Effects of probiotic Lactobacillus acidophilus D2/CSL (CECT 4529) on the nutritional and health status of boxer dogs

Effects of Lactoferrin and Lactobacillus Supplementation on Immune Function, Oxidative Stress, and Gut Microbiota in Kittens

Immune deficiency is a prevalent issue among kittens, severely threatening their health and development by increasing susceptibility to infections and diseases. This study investigates the effects of dietary supplements containing lactoferrin and Lactobacillus plantarum (L. plantarum) on the immune function, intestinal health, and microbiota composition of kittens. The results demonstrate that these supplements significantly enhance immune responses, with immunoglobulin A (IgA) levels increasing by 14.9% and IgG levels by 14.2%. Additionally, there was a notable 28.7% increase in catalase activity, indicating a reduction in oxidative stress. Gastrointestinal (GI) health improved markedly, evidenced by increased populations of beneficial bacteria such as Lactobacillus, which rose from 4.13% to 79.03% over the study period. The DNC group also showed significant reductions in pro-inflammatory cytokines, including decreases of 13.94% in IL-2, 26.46% in TNF-α, and 19.45% in IFN-γ levels. Furthermore, improvements in physical conditions were observed, including enhanced coat condition and mental status. These findings underline the potential of lactoferrin and L. plantarum as effective dietary interventions to improve kitten health, thereby reducing dependency on antibiotics and mitigating associated risks. This research provides a scientific foundation for optimizing nutritional management practices to enhance the overall vitality of kittens during their critical growth phases.

Bacterial Community Influences the Effects of Lactobacillus acidophilus on Lipid Metabolism, Immune Response, and Antioxidant Capacity in Dogs

Lactobacillus acidophilus (L. acidophilus), the most prevalent probiotic, has demonstrated the ability to improve the relative abundance of intestinal microorganisms and boost immunity. However, the underlying mechanisms of these effects remain unclear. This study evaluated body weight, nutrient apparent digestibility, serum indices, and bacterial communities in Chinese rural dogs from a L. acidophilus supplementation group (Lactobacillus acidophilus, n = 6) and a control group (CON, n = 6). The results indicated that L. acidophilus had no significant impact on the body weight and apparent nutrient digestibility of Chinese rural dogs. In comparison with the CON group, L. acidophilus significantly reduced the levels of cholesterol (CHO) and increased the levels of IgA, IFN-α, and T-AOC. Bacterial diversity indices were significantly reduced in the LAC group compared to the CON groups, and MetaStat analysis demonstrated notable distinctions in 14 bacterial genera between the groups. These bacterial genera exhibited correlations with physiological indices such as CHO, IgA, IFN-α, and T-AOC. In conclusion, L. acidophilus can modulate lipid metabolism, immunity, and antioxidant capacity by regulating the relative abundance of specific bacterial communities, which helps dogs to adapt to today's lifestyle.

A multi-strain probiotic promoted recovery of puppies from gastroenteritis in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study

Objective and animals

Acute diarrhea is among the most common causes of veterinary consultations for dogs. A double-blind, placebocontrolled intervention trial was done with 120 puppies with gastroenteritis. These dogs were 1 to 4 mo old, male and female, of various breeds and sizes.

Procedure

Dogs were randomly allocated into 2 groups: Those in the treated group (TG) received a multi-strain probiotic with Lactobacillus johnsonii CRL1693, Ligilactobacillus murinus CRL1695, Limosilactobacillus mucosae CRL1696, and Ligilactobacillus salivarius CRL1702 (1 × 109 CFU/mL) daily for 7 d, whereas those in the control group (CG) received a placebo. All puppies received intravenous fluids, an antiparasitic, amoxicillin PO, and enrofloxacin SC.

Results

At the start of the trial, the 2 groups were similar. Probiotic administration for 7 d normalized fecal consistency, with 69, 50, and 80% of small, medium, and large puppies in the TG achieving a fecal score of 1 (separate hard lumps) at 7 d, significantly better than puppies in the CG. After 7 d of treatment, most puppies (70%) in the TG had an excellent recovery, whereas in the CG, recoveries were 35.7% "bad" and 30.4% "fair." Therefore, treatment with probiotics hastened recovery (P < 0.0001). At the end of the trial, there was a significant increase of cultivable lactobacilli in the feces of TG puppies, but no significant differences between the 2 groups in numbers of total mesophylls, enterobacteria, or Gram-positive cocci. Total mortality was 5.8%, including 4 puppies from the CG and 3 from the TG.

Conclusion

In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, puppies with gastroenteritis symptoms receiving a multi-strain probiotic had rapid improvement, implying beneficial effects on the microbiota and its functionality.

Influence of dietary supplementation with new Lactobacillus strains on hematology, serum biochemistry, nutritional status, digestibility, enzyme activities, and immunity in dogs

Background and Aim

The use of antibiotics is associated with many side effects, with the development of bacterial resistance being particularly important. It has been found that dogs and their owners host similar resistant bacteria. This contributes to increased concurrent bacterial resistance and a possible trend of increased bacterial resistance in humans. Thus, using probiotics in dogs is an alternative option for preventing and reducing the transmission of bacterial resistance from dogs to humans. Probiotics are characterized by their potential to endure low pH levels and high concentrations of bile acids in the gastrointestinal tract. Lactobacilli are more acid-tolerant and resistant to bile acid, so they are ideal probiotics to be added to the canine diet. According to the previous studies, the benefits of Lactobacillus are a stable nutritional status and greater digestibility, along with improved fecal scores and reduced ammonia in dogs. However, no studies have been conducted with Lactobacillus plantarum CM20-8 (TISTR 2676), Lactobacillus acidophilus Im10 (TISTR 2734), Lactobacillus rhamnosus L12-2 (TISTR 2716), Lactobacillus paracasei KT-5 (TISTR 2688), and Lactobacillus fermentum CM14-8 (TISTR 2720), or their use in combination. Hence, the aim of this study was to examine the possible effects of the aforementioned Lactobacillus on hematological indices, nutritional status, digestibility, enzyme activities, and immunity in dogs. From the results, a new and safe strain of Lactobacillus may emerge for use as a probiotic in the future.

Materials and Methods

In this study, 35 dogs were allocated equally into seven groups: Group 1 received a basal diet (control), while Groups 2-7 received the same diet further supplemented with L. plantarum CM20-8 (TISTR 2676), L. acidophilus Im10 (TISTR 2734), L. rhamnosus L12-2 (TISTR 2716), L. paracasei KT-5 (TISTR 2688), L. fermentum CM14-8 (TISTR 2720), or a mixture of probiotics (L. plantarum, L. acidophilus, L. rhamnosus, L. paracasei, and L. fermentum), respectively. All probiotics were administered at a dose of 10⁹ colony-forming unit/dog for 28 days. Nutritional status, hematology, serum biochemistry, digestibility, enzyme activities, and immunity parameters were assessed.

Results

There were no differences among the groups in body weight, feed intake, body condition score, fecal score, and fecal dry matter on the different sampling days. The hematology and serum biochemical analyses showed a difference only in creatinine activity (p < 0.001), with higher values in group L. fermentum CM14-8 (TISTR 2720) and lower values in group L. paracasei KT-5 (TISTR 2688) than in controls. However, all measurements were within the normal laboratory reference ranges. Fecal characteristics (fecal ammonia and fecal pH), fecal digestive enzyme activities, serum immunoglobulin (IgG), and fecal IgA did not differ significantly among the groups (p > 0.05).

Conclusion

Lactobacillus plantarum CM20-8 (TISTR 2676), L. acidophilus Im10 (TISTR 2734), L. rhamnosus L12-2 (TISTR 2716), L. paracasei KT-5 (TISTR 2688), and L. fermentum CM14-8 (TISTR 2720), along with their mixture are safe and non-pathogenic additives for use as new probiotic strains of Lactobacillus in dogs. Although the new Lactobacillus strains had no effect on hematology, serum biochemistry, nutritional status, digestive enzyme activities, immunity, body weight, feed intake, or body condition scores in dogs, further studies should investigate the intestinal microbiota and the development of clinical treatments.

Effects of Dietary Supplementation of Lactobacillus acidophilus on Blood Parameters and Gut Health of Rabbits

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of Lactobacillus acidophilus D2/CSL (L-1 × 109 cfu/kg feed/day) on biochemical parameters, faecal score (FS), cecal pH, gut morphometry, microbiota and cecal short-chain fatty acid (SCFAs) in rabbits. Three zootechnical trials were performed and in each trial 30 rabbits were allotted to two groups; a probiotic group (L) and a control group (C). At slaughter (day 45), samples of blood, duodenum, jejunum, ileum, liver and spleen were collected and submitted to histomorphometric analyses. Blood biochemical analyses, cecal microbiota and SCFAs determination were also performed. In trial 1 and 3, L. acidophilus D2/CSL did not affect productive parameters (p > 0.05). However, L group of trial 1 showed a lower morbidity and mortality compared to the control. In trial 2, C group showed a higher daily feed intake (p = 0.018) and a positive statistical tendency for live weight and average daily gain (p = 0.068). On the contrary, albumin was higher and ALFA-1 globulin was lower in the C group compared to L (p < 0.05). In all the trials, FS, cecal pH, histomorphometry, microbiota and SCFAs were unaffected. In conclusion, L. acidophilus D2/CSL did not impair growth performances, gut and rabbit’s health, reducing morbidity and mortality.

Perspectives and Advances in Probiotics and the Gut Microbiome in Companion Animals

As the number of households that raise dogs and cats is increasing, there is growing interest in animal health. The gut plays an important role in animal health. In particular, the microbiome in the gut is known to affect both the absorption and metabolism of nutrients and the protective functions of the host. Using probiotics on pets has beneficial effects, such as modulating the immune system, helping to reduce stress, protecting against pathogenic bacteria and developing growth performance. The goals of this review are to summarize the relationship between probiotics/the gut microbiome and animal health, to feature technology used for identifying the diversity of microbiota composition of canine and feline microbiota, and to discuss recent reports on probiotics in canines and felines and the safety issues associated with probiotics and the gut microbiome in companion animals.

Complete genome sequencing and comparative genomic analysis of Lactobacillus acidophilus C5 as a potential canine probiotics

Lactobacillus acidophilus is a gram-positive, microaerophilic, and acidophilic bacterial species. L. acidophilus strains in the gastrointestinal tracts of humans and other animals have been profiled, but strains found in the canine gut have not been studied yet. Our study helps in understanding the genetic features of the L. acidophilus C5 strain found in the canine gut, determining its adaptive features evolved to survive in the canine gut environment, and in elucidating its probiotic functions. To examine the canine L. acidophilus C5 genome, we isolated the C5 strain from a Korean dog and sequenced it using PacBio SMRT sequencing technology. A comparative genomic approach was used to assess genetic relationships between C5 and six other strains and study the distinguishing features related to different hosts. We found that most genes in the C5 strain were related to carbohydrate transport and metabolism. The pan-genome of seven L. acidophilus strains contained 2,254 gene families, and the core genome contained 1,726 gene families. The phylogenetic tree of the core genes in the canine L. acidophilus C5 strain was very close to that of two strains (DSM20079 and NCFM) from humans. We identified 30 evolutionarily accelerated genes in the L. acidophilus C5 strain in the ratio of non-synonymous to synonymous substitutions (dN/dS) analysis. Five of these thirty genes were associated with carbohydrate transport and metabolism. This study provides insights into genetic features and adaptations of the L. acidophilus C5 strain to survive the canine intestinal environment. It also suggests that the evolution of the L. acidophilus genome is closely related to the host's evolutionary adaptation process.

The microbiota of healthy dogs demonstrates individualized responses to synbiotic supplementation in a randomized controlled trial

Background

Probiotics have been demonstrated to ameliorate clinical signs of gastrointestinal diseases in dogs in various studies. However, the effect of probiotics in a healthy population, as well as factors contributing individualized responses, remain largely unknown. This trial examined gut microbiota (GM) and health outcomes in household dogs after synbiotic (SN) supplementation containing probiotics and inulin (a prebiotic). Healthy dogs were randomized to receive SN (50 mg/d inulin and 20 billion total CFU/d of L. reuteri, P. acidilactici, E. faecium, L. acidophilus, B. animalis, L. fermentum, L. rhamnosus) or placebo (PL) for 4 weeks. Owners completed a health survey and collected stool samples for GM profiling (shotgun metagenomic sequencing) at baseline and week 4 in both groups, and at week 6 in the SN group.

Results

A significant shift (p < 0.001) in β-diversity was observed in the SN (n = 24), but not PL group (n = 19), at week 4 relative to baseline. Forty-five bacterial species, 43 (96%) of which were Lactobacillales, showed an increase in the relative abundances (≥2 fold change, adjusted p < 0.05) in the SN group at week 4. E. coli also decreased at week 4 in the SN group (2.8-fold, adjusted p < 0.01). The altered taxa largely returned to baseline at week 6. The degree of changes in β-diversity was associated with GM at baseline. Specifically, dogs with higher Proteobacteria and lower Lactobacillales responded more robustly to supplementation in terms of the change in β-diversity. Dogs fed SN tended to have lower diarrhea incidence (0% vs 16%, p = 0.08).

Conclusions

SN supplement had a short-term impact on the gut microbiota in healthy household dogs as characterized by shotgun metagenomic sequencing. Findings warrant further investigation with longer duration and populations at risk of gastrointestinal diseases. The magnitude of response to the supplement was associated with microbial profile at baseline. To our knowledge, this is the first study documenting such association and may provide a basis for personalized nutrition in companion dogs.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s42523-021-00098-0.