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This study examined the effects of dietary supplementation with laminarin or chitosan on colonic health in pigs challenged with dextran sodium sulphate (DSS). Weaned pigs were assigned to: (1) a basal diet (n = 22); (2) a basal diet + laminarin (n = 10); and (3) a basal diet + chitosan (n = 10). On d35, the basal group was split, creating four groups: (1) the basal diet (control); (2) the basal diet + DSS; (3) the basal diet + laminarin + DSS; and (4) the basal diet + chitosan + DSS. From d39–42, the pigs were orally challenged with DSS. On d44, colonic tissue/digesta samples were collected. The basal DSS group had reduced growth, higher pathology score and an increased expression of <i>MMP1</i>, <i>IL13</i> and <i>IL23</i> compared with the controls (<i>p</i> < 0.05); these parameters were similar between the DSS-challenged groups (<i>p</i> > 0.05). In the basal DSS group, the relative abundance of beneficial taxa including <i>Prevotella</i> and <i>Roseburia</i> were reduced while <i>Escherichia/Shigella</i> were increased, compared with the controls (<i>p</i> < 0.05). The relative abundance of <i>Escherichia/Shigella</i> was reduced and the molar proportions of acetate were increased in the laminarin DSS group compared with the basal DSS group (<i>p</i> < 0.01), suggesting that laminarin has potential to prevent pathogen proliferation and enhance the volatile fatty acid profile in the colon in a porcine model of colitis.