The Benefits of Plasma on Gut Health for Dogs & Cats

Plasma is a little-talked-about but mighty ingredient that has been used in pet food products for many years. With its amazing nutritional value, animal plasma is coming into the spotlight, and there are a number of new animal plasma-based pet food products appearing such as treats and supplements. 

Animal plasma could have a number of health benefits for your pets, and are particularly known for their impact on gut health and function. A healthy gut means a healthy happy pet, so let’s take a closer look at animal plasma and why it might be a great additional ingredient to your pet’s diet to help optimise their gut health. 

What is animal plasma?

Plasma is a product that we get from blood. When ‘whole’ blood is separated, we are left with blood cells (red cells, white cells, and platelets), and a clear fluid that is known as plasma. Usually, plasma is a by-product of the processing of animals (usually beef and pork) for human consumption. By using the plasma in pet foods, it reduces the waste from meat production, making plasma sustainable as well as healthy! Blood is collected and added to anticoagulants before being centrifuged to separate the plasma from the other blood cells. The plasma is then spray-dried which leaves a powder product. Even in this dried form, plasma is able to fully maintain its function and nutritional qualities, as well as being a really usable form in the nutrition industry.

Plasma is very nutrient-rich and contains a huge number of protein products, which is why it is becoming such a popular ingredient in pet food products. Spray-dried animal plasma is an amazing source of functional proteins as it contains so many biologically active compounds. This means it is highly bioavailable and an extremely valuable source of nutrients in pet food products. These nutrients come into their own in the intestines, where animal plasma has one of its biggest and most valuable health benefits. 

The benefits of plasma on gut health 

Promoting healthy gut bacteria

Spray-dried animal plasma has the ability to act as a prebiotic in the gut, which in turn helps to promote the growth of healthy gut bacteria that are essential for healthy digestive function. 

Reduces gut inflammation

It’s thought that animal plasma products may improve the function of the gut barrier by improving the uptake of nutrients as they pass through the digestive system. It’s thought that the benefits of animal plasma could include reducing the symptoms of IBD in dogs and cats, although this is yet to be properly studied. 

Immune support

Animal plasma contains bioactive proteins and immunoglobulins that remain viable all the way through the digestive system. These proteins and immunoglobulins are able to provide support to the immune system.  

Improving digestion

By keeping the gut healthy, maintaining a healthy gut barrier and promoting the growth of healthy gut bacteria, animal plasma may have positive effects on improving digestion.

 

Why is animal plasma great for gut health?

Plasma is a particularly great source of amino acids - the building blocks for proteins. It also contains active immunoglobulins. Compared to other protein sources and ingredients, spray-dried animal plasma has a superior amino acid profile consisting of lysine, tryptophan, threonine, and methionine. 

Threonine has an important role in the maintenance and function of the intestines, whilst methionine can have benefits on the gut microbiome and intestinal health. Lysine is thought to have anti-inflammatory effects on the gut, and help keep the gut lining healthy. Tryptophan has multiple benefits on gut health - it has a key role in the gut microbiome and helps to improve the gut barrier, as well as having an ability to influence immune responses in the gut and systemic inflammation. Tryptophan is also a precursor to serotonin - an important neurotransmitter that helps to boost mood, improve sleep, and regulate hunger and other bodily functions.

Conclusion

Animal plasma is a uniquely valuable nutrient and a great addition to many types of pet food products including treats, such as DotDotPet's Multifits, wet food, and dry kibble. Whilst it has several known benefits including immune support, a neuroprotectant and improving the palatability and digestibility of pet foods, one of the most valuable properties of animal plasma is its gut health benefits. 

It’s essential to remember that whilst we know there are several well-proven benefits of animal plasma for dogs and cats, there is still a lot of research and understanding needed to better understand details such as doses, response, and other health benefits. 

FAQs about plasma and gut health 

Is animal plasma good for dogs and cats?

Animal plasma is safe and healthy for dogs and cats. It may have a range of health benefits including gut health, immunity, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective properties. 

Why is animal plasma good for gut health?

Animal plasma helps improve and maintain a healthy gut microbiome, maintains the gut barrier, reduces inflammation, improves the immune system response within the gut, and helps to aid digestion. 

How do I give my dog animal plasma?

Animal plasma for dogs can be given in some treats and supplements and may also be found as an ingredient in dog food. Such as DotDotPet's Multifit Dog and Cat Treats

Written by Dr Hollie Anne Hills MRCVS 

References

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10252101/

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0377840116301316

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0377840105001136

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09540105.2020.1786669#d1e889