Microbiome Forum Round Table Explores Early-Life Gut Health and Its Long-Term Impact on Pets

Veterinary professionals across the UK and Europe are invited to join the Purina Institute’s Microbiome Forum Round Table, an expert-led discussion on how managing early-life intestinal disorders can shape long-term health outcomes in dogs and cats.

The online event takes place on 12 February 2026 at 6 pm GMT/7 pm CET and is free to attend.

Puppies and kittens with diarrhoea are common presentations in practice. However, growing evidence suggests that early-life acute intestinal disorders may have lasting effects on gut integrity, immune function and chronic disease risk.

The session, “From Early Care to Lifelong Health: Diarrhoea Management in Puppies and Kittens”, will bring together five internationally recognised veterinary experts to discuss how early gastrointestinal insults can influence lifelong health and how veterinary teams can intervene effectively to reduce future complications.

Veterinary surgeons, veterinary nurses and technicians attending the webinar will gain practical, clinically relevant insights that can be applied immediately in practice, including:

• How early-life gastrointestinal disease affects long-term health outcomes.
• The mechanisms by which enteritis — such as giardiasis and parvoviral enteritis — compromise gut integrity and increase chronic disease risk.
• When antibiotic therapy is appropriate for puppies and kittens, and strategies to minimise antibiotic-associated dysbiosis.
• Best-practice protocols for managing acute diarrhoea in puppies and kittens to mitigate dysbiosis, preserve gut barrier function and reduce future gastrointestinal and dermatological disorders.

The Microbiome Forum Round Table will be chaired by Jan S. Suchodolski MedVet, DrVetMed, PhD, AGAF, DACVM, with contributions from an international panel of experts: Ana Rostaher Prof, Dr med vet, Dipl ECVD, RCVS; Camille Torres-Henderson DVM, DABVP (Canine/Feline), DACVIM (Nutrition); Stefan Unterer Prof, Dr med vet, Dr habil, Dipl ECVIM-CA; and Michelle van Lienden DVM.
Natalia Wagemans, Head of the Purina Institute, commented: “Our goal is to provide practical, evidence-based insights that veterinary professionals can apply immediately to improve long-term outcomes for pets. By focusing on real-world application rather than theory alone, the Purina Institute Microbiome Forum Round Table helps clinicians stay at the forefront of gut health science.”

The event will be recorded and available on demand for registered participants. Live audio and subtitles will be available in more than 50 languages.

Register for the Purina Institute Microbiome Forum Round Table 2026 at
https://events.purinainstitute.com/login/purinainstitute/MicrobiomeForumRoundTable2026?utm_campaign=pin-events2026&utm_medium=offline&utm_source=eu_press_ release&utm_content=cr-2026_mbfrt_invitation_pt-na&utm_term=

For more information about the Purina Institute and its educational initiatives, visit https://www.purinainstitute.com/.