Understanding the canine intestinal microbiota and its modification by pro‐, pre‐ and synbiotics – what is the evidence?

Abstract

Interest in the composition of the intestinal microbiota and possibilities of its therapeutic modifications has soared over the last decade and more detailed knowledge specific to the canine microbiota at different mucosal sites including the gut is available. Probiotics, prebiotics or their combination (synbiotics) are a way of modifying the intestinal microbiota and exert effects on the host immune response. Probiotics are proposed to exert their beneficial effects through various pathways, for example production of antimicrobial peptides, enhancing growth of favourable endogenous microorganisms, competition for epithelial colonisation sites and immune‐modulatory functions. Despite widespread use of pro‐, pre‐ and synbiotics, scientific evidence of their beneficial effects in different conditions of the dog is scarce. Specific effects of different strains, their combination or their potential side‐effects have not been evaluated sufficiently. In some instances, in vitro results have been promising, but could not be transferred consistently into in vivo situations. Specific canine gastrointestinal (GI) diseases or conditions where probiotics would be beneficial, their most appropriate dosage and application have not been assessed extensively. This review summarises the current knowledge of the intestinal microbiome composition in the dog and evaluates the evidence for probiotic use in canine GI diseases to date. It wishes to provide veterinarians with evidence‐based information on when and why these products could be useful in preventing or treating canine GI conditions. It also outlines knowledge about safety and approval of commercial probiotic products, and the potential use of faecal microbial transplantation, as they are related to the topic of probiotic usage.

Effects of Different Oligosaccharides on Growth of Selected Probiotic Bacterial Strains

“…Overall, the present results show that the administration of prebiotics in certain concentrations might encourage the growth of certain bacterial strains (especially bifidobacteria), which can either be administered simultaneously as synbiotics, or which are already present in the GI tract as part of the endogenous microflora [8]. Bifidobacteria are part of the canine GI microbiota and certain strains might be classified as probiotics [8,13,23].…”

“…Bifidobacteria are part of the canine GI microbiota and certain strains might be classified as probiotics [8,13,23]. Bifidobacterium animals AHC7 has been shown to protect against pathogen-induced NFκB activation in vivo and was able to reduce both the need to administer antimicrobials and the overall duration of illness in acute idiopathic diarrhoea in dogs [24,25].…”

“…Even though a probiotic is defined as "a live organism which, if administered in adequate quantities, confers a health benefit to the host" proof of efficacy in specific conditions is often lacking, as most of these products are sold as health/ food supplements, not as drugs [7]. More comprehensive reviews on their clinical efficacy in small animals can be found elsewhere [8]. The term prebiotic is typically used to describe "non-digestible food ingredients that stimulate the growth and/or activity of one or a limited number of bacteria in the colon, and thus improve host health" hence they are often dietary fibres [9].…”

Isolation and Identification of the Gut Microbiota of Healthy and Diarrhoeic Dogs in Andhra Pradesh, India

“…Gut microbiota are generally in a state of equilibrium or eubiosis with the host. Alterations in the gut microbiota (dysbiosis) have been associated with pathogenesis of gastrointestinal disease (Schmitz and Suchodolski, 2016). Several studies have now been reported in dogs from various countries, exploring the canine gut bacterial communities Page127 using either traditional culture or novel molecular approaches (Xenoulis et al, 2008 andSuchodolski, 2011).…”

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“…improvement of gut barrier integrity) in humans 92 and other vertebrates (Montalban-Arques et al, 2015). 98 Schmitz and Suchodolski, 2016; de Godoy et al, 2013). Domestic cats are obligate carnivores but 99 several studies support the hypothesis that microbial fermentation inside the distal gut is 100 significant and beneficial to the host (Rochus et al, 2014).…”