Effects of a synbiotic on fecal quality, short-chain fatty acid concentrations, and the microbiome of healthy sled dogs

BMC Veterinary Research

George C Fahey²  Kelly S Swanson²  Kit Brown³  Dawn A Brown³  Shalini Latchman¹  Scot E Dowd⁵  Kenneth W Simpson¹  Joseph J Wakshlag⁴  Jason W Gagné¹ 

[1] Department of Clinical Sciences, Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, Ithaca, NY, USA;Department of Animal Sciences, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL, USA;Argyle Kennels, Lowville, NY, USA;Vet Med Center 1–120, Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA;Molecular Research DNA Laboratory, Shallowater, TX, USA

关键词: Fecal score;    Probiotic;    Prebiotic;    Diarrhea;    Sled dog;   

Others  :  1119392
DOI  :  10.1186/1746-6148-9-246

 received in 2013-03-19, accepted in 2013-11-26,  发布年份 2013

【 摘 要 】

Background

Sled dogs commonly suffer from diarrhea. Although multiple etiologies exist there are limited field studies using synbiotics as a supplement to prevent or treat diarrhea. The objective of this study was to examine alterations in fecal quality, short-chain fatty acids (SCFA), and the fecal microbiome in two groups of training sled dogs fed a synbiotic or microcrystalline cellulose placebo. Twenty clinically healthy training sled dogs randomized into two cohorts (9 synbiotic-fed, 8 placebo-fed) for a 6 week prospective study were examined. Fecal pH and fecal short chain fatty acid (SCFA) concentrations were measured and tag-encoded FLX 16S rDNA amplicon pyrosequencing (bTEFAP) and quantitative real-time PCR were performed at baseline (10 d prior to the study) and after 2 weeks of treatment with a total treatment time of 6 weeks. Fecal scores for all dogs were assessed at baseline and every day for 6 wk after initiation of treatment.

Results

Alterations in the fecal microbiome were observed with a significant rise in Lactobacillaceae in the synbiotic group (P = 0.004) after 2 wk of treatment. A positive correlation was found between Lactobacillaceae and overall butyrate concentration (R = 0.62, p = 0.011) in all dogs. After 5 wk of treatment, there was an improved fecal score and fewer days of diarrhea (Χ² = 5.482, P = 0.019) in the dogs given synbiotic, which coincided with a presumed contagious outbreak shared by all dogs in the study.

Conclusions

Use of this synbiotic results in an increase in presumed beneficial bacterial flora of the host colon which was associated with a decrease in the prevalence of diarrhea in training sled dogs.

【 授权许可】

   
2013 Gagné et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

【 图 表 】

Figure 1.

Figure 2.

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