Juliet Trevaskis & Bert

When Bert lost his long-term companion, the stress had a notable effect not only on his behavior but also his health. After a lengthy process of elimination including a range of health checks by veterinarians, farriers and physiotherapists, Bert’s owner Juliet was at a loss on what to do next.

The gut-brain axis is a powerful communication system that links the hindgut microbiome and the brain, receiving a lot of attention in both human and equine research. Growing evidence shows that the microbes in the hindgut microbiome are influenced and altered by an increase in stress hormones.

Stress negatively impacts the microbiome, resulting in a cascade of events that impair gut integrity and leads to outward signs of ill health, systemic inflammation or changes in behaviour.  

Read more about the gut-brain axis here: https://bit.ly/3HLxHUY