This is an important and rapidly expanding subject in conventional and integrative veterinary medicine. Dr Palmquist will define the microbiome in a functional fashion in order to understand its origins, development and maintenance as it relates to health and disease. The information presented will assist clinicians in considering the microbiome in clinical case programming and will familiarize attendees with prebiotics, probiotics and fermented foods. The concept of Terrain is intimate to this subject, how diet, herbs and medication affect the Terrain via the microbiome will be examined. Finally, the newly developing field of Social Biology will be explored to show the importance of choices made at home and work.