Seaweed Supplementation Failed to Affect Fecal Microbiota and Metabolome as Well as Fecal IgA and Apparent Nutrient Digestibility in Adult Dogs

Abstract

The present study investigated in dogs the dietary effects of intact seaweeds on some fecal bacterial populations and metabolites, fecal IgA and apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD). Ten healthy adult dogs were enrolled in a 5 × 5 replicated Latin square design to evaluate five dietary treatments: control diet (CD); CD + Ascophyllum nodosum; CD + Undaria pinnatifida; CD + Saccharina japonica; CD + Palmaria palmata (n replicates per treatment = 10). Seaweeds were added to food at a daily dose of 15 g/kg. The CD contained silica as a digestion marker. Each feeding period lasted 28 d, with a 7 d wash-out in between. Feces were collected at days 21 and 28 of each period for chemical and microbiological analyses. Fecal samples were collected during the last five days of each period for ATTD assessment. Dogs showed good health conditions throughout the study. The fecal chemical parameters, fecal IgA and nutrient ATTD were not influenced by algal supplementation. Similarly, microbiological analyses did not reveal any effect by seaweed ingestion. In conclusion, algal supplementation at a dose of 15 g/kg of diet failed to exert noticeable effects on the canine fecal parameters evaluated in the present study.

Comparison of the Effects of Enzymolysis Seaweed Powder and Saccharomyces boulardii on Intestinal Health and Microbiota Composition in Kittens

“…Furthermore, dietary supplementation with 400 mg/kg seaweed-derived polysaccharides significantly increased the cecal concentrations of acetate and butyrate in weaned piglets [ 41 ]. However, dietary addition with seaweed had no effect on the SCFA composition and concentration in dog feces [ 19 ], which is consistent with our findings in kittens. In addition, we did not find an effect of S. boulardii on SCFAs in kitten feces.…”

“…Conversely, research on the impacts of seaweed on pets is limited. A study showed that dogs fed a seaweed-supplemented diet exhibited no change in nutrient digestibility, fecal microbiota, and the metabolome [ 19 ]. Moreover, studies on the effects of seaweed on cat intestinal health have not yet been conducted.…”

The Use of Ascophyllum nodosum and Bacillus subtilis C-3102 in the Management of Canine Chronic Inflammatory Enteropathy: A Pilot Study

“…It can be conjectured that the present finding reflected the inclusion of AN, a rich source of soluble fibres (e.g., alginic acid, laminarin, and sulphated polysaccharides) [ 12 ] in the HP diet, which stimulated acetogenesis within the gut microbiota, as already reported in humans and pre-ruminants [ 64 , 65 ]. In sharp contrast, a recent investigation carried out in healthy dogs failed to demonstrate any influence on faecal L-SCFA profile when intact AN was supplemented at a dose of 15 g/kg of diet (as is) for a maximum of 28 days [ 66 ]. It must be stressed, however, that the level of AN fortification used in the present study was higher.…”

Evaluation of the Influence of Coprophagic Behavior on the Digestibility of Dietary Nutrients and Fecal Fermentation Products in Adult Dogs

“…In addition, given the current knowledge about the importance of intestinal health for the whole organism, which reflects the general health of an individual, research evaluating the effects of different nutritional components on intestinal health has intensified in the last decade [31][32][33][34][35][36][37][38][39][40][41][42][43][44][45]; therefore, it was of paramount importance that the possible effects of coprophagy on these variables were investigated to assist researchers in choosing the most appropriate collection methods and ensure the accurate interpretation of results related to the variables measured in the present study.…”