Disentangling factors that shape the gut microbiota in German Shepherd dogs

Abstract

The aim of this study was to explore the development of the gut microbiota in 168 German Shepherd dogs (30 litters) from 7 weeks to 18 months of age and furthermore, to study the effect of relatedness, maternal microbiota composition and living environment in a large and well-defined population of dogs. Using 454 pyrosequencing, we assessed the effects of pre- and postnatal probiotic supplementation (Lactobacillus johnsonii NCC533 (La1)) and analysed whether administration of the probiotic strain influenced fecal microbiota composition in a placebo controlled double-blinded study. The bitches were treated with probiotics or placebo during last trimester of pregnancy and until their puppies were 8 weeks old, the puppies received the same treatment as their mothers between 3–12 weeks of age. Samples from bitches were collected at pregnancy day 42, partum, 4 weeks postpartum and 7 weeks postpartum and from puppies at the age 4 weeks, 7 weeks, 12–13 months and 15–18 months. Serum IgA, total serum IgE, fecal IgA and IgG antibody responses against canine distemper virus were analysed by ELISA in order to detect any immune stimulating effects of the probiotic strain. Analysis of the fecal microbiota composition showed that the predominant phyla were the same in 7 weeks old puppies as in pregnant and lactating bitches (Firmicutes, Fusobacteria, Bacteroidetes). Proportions among different bacteria as well as diversity varied from 7 weeks old puppies up to 15–18 months of age. Litter mates had a more similar fecal microbiota compared to unrelated dogs and 7 weeks old puppies were more similar to their mothers than to unrelated bitches at 7 weeks postpartum but not at partum. We observed a change in the relative abundance of different bacteria during lactation, and an increase in diversity from pregnancy to end of lactation. The microbial diversity was affected by living area where dogs living in big cities had higher diversity compared to dogs living at the countryside. However, we were not able to demonstrate an effect by pre and postnatal exposure to Lactobacillus johnsonii NCC533 (La1) upon the diversity or composition of the microbiota or the levels of serum IgA, total serum IgE, fecal IgA or vaccine response. Our findings provide a better understanding of the canine fecal microbiota in growing dogs as well as in pregnant and lactating bitches. This information forms a basis for further research on the connection between early gut colonization and immune function later in life.

Impact of the early-life skin microbiota on the development of canine atopic dermatitis in a high-risk breed birth cohort

“…They were identified in a previous study as differentially abundant in the perianal region compared to other skin sites 29 . A study on the development of the gut microbiota in German Shepherd dogs found this family to increase in abundance from puppyhood to adulthood 38 , which is in contrast to the increased number of Lachnospiraceae on the puppies' skin in our study. Interestingly, a study on the human microbiota in relation to the postnatal exposure to household disinfectants, found that with the more frequent use of disinfectants, Lachnospiraceae were significantly increased in the infant gut microbiota 39 .…”

Gut microbiome features associated withClostridium difficilecolonization in puppies

“…Puppies of a same litter are exposed to the same environment, consume the same diet (i.e., dam’s milk), and are cophrophagic. It is therefore not surprising that similar gut microbial communities are seen among puppies of a litter, as we found and as was found in a previous study of 30 German Shepherd litters (40). Microbial communities, presumably along with C. difficile , are likely shared among littermates.…”

Akkermansia and Microbial Degradation of Mucus in Cats and Dogs: Implications to the Growing Worldwide Epidemic of Pet Obesity

“…As indicated above, the development of microbial therapies with weight-loss applications in obese cats and dogs is challenging [7], in part due to the little we know about microbes and obesity [92,93] in these animal species and the wide inter-individual variation in the gut microbiome. This variation in the gut microbiome in pets is associated with the passing of time and aging [94][95][96][97][98], environmental factors, including diet [99], microbes in surrounding people [100], breed and other host genetics factors [101,102], clinical and subclinical conditions [91,93,103], gender [104], and behavior [105]. Here, we discuss the literature on feline and canine gut microbiota with regards to Verrucomicrobia-and Akkermansia-like 16S rRNA sequences (Table 1).…”