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The microbiota is the set of microorganisms that live in the body, residing practically throughout the body: for the most part (more than 70%) it is found in the gastrointestinal tract, but it is also present on the skin, hair, oral cavity, genitals, and in various parts of the airways as well as in the eye cavity.
The microbiota is made up of a very large population, it is estimated that there are around 103 million bacteria, fungi, protozoa and viruses that "inhabit" it, ten times the number of cells in the organism,

It is almost entirely made up of bacteria (98%), the remaining 2% is made up of all other microorganisms (viruses, protozoa and fungi).

The factors that control and modify the microbial composition are often individual; an individual's microbiota is highly specific, even if they are of the same species, race, or kin.
The microbiota is usually acquired at birth within the first 24 hours and, for the first three years of life, develops to a fairly stable plateau.

Some external events, whether physiological such as aging or pathological such as stress, drug abuse, metabolic disorders (obesity and diabetes), and, above all, an inappropriate diet, can lead to an imbalance in the bacterial population, causing dysbiosis.

Urological diseases are not a common primary condition in our pets. In fact, only a few dogs and cats are affected by this disorder each year.

But why are they of great veterinary interest?

Probably alongside a higher, but still limited, frequency of occurrence in cats (7%) compared to dogs (3%), what worries veterinarians and owners is the difficult management of recurrences, which approach and sometimes exceed 65% of the subjects involved. It therefore often becomes a disorder that will accompany the animal for much of its life.

The most frequently encountered urological pathologies are those of the bladder and urethra, while those of the kidney and ureter are rather rare occurrences.

Clinical signs of urolithiasis result from irritation of the lower urinary tract mucosa (cystitis and/or urethritis), consisting of pain, bloody urine, inappropriate urination, and/or urination away from the litter box. Occasionally, urolithiasis can lead to urethral obstruction, especially in males, which, however, is a strictly surgical emergency.

All pets can suffer from heart problems, which fortunately are easily diagnosed and managed by a veterinarian. Dietary management, alongside primary medical therapy, is an important part of treatment. Providing the proper nutrient intake, along with reducing the workload of the heart, is very important. Some persistent symptoms, such as a cough (often dry or "empty" vomiting), fatigue, abdominal swelling, and in more serious cases, collapse, are symptoms that should not be ignored.

Some precautions can improve the symptoms and the animal's condition:

- the limitation of sodium,

- the intake of a lower protein content but of high digestibility.

- prevention of potassium deficiency, which can be caused by the administration of diuretics.

The term "homemade feeding" includes a very diverse set of nutritional approaches, ranging from the use of table scraps to the use of finely crafted rations to meet the dog's nutritional needs.
On this topic, there are some widespread misconceptions and information from more or less reliable sources, which generate a lot of confusion among owners.

Not all food is the same!

Quality, palatability and above all safety are fundamental.

A fundamental parameter in "constructing" a home diet is taking into account vitamin and mineral supplements, which are not always easy to integrate or balance in the daily ration.