our monthly newsletter for updates.
You may also retest your pet at the end of each supplement cycle, or if symptoms recur, and compare test results through the online Pet Portal. Supplements may be an ongoing part of your pet’s care, or when medication, diet, illness or environment cause troublesome digestive and immunity symptoms.
