Fecal Microbiota, Bile Acids, Sterols, and Fatty Acids in Dogs with Chronic Enteropathy Fed a Home-Cooked Diet Supplemented with Coconut Oil

Abstract

Medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs) are considered to be interesting energy sources for dogs affected by chronic enteropathies (CE). This study analyzed the clinical scores, fecal microbiota, and metabolomes of 18 CE dogs fed a home-cooked diet (HCD) supplemented with virgin coconut oil (VCO), a source of MCFA, at 10% of metabolizable energy (HCD + VCO). The dogs were clinically evaluated with the Canine Chronic Enteropathy Activity Index (CCECAI) before and at the end of study. Fecal samples were collected at baseline, after 7 days of HCD, and after 30 days of HCD + VCO, for fecal score (FS) assessment, microbial analysis, and determination of bile acids (BA), sterols, and fatty acids (FA). The dogs responded positively to diet change, as shown by the CCECAI improvement (p = 0.001); HCD reduced fecal fat excretion and HCD + VCO improved FS (p < 0.001), even though an increase in fecal moisture occurred due to HCD (p = 0.001). HCD modified fecal FA (C6:0: +79%, C14:0: +74%, C20:0: +43%, C22:0: +58%, C24:0: +47%, C18:3n−3: +106%, C20:4n−6: +56%, and monounsaturated FA (MUFA): −23%, p < 0.05) and sterol profile (coprostanol: −27%, sitostanol: −86%, p < 0.01). VCO increased (p < 0.05) fecal total saturated FA (SFA: +28%, C14:0: +142%, C16:0 +21%, C22:0 +33%) and selected MCFAs (+162%; C10:0 +183%, C12:0 +600%), while reducing (p < 0.05) total MUFA (−29%), polyunsaturated FA (−26%), campesterol (−56%) and phyto-/zoosterols ratio (0.93:1 vs. 0.36:1). The median dysbiosis index was <0 and, together with fecal BA, was not significantly affected by HCD nor by VCO. The HCD diet increased total fecal bacteria (p = 0.005) and the abundance of Fusobacterium spp. (p = 0.028). This study confirmed that clinical signs, and to a lesser extent fecal microbiota and metabolome, are positively influenced by HCD in CE dogs. Moreover, it has been shown that fecal proportions of MCFA increased when MCFAs were supplemented in those dogs. The present results emphasize the need for future studies to better understand the intestinal absorptive mechanism of MCFA in dogs.

Unbiased serum metabolomic analysis in cats with naturally occurring chronic enteropathies before and after medical intervention

“…Both supplementation with pinitol and protocatechuic acid have been shown to alleviate inflammation and clinical signs in rodent models of ulcerative colitis 86 , 90 . Results are consistent with previous studies, which have found several phytosterols, including campesterol, fucosterol, and stigmasterol to be altered in fecal samples of dogs and cats with CE 24 , 82 , 91 .…”

Collaborative Metabolism: Gut Microbes Play a Key Role in Canine and Feline Bile Acid Metabolism

“…Studies in healthy dogs have characterized the microbial-derived BAs during the development of puppies [ 114 ], as well as the impact of antimicrobials [ 59 , 115 , 116 , 117 , 118 ] and diet [ 119 , 120 , 121 , 122 , 123 , 124 , 125 , 126 ] on the BA pools of healthy dogs. Additional studies on disease states have largely focused on the context of gastrointestinal [ 52 , 64 , 127 , 128 , 129 , 130 , 131 ] and pancreatic disease [ 128 , 132 ], with additional information characterizing microbial-derived BAs in canine obesity [ 119 , 125 ], diabetes mellitus [ 113 ], and myxomatous mitral valve disease (MMVD) [ 133 ]. The following sections of this review detail the existing veterinary literature describing microbial-derived BAs in dogs.…”

“…Dogs with gastrointestinal diseases, including canine chronic inflammatory enteropathy (CIE) [ 52 , 64 , 127 , 128 , 130 , 131 ], exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI) [ 128 ], and canine non-infectious acute diarrhea [ 129 ], have alterations in BA pools consistent with BA dysmetabolism. Herein, evidence for each disease state will be presented and reviewed.…”

“…Lastly, in CIE dogs ( n = 18) with a low CCECAI [ 146 ], consistent with clinically insignificant disease, dysbiosis (based on the qPCR canine dysbiosis index) and BA dysmetabolism were not observed prior to treatment [ 131 ]. These CIE dogs were then fed a standardized home-cooked diet (crude protein 39.2%, crude fat 7.9%, crude fiber 1.3% on a dry matter basis).…”

“…These CIE dogs were then fed a standardized home-cooked diet (crude protein 39.2%, crude fat 7.9%, crude fiber 1.3% on a dry matter basis). Not surprisingly, following dietary intervention, dysbiosis and BA derangements still were not observed [ 131 ]. This is likely attributed to the minimally impacted CIE dog population utilized in this study.…”