A Review of Postbiotic and Parabiotic Applications in the Pet Industry

Background: The pet industry is undergoing rapid expansion, fueled by pet humanization and a heightened emphasis on animal health and longevity. Within this landscape, dietary supplements known as 'biotics' encompassing probiotics, prebiotics, postbiotics, and parabiotics have emerged as key modulators of the gut microbiome to promote pet well-being. Postbiotics, defined as preparations of inanimate microorganisms or their components (e.g., short-chain fatty acids and cell wall elements), and parabiotics, referring to inactivated microbial cells, offer promising alternatives to live probiotics by providing immunomodulatory, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant benefits while mitigating issues such as storage instability and antibiotic resistance transfer. (Hosseini et al., ۲۰۲۴a; Wilson et al., ۲۰۲۴). This review examines the current state, mechanisms, commercial applications, evidence strength, and research gaps for postbiotics and parabiotics in companion animals, particularly dogs and cats. Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted across Scopus, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar using the keywords ("postbiotic" OR "parabiotic") AND ("pet industry" OR "dog" OR "cat"), yielding ۱۰۲ English-language publications including original research, reviews, and book chapters. Following a two-stage screening of titles, abstracts, and full texts, ۲۶ articles focused on companion animals were selected for in-depth analysis, excluding those solely on probiotics/prebiotics, human/livestock studies, or inaccessible texts. Results: Diverse formulations, primarily from Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains, are commercialized for gastrointestinal, immune, and oral health, such as Microbiotal cane® (tyndallized Limosilactobacillus reuteri) and EpiCor® (inactivated yeast). Mechanisms involve strengthening intestinal barriers via short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), enhancing immunity through cytokine modulation and pathogen inhibition, and supporting conditions like diabetes, atopic dermatitis, and halitosis. (Baritugo et al., ۲۰۲۳; Hosseini et al., ۲۰۲۴a; Duysburgh et al., ۲۰۲۵; Rodiles et al., ۲۰۲۵). Veterinary applications demonstrate improved stool quality, reduced pruritus, and stress resilience, though limitations include publication bias, small sample sizes, lack of head-to-head comparisons with live probiotics or pharmaceuticals, and insufficient long-term safety data. Conclusion: Postbiotics and parabiotics represent a stable, effective advancement in pet healthcare, offering clinical benefits for gut, skin, and overall vitality. Future research should prioritize large-scale trials, standardization, and strain-specific investigations, while veterinarians are encouraged to integrate evidence-based products into comprehensive management plans, monitoring for adverse events to bolster the safety database. (Bonel-Ayuso et al., ۲۰۲۵; Wilson et al., ۲۰۲۴).

کلیدواژه ها:

Postbiotics ، Parabiotics ، Pet Industry ، Gut Microbiome