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Animals
Special Issues
Nutrition, Gut Microbiome and Health in Dogs and Cats
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Nutrition, Gut Microbiome and Health in Dogs and Cats

A special issue of Animals (ISSN 2076-2615). This special issue belongs to the section "Companion Animals".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2024 | Viewed by 2910

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Ananda Portella Félix

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Guest Editor
Department of Animal Science, Universidade Federal do Parana, Curitiba, Brazil
Interests: dog and cat nutrition; gut microbiome; gut functionality; prebiotics; probiotics
Dr. Ching-Yen Lin

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
General Mills, Golden Valley, MN, USA
Interests: canine; feline; gastrointestinal health; gut microbiome; nutrition
Dr. Júlia Guazzelli Pezzali

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Animal Science, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA
Interests: dog; cat; nutrition; metabolism; pet food; amino acids; stable isotopes
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Rachel Pilla

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Gastrointestinal Laboratory, Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
Interests: gut microbiome; fecal metabolomics; gastrointestinal diseases; canine; feline
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Jirayu Tanprasertsuk

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Mars Inc., McLean, VA, USA
Interests: nutrition; gut microbiome; aging; companion animal

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The gut microbiome is an important determinant of health in companion animals, including dogs and cats. It is shown to be modifiable through diet, and it may determine various health outcomes. Compared to human gut microbiomes, our understanding of canine and feline gut microbiomes is only in its infancy. With recent advances in microbiome sequencing technology, the emerging use of functional ingredients, such as insect- and plant-based proteins, pre-/pro-/post-biotics in pet food, as well as novel diets and supplemental products targeting various life stages or diseases, many research questions in this area need to be explored. Enhancing our understanding of canine and feline gut microbiomes could significantly improve not only the well-being of the pets themselves, but also positively impact pet owners. Moreover, it could lead to new opportunities for innovation in products and services within the pet health industry.

The goal of this Special Issue is to investigate the relationship between nutrition, the gut microbiome, and health in dogs and cats. We welcome both literature reviews and original research papers using either trials or observations.

Dr. Ananda Portella Félix
Dr. Ching-Yen Lin
Dr. Júlia Guazzelli Pezzali
Dr. Rachel Pilla
Dr. Jirayu Tanprasertsuk
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Animals is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • dog
  • cat
  • companion animal
  • gut microbiome
  • nutrition

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

16 pages, 1614 KiB  
Article
Supplementation with Silybum marianum Extract, Synbiotics, Omega-3 Fatty Acids, Vitamins, and Minerals: Impact on Biochemical Markers and Fecal Microbiome in Overweight Dogs
by Fatemeh Balouei, Bruno Stefanon, Elisa Martello, David Atuahene, Misa Sandri and Giorgia Meineri
Animals 2024, 14(4), 579; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14040579 - 09 Feb 2024
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Abstract
Overweight and obese dogs can develop metabolic dysfunction, characterized by an inflammatory response and involvement of liver functions. If a modulation of the gut microbiome and its interaction with the gut–liver axis is implicated in the development of metabolic dysfunction, exploration becomes necessary. [...] Read more.
Overweight and obese dogs can develop metabolic dysfunction, characterized by an inflammatory response and involvement of liver functions. If a modulation of the gut microbiome and its interaction with the gut–liver axis is implicated in the development of metabolic dysfunction, exploration becomes necessary. Over the past decade, diverse therapeutic approaches have emerged to target pathogenic factors involved in metabolic dysfunction. This study investigated the impact of a supplement with hepatoprotective activity, containing extracts of Silybum marianum, prebiotics, probiotics, n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals on hematological markers of liver functions and inflammation, as well as on the intestinal microbiota of 10 overweight adult dogs over a 35-day time span. Animals underwent clinical and laboratory evaluations every 7 days, both before the administration of the supplement (T0) and after 7, 14, 21, 28, and 35 days (T1, T2, T3, T4, and T5). In comparison to T0, a significant (p < 0.05) decrease in ALP, glucose, direct bilirubin, and CRP was observed from T3 to T5. The alpha diversity of the fecal microbiota significantly decreased (p < 0.05) only at T1, with high variability observed between dogs. Total short-chain fatty acid and lactic acid were also lower at T1 (p < 0.05) compared to the other times of sampling. The beta diversity of the fecal microbiota failed to show a clear pattern in relation to the sampling times. These results of blood parameters in overweight dogs show a reduction of the inflammation and an improvement of metabolic status during the study period, but the effective contribution of the supplement in this clinical outcome deserves further investigation. Furthermore, the considerable individual variability observed in the microbiome hinders the confident detection of supplement effects. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutrition, Gut Microbiome and Health in Dogs and Cats)
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25 pages, 4802 KiB  
Article
The Impact of Fiber Source on Digestive Function, Fecal Microbiota, and Immune Response in Adult Dogs
by Miquel Montserrat-Malagarriga, Lorena Castillejos, Anna Salas-Mani, Celina Torre and Susana M. Martín-Orúe
Animals 2024, 14(2), 196; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14020196 - 07 Jan 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1517
Abstract
This study evaluated the impact of different fiber sources on intestinal function, fecal microbiota, and overall health in dogs. Twelve dogs were used in a crossover design, involving three periods of 6 weeks and three diets: a low-fiber diet (CTR), a cereal-fiber and [...] Read more.
This study evaluated the impact of different fiber sources on intestinal function, fecal microbiota, and overall health in dogs. Twelve dogs were used in a crossover design, involving three periods of 6 weeks and three diets: a low-fiber diet (CTR), a cereal-fiber and beet-pulp-supplemented diet (BRA), and a fruit-fiber-supplemented diet (FRU). Each period included a digestibility trial and fecal and blood sampling in the last week. Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and microbiota taxonomy (16S rRNA Illumina-MiSeq) and functionality (Shotgun-NovaSeq 6000) were determined in the feces. General biochemistry, complete blood cells, and lymphocyte subsets were also analyzed. The fiber-supplemented diets showed lower digestibility without significant changes in the fecal consistency. The BRA diet showed higher total SCFA concentrations (p = 0.056), with increases in alpha diversity and particular beneficial genera, such as Lachnospira, Bifidobacterium, and Faecalibacterium. The BRA microbiota was also associated with an overabundance of genes related to carbohydrate and amino acid metabolism. The FRU diet had a distinct impact on the microbiota composition and functionality, leading to higher levels of CD8 lymphocytes. These findings emphasize the importance of selecting the right fiber source when formulating dog diets, as it can have a differential impact on gut microbiota and animal health. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutrition, Gut Microbiome and Health in Dogs and Cats)
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