Differences in the composition and predicted functions of the intestinal microbiome of obese and normal weight adult dogs

Abstract

Obesity is a multifactorial nutritional disorder highly prevalent in dogs, observed in developed and developing countries. It is estimated that over 40% of the canine population suffers from obesity, which manifests in an increased risk of chronic osteoarticular, metabolic, and cardiovascular diseases. The intestinal microbiome of obese animals shows increases in the abundance of certain members capable of extracting energy from complex polysaccharides. The objective of this study was to compare the composition and predicted function of the intestinal microbiome of Chilean obese and normal weight adult dogs. Twenty clinically healthy dogs were classified according to their body condition score (BCS) as obese (n = 10) or normal weight (n = 10). DNA was extracted from stool samples, followed by next-generation sequencing of the 16S rRNA V3–V4 region and bioinformatics analysis targeting microbiome composition and function. Significant differences were observed between these groups at the phylum level, with anincrease in Firmicutes and a decrease in Bacteroidetes in obese dogs. Microbiome compositions of these animals correlated with their BCS, and obese dogs showed enrichment in pathways related to transport, chemotaxis, and flagellar assembly. These results highlight the differences in the gut microbiome between normal weight and obese dogs and prompt further research to improve animal health by modulating the gut microbiome.

Obese dogs exhibit different fecal microbiome and specific microbial networks compared with normal weight dogs

“…In addition, several studies have reported that the relative abundance of Bifidobacterium is lower in mice fed a high-fat diet 83 , 84 . In this study, Bifidobacterium exhibited a strong negative correlation with Peptoclostridium and Blautia , which have previously been associated with obesity in dogs 20 , 85 , and a strong positive correlation with Lactobacillus , Sellimonas , and Negativibacillus . A previous study suggested that Lactobacillus may serve as a potential probiotic for dogs 27 and Sellimonas plays an important role in gut recovery homeostasis 86 .…”

Cross-Comparison of Gut Metagenomic Profiling Strategies

“…We compared our results and data with those of other studies 43,50,51,52,53,54 ( Supplementary Data 6 , Supplementary Fig. 7 ), all of which focus on a single aspect of the canine gut microbiome.…”

Fatores de risco associados à obesidade e sobrepeso em cães

“…Estima-se que a obesidade seja um distúrbio que acomete mais de 40% da população canina mundial (Thomson et al, 2022) e, mediante tais dados, a intervenção do médico veterinário para o diagnóstico e o tratamento do animal obeso é de suma importância. Segundo German et al (2018), médicos-veterinários ainda não consideram a problemática obesidade e sobrepeso com a seriedade necessária, uma vez que os profissionais dificilmente registram o peso e a condição corporal durante as consultas veterinárias.…”

“…A obesidade e o sobrepeso animal são de origem multifatorial e não se tratam apenas da adiposidade, ou seja, do acúmulo excessivo de tecido adiposo, mas estão associadas a importantes alterações metabólicas, hormonais, articulares e imunológicas (Andrade Junior, 2019). A obesidade é um dos maiores desafios na saúde do século XXI, estando correlacionada à redução da qualidade de vida, bem como a distúrbios fisiológicos em seres humanos e cães (Muñoz-Prieto et al, 2018;Thomson et al, 2022). Para Aptekmann et al (2014), a manutenção do peso corporal ideal é fator determinante para manutenção da saúde, bem-estar e qualidade de vida.…”