Effect of the Probiotic Enterococcus faecium SF68 on Presence of Diarrhea in Cats and Dogs Housed in an Animal Shelter

Abstract

Background: Beneficial effects of probiotics have never been analyzed in an animal shelter. Hypothesis: Dogs and cats housed in an animal shelter and administered a probiotic are less likely to have diarrhea of !2 days duration than untreated controls.Animals: Two hundred and seventeen cats and 182 dogs. Methods: Double blinded and placebo controlled. Shelter dogs and cats were housed in 2 separate rooms for each species. For 4 weeks, animals in 1 room for each species was fed Enterococcus faecium SF68 while animals in the other room were fed a placebo. After a 1-week washout period, the treatments by room were switched and the study continued an additional 4 weeks. A standardized fecal score system was applied to feces from each animal every day by a blinded individual. Feces of animals with and without diarrhea were evaluated for enteric parasites. Data were analyzed by a generalized linear mixed model using a binomial distribution with treatment being a fixed effect and the room being a random effect.Results: The percentage of cats with diarrhea !2 days was significantly lower (P 5 .0297) in the probiotic group (7.4%) when compared with the placebo group (20.7%). Statistical differences between groups of dogs were not detected but diarrhea was uncommon in both groups of dogs during the study.Conclusion and Clinical Importance: Cats fed SF68 had fewer episodes of diarrhea of !2 days when compared with controls suggests the probiotic may have beneficial effects on the gastrointestinal tract.

Efficacy of a Probiotic‐Prebiotic Supplement on Incidence of Diarrhea in a Dog Shelter: A Randomized, Double‐Blind, Placebo‐Controlled Trial

“…A previously performed trial using the probiotic species Enterococcus faecium on dogs in an animal shelter did not find statistical significance to support the hypothesis that the probiotic would decrease the incidence of diarrhea of ≥2 days' duration compared with placebo 10. This trial had a very low incidence of diarrhea lasting ≥2 days (2 dogs in a study population of 182), which was unexpected and possibly a result of short‐stay durations, a consistent diet for all kenneled dogs and lack of stress due to the kenneling facilities.…”

Effect of a Probiotic on Prevention of Diarrhea and Clostridium difficile and Clostridium perfringens Shedding in Foals

“…Yet, these results, combined with those of another study3 that identified a negative impact of probiotics in neonatal foals raise concerns. Selected probiotics have been shown to be effective for some gastrointestinal disorders in humans and domestic animals yet prevention of neonatal diarrhea has not been reported 27, 28. Further, successful probiotic studies have often involved inflammatory, not infectious, disorders,29, 30 raising questions of the potential efficacy of probiotics in foals given the pathophysiology of foal diarrhea.…”

Mortality in Kittens Is Associated with a Shift in Ileum Mucosa-Associated Enterococci from Enterococcus hirae to Biofilm-Forming Enterococcus faecalis and Adherent Escherichia coli

“…The Gram-positive enterococci are an important part of the enteric microbiome and are generally considered to be gastrointestinal commensals. Enterococcus faecium in particular is commonly administered as a probiotic to kittens having diarrhea (9,10). However, several other strains of E. faecium and Enterococcus faecalis are recognized as serious potential pathogens.…”