The Veterinary Microbiome Project

The Microbiome, Cancer, and Why We've Been Missing the Bigger Picture with Dr. Kendra PopeDr. Kendra Pope is a board-certified integrative oncologist, founder of Prism Integrative Veterinary Health in New Jersey, and one of the leading voices in integrative and functional oncology in veterinary medicine. She completed her TCM training at the Chi Institute before finishing her oncology residency and has spent her career bridging the gap between conventional cancer treatment and terrain-based, whole-system medicine.In this episode, Dr. Lily Chen sits down with Dr. Pope to talk about why the microbiome is inseparable from cancer care, what fecal transplant actually does for a chemotherapy patient, and why 90 to 95 percent of cancers are environmentally driven rather than genetically inherited. They also get into the rising rate of cancer in pets, why diet may be the most accessible tool any clinician has right now, and why treating the disease without understanding the terrain is one of the biggest missed opportunities in oncology today.KEY INSIGHTS:✨ 90 to 95% of cancers are driven by environment and epigenetics, not inherited genetic mutations. Genetics loads the gun, but environment pulls the trigger. This should change how every clinician counsels pet owners.✨ Cancer rates in pets may be five times higher than in people. Without a mandatory reporting system for companion animal cancer, the true scale of the problem remains largely unknown.✨ The gut is obliterated during chemotherapy alongside bone marrow and hair follicles. Supporting the microbiome through treatment is not complementary medicine. It is basic oncology physiology.✨ FMT prior to bone marrow transplants in humans improves outcomes. The parvovirus double-blinded controlled trial showed 0% adverse events in the FMT group. The safety bar for microbiome restoration is far lower than for most things we do without hesitation.✨ The worst adverse effect Dr. Pope has seen from FMT is diarrhea, mitigated by adjusting dose or frequency. The risk-to-benefit ratio is unlike almost any conventional intervention.✨ Individualized diagnostics, including functional lab work, microbiome testing, and emerging epigenetic markers, can double or more the outcomes available to a cancer patient compared to protocol-only treatment.✨ Diet is the most accessible starting point. A fresh food diet over processed food corrects vitamin deficiencies, reduces oxidative load, and shifts the inflammatory baseline before a single additional tool is added.✨ Sometimes the goal is not to cure cancer. It is to help a family feel they did everything they could while keeping their pet comfortable for as long as possible. Meeting families at that goal changes what good care looks like.CONNECT WITH DR. KENDRA POPEWebsite: https://www.innercircle.vet/early-interestInstagram: @drkendrapopeFacebook: Dr. Kendra Pope YouTube: @drkendrapopeLinktree: @DrKendraPopeVetPractice: Prism Integrative Veterinary Health, New JerseyVet-to-vet consultations availableCONNECT WITH DR. LILY CHENInstagram: @dr.lilychen | @the.unicorn.vetThreads: @the.unicorn.vetLinkedIn: Lily Chen DVM | The Unicorn VetINTEGRATIVE PET WELLNESS CENTERhttps://integrativepet.comUNICORN ACADEMYhttps://theunicorn.academyJOIN OUR FREE MASTERCLASS (November 14, 2026):https://theunicornvet.kit.com/freemasterclass2026JOIN OUR NEWSLETTERhttps://theunicornvet.kit.com/vetsignupReal science. Real cases. And a little magic.

Beyond the Microbiome: Functional Gut Markers & What They Are Really Telling You with Betsy Redmond, Innovative Pet LabMost gut health conversations stop at the bacteria. Betsy Redmond wants to know what the body itself is doing.Betsy Redmond is a microbiologist and co-founder of Innovative Pet Lab, a functional stool testing company that brings human clinical gut markers to dogs and cats. In this episode, Dr. Lily Chen sits down with Betsy to walk through five functional markers that can identify gut inflammation, immune dysfunction, intestinal permeability, pancreatic insufficiency, and dysbiosis before a pet ever reaches a diagnosis.KEY INSIGHTSFecal calprotectin is a direct measure of neutrophil-driven gut inflammation. A pet can have chronically elevated calprotectin long before developing full enteropathy, and catching it early gives clinicians a real window to intervene.Secretory IgA is the first line of immune defense at the gut lining. When it is too high, the body is actively fending off a threat. When it is too low, the immune system may not be defending itself at all.Fecal zonulin reflects intestinal permeability. NSAIDs, certain bacteria, and chronic inflammation can all drive it up. Saccharomyces boulardii has been shown to bring it down alongside low secretory IgA.Pancreatic elastase measures overall pancreatic enzyme output. A gray area between adequate function and insufficiency exists in pets just as it does in people, and borderline low levels in senior dogs can respond to digestive enzyme support.Beta-glucuronidase, when elevated, signals bacterial overgrowth interfering with the liver's phase II detoxification pathway. Bringing the number down with a supplement without fixing the microbiome is mopping the floor without turning off the faucet.RESOURCESInnovative Pet Lab: https://www.innovativepetlab.comInstagram: @innovativepetlabCONNECT WITH DR. LILY CHENInstagram: @dr.lilychen @the.unicorn.vet Integrative Pet Wellness Center: https://integrativepet.com👉 JOIN OUR FREE MASTERCLASS — November 14, 2026SIGN UP FOR OUR WEEKLY NEWSLETTERhttps://theunicornvet.kit.com/vetsignupReal science. Real cases. And a little magic.

How medicinal mushrooms work as prebiotic fiber, immune trainers, and microbiome modulators, and what to look for on the label before you recommend one.Mushrooms, Microbiome & the Unifying Principle of Health with Dr. Rob Silver.Most conversations about the microbiome start and end with bacteria. Dr. Silver is an integrative veterinarian, nutraceutical formulator, and one of the most recognized experts in veterinary mycology in North America. In this episode, Dr. Lily Chen sits down with Dr. Silver to explore the growing research on mushrooms and the microbiome. They cover why beta-glucans are only part of the story, how to dose mushrooms for wellness versus therapeutic versus critical cases, which species to reach for first for gut health, and what to look for on a mushroom label when most of the industry still looks like the Wild West.KEY INSIGHTS:✨ Mushrooms are not just a source of beta-glucans. They also contain alpha-glucans, chitin, mannoproteins, and secondary metabolites, each of which has different effects on the immune system, gut barrier, and microbiome. Thinking of them as a single-fiber supplement undersells what they actually do.✨ When gut bacteria ferment chitin from mushrooms, one of the byproducts is N-acetyl D-glucosamine, the same compound used clinically for leaky gut and inflammatory enteritis. The mushroom is essentially producing its own gut repair component.✨ Of all the mushrooms studied for microbiome benefit, lion's mane has the most evidence. It has been used in Traditional Chinese Medicine for GI conditions for hundreds of years, and modern research is now showing benefits for inflammatory enteritis, gut barrier function, short-chain fatty acids, and the gut-brain axis.✨ Reishi is the other standout for microbiome work, particularly for its hepatoprotective properties, its role in epilepsy through the gut-brain axis, and its use alongside turkey tail in oncology cases.✨ Mushroom dosing is simpler than most clinicians assume. Using Traditional Chinese Medicine dosing tiers as a framework: one to three grams of dried powder for wellness, three to six grams for therapeutic cases, and three to nine grams for severe or critical cases in a 70 kg human. Scale down by body weight using Clark's law.✨ A major quality problem exists in the mushroom supplement industry. Dr. Silver analyzed 11 turkey tail products for pets and found that only six had enough beta-glucans to qualify as a real mushroom product. The rest were primarily myceliated grain. Look for beta-glucan content on the label and always ask for a third-party certificate of analysis.✨ Mushrooms improve vaccine duration of immunity. Pre-conditioning with mushrooms for two to four weeks before a booster in a dog with a low titer has been shown in multiple studies to produce a more robust and durable protective response.✨ Routine prophylactic deworming without testing is not medically justified. Test first, then choose the right treatment. And when microbiome support is strong, the gut environment itself becomes more resistant to parasitic burden.RESOURCES:Real Mushrooms: https://www.realmushrooms.comWellPet Dispensary: https://wellpetdispensary.comDr. Robert Silver DVMInstagram: @docrobsilverCONNECT WITH DR. LILY CHENInstagram: @dr.lilychen @the.unicorn.vetThreads: @the.unicorn.vetLinkedin: Lily Chen DVM & The Unicorn VetINTEGRATIVE PET WELLNESS CENTER https://integrativepet.comJOIN OUR NEWSLETTER https://theunicornvet.kit.com/vetsignupReal science. Real cases. And a little magic.

How Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine and acupuncture complement microbiome medicine to address the root patterns behind chronic GI disease.What if the missing piece in your most stubborn chronic GI case was not another drug, another diet, or another diagnostic, but a needle placed in exactly the right point?Dr. Nell Ostermeier has been practicing integrative veterinary medicine for over 22 years. She is a certified veterinary acupuncturist, educator, and founder of the Everyday Acupuncture Veterinary Community, a growing global network of veterinarians using Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine in practice.In this episode, Dr. Lily Chen sits down with Dr. Ostermeier to explore how acupuncture and TCVM work alongside microbiome medicine to address the root patterns beneath chronic GI disease. They cover the spleen-stomach partnership in TCM, why stress triggers GI symptoms through the liver organ system, how PC6 and Stomach 36 influence the gut through measurable neurological pathways, and which herbal formulas veterinarians can reach for even without full TCM training.KEY INSIGHTS:✨ In Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine, the spleen and stomach are considered partners. Diarrhea generally points to the spleen. Vomiting generally points to the stomach. But neither can truly be in balance without the other.✨ The spleen in TCM encompasses the functions of the pancreas and the intestinal microvilli, including transforming food, absorbing nutrients, and transporting them through the body. The ancient Chinese were more right than they knew.✨ Stress-triggered GI symptoms involve the liver organ in TCM. When the liver is out of balance, it puts pressure on the spleen-stomach apparatus, which is why stress so often shows up as diarrhea, IBS, or IBD flares.✨ PC6, one of the most highly researched acupuncture points, reduces nausea and supports the gut through its long-loop reflex into the brainstem, influencing the vagus nerve, parasympathetic outflow, and neurotransmitters like serotonin, GABA, and dopamine.✨ For stress-triggered GI cases, Dr. Ostermeier reaches for Xiao Yao San, also known as Happy Wanderer. For chronic or senior patients with depleted digestive energy, she reaches for Liu Jun Zi Tang, known as Six Gentle Pets in the Kan herbal line.✨ Removing the spleen does not change the TCM treatment approach. Spleen acupuncture points are still used because the functions the organ represented, digestive transformation, blood building, and immune modulation, still need to be supported.✨ Acupuncture was originally designed to maintain balance and prevent imbalance, not to correct it. Senior patients especially benefit from a regular monthly maintenance interval to prevent the slow return of patterns that have structural or degenerative roots.✨ TCM allows clinicians to treat patterns even when a definitive Western diagnosis has not yet been reached. If an animal is showing signs of liver congestion or spleen weakness, those patterns can be addressed right now while the workup continues.RESOURCES:Everyday Acupuncture Veterinary Community: The Every Day Acupuncture Vet CommunityPrivate Veterinarian-Only Facebook Group:Every Day Acupuncture For VeterinariansDr. Nell Ostermeier's Website: https://www.peopleandpet.com/CONNECT WITH DR. NELL OSTERMEIERInstagram: @people.and.petLinktree: @Dr.NellCONNECT WITH DR. LILY CHENInstagram: @dr.lilychenInstagram: the.unicorn.vetThreads: @the.unicorn.vetLinkedin: Lily Chen DVM & The Unicorn VetINTEGRATIVE PET WELLNESS CENTER https://integrativepet.comUNICORN ACADEMY https://theunicorn.academyJOIN OUR NEWSLETTER https://theunicornvet.kit.com/vetsignupReal science. Real cases. And a little magic.

Dr. Margo Roman has been practicing integrative veterinary medicine since 1978. She started her own hospital in 1983, was the first woman to complete the IVAS acupuncture course, and has spent the last 30 years raising seven generations of antibiotic-free donor dogs on seven organic acres in Massachusetts. She did not call it FMT. She called it Microbiome Restorative Therapy, and the distinction matters.In this episode, Dr. Lily Chen sits down with Dr. Roman to talk about why terrain preparation changes everything, how medical ozone works alongside microbiome restoration to break down biofilm and oxygenate the gut before a transplant, and what happens when you stop just throwing poop at a problem and actually rebuild the environment it needs to survive in. They also talk about a parvo case that turned around in an hour and a half, a human story that will stop you in your tracks, and what 48 years of refusing to give up on a patient actually looks like in practice.KEY INSIGHTSDr. Roman coined the term Microbiome Restorative Therapy because FMT alone misses the point. If the gut terrain is not prepared to receive and sustain the transplant, it will not take.Medical ozone administered rectally before a transplant breaks down biofilm, hyperoxygenates the colon, and stimulates mitochondria in the columnar stem cells of the gut wall, giving the new microbial community a cleaner surface to colonize.The reason human FMT protocols historically used vancomycin and metronidazole before transplant was to clear the gut. Ozone achieves a similar result without destroying the beneficial bacteria that take the longest to come back.A nine-month-old husky puppy arrived unconscious, white as a sheet, with blood pouring from its rear end from parvo. After rectal ozone, FMT, nutraceuticals, and subQ saline, it was sitting up and wanting to eat within an hour and a half. The only dog in that outbreak that died did not receive ozone or FMT.Dr. Roman's donor dogs have never received antibiotics across 30 years and seven generations. They are rated among the highest in microbial diversity in the country. Her MBRT-7G capsule blends material from four generations of donors in a single dose.Fresh donor material consistently outperforms frozen in clinical results. Metabolites, bile acids, and live anaerobes that do not survive freeze-drying appear to play a meaningful role in engraftment success.Antimicrobial resistance is now responsible for 1.2 million human deaths per year globally. Veterinarians are part of that conversation whether they choose to be or not, and terrain-based medicine is one of the most direct answers available.RESOURCESMASH Veterinary Clinic: https://www.mashvet.comMBRT Life: https://www.mbrt.lifeThe Miracle of the Microbiome by Dr. Margo Roman: https://atouchoflifembrt.square.site/AHVMA (American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association) https://www.ahvma.orgCIVT (College of Integrative Veterinary Therapies) https://www.civtedu.orgChi University https://chiu.eduIVAS (International Veterinary Acupuncture Society) CONNECT WITH DR. MARGO ROMANFacebook: Margo RomanInstagram: @DrmargoromanCONNECT WITH DR. LILY CHEN Instagram: @dr.lilychen @the.unicorn.vetThreads: @the.unicorn.vet LinkedIn: Lily Checn DVM INTEGRATIVE PET WELLNESS CENTER: https://integrativepet.comUNICORN ACADEMY: https://theunicorn.academyLinkedIn: The Unicorn VetJOIN OUR NEWSLETTER: https://theunicornvet.kit.com/vetsignupReal science. Real cases. And a little magic.