The Effects of a Ketogenic Medium-Chain Triglyceride Diet on the Feces in Dogs With Idiopathic Epilepsy

Abstract

Consumption of diets containing medium chain triglycerides have been shown to confer neuroprotective and behavior modulating effects. We aimed to identify metabolic and microbiome perturbations in feces that are associated with consumption of a medium chain triglyceride ketogenic diet (MCT-KD) in dogs with idiopathic epilepsy. We used 16S rRNA gene sequencing to generate microbiome profiles and ultra-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS) to generate lipidomic profiles of canine feces. We made comparisons between the MCT-KD, standardized placebo diet and baseline pre-trial diet phases. Consumption of the MCT-KD resulted in a significant increase in the species richness (α-diversity) of bacterial communities found in the feces when compared to the baseline diet. However, phylogenetical diversity between samples (beta-diversity) was not affected by diet. An unnamed Bacteroidaceae species within genus 5-7N15 was identified by LEfSe as a potential biomarker associated with consumption of the MCT-KD, showing an increased abundance (p = 0.005, q = 0.230) during consumption of MCT-KD. In addition, unclassified members of families Erysipelotrichaceae (p = 0.013, q = 0.335) and Fusobacteriaceae (p = 0.022, q = 0.358) were significantly increased during MCT-KD consumption compared to baseline. Blautia sp. and Megamonas sp. instead were decreased during consumption of either placebo or MCT-KD (p = 0.045, q = 0.449, and p = 0.039, q = 0.449, respectively). Bacteroidaceae, including genus 5-7N15, have previously been associated with non-aggressive behavior in dogs. In addition, 5-7N15 is correlated in humans with Akkermansia, a genus known to be involved in the neuroprotective effect of ketogenic diets in mice models of seizures. Five metabolite features, tentatively identified as long chain triglycerides, were significantly higher after consumption of the placebo diet, but no unique features were identified after consumption of the MCT-KD. The data presented in this study highlight significant changes shown in both the fecal microbiome and lipidome as a result of consumption of the MCT-KD. Elucidating the global canine gut response to MCT consumption will improve our understanding of the potential mechanisms which confer anti-seizure and behavior modulating effects. Further studies should aim to characterize the gut microbiome of both dogs with epilepsy and healthy controls.

Gut Microbiota in Canine Idiopathic Epilepsy: Effects of Disease and Treatment

“…Further studies including a large number of animals should be necessary to elucidate the biological significance of this finding. Alpha diversity indices from faecal samples in dogs differ among studies, both in normal (Observed species: 136 in Handl et al [ 57 ]; 837, range 586–1120 in Bresciani et al [ 62 ]; 759 ± 78 in Schmidt et al [ 63 ]; 454.8 ± 118.3 in Mondo et al [ 31 ]) and epileptic dogs (532, range 356–749 in Pilla et al [ 33 ]). These differences could be attributed to previously discussed factors such as laboratory methodology, individual characteristics and living environment [ 56 ].…”

“…They did not identify any difference in large-scale microbial patterns or (relative or absolute) abundance of Lactobacillus species between groups. Pilla et al [ 33 ] studied faecal microbiota in epileptic dogs fed with a medium chain triglyceride ketogenic diet (MCT-KD), a diet with neuroprotective properties that has been clinically demonstrated to reduce the occurrence of seizures in dogs [ 34 , 35 , 36 ]. The administration of this MCT-KD resulted in a significant increase in the species richness of bacterial communities within samples (alpha-diversity), but no differences were found in phylogenetical diversity between samples (beta-diversity).…”

“…The administration of this MCT-KD resulted in a significant increase in the species richness of bacterial communities within samples (alpha-diversity), but no differences were found in phylogenetical diversity between samples (beta-diversity). In addition, a bacteria of the genus 5-7N15 of family Bacteroidaceae was moreover a potential biomarker associated with MCT-KD [ 33 ]. Considering these results, it is necessary to further investigate the role of gut microbiota in canine epilepsy.…”

Dogs as a Natural Animal Model of Epilepsy

“…Furthermore, the microbiota-gut-brain axis has evolved as a potential target for the ketogenic diet (336). Epileptic dogs have been used both for evaluating novel variants of the ketogenic diet and for studying the potential role of gut microbiota (116,(337)(338)(339)(340).…”

Zastosowanie Frakcji MCT Z Oleju Kokosowego W Żywieniu I Wpływ Na Zdrowie

“…Średniołańcuchowe kwasy tłuszczowe, przy stosowaniu diety ketogenicznej, mają również wpływ na kształtowanie się mikrobiomu jelitowego, nie tylko zdrowych osobników, ale również zmagających się z padaczką, stanami zapalnymi jelit, głównie jelita grubego i okrężnicy, czy zespołem złego wchłaniania [40]. Jednak, dzięki unikatowej zdolności absorpcji, MCT może być z powodzeniem podawany ludziom czy zwierzętom borykającym się z zaburzeniami wchłaniania lipidów, na co wskazali już Holt i wsp.…”