The alterations of fecal microbiota in dogs with acute diarrhea, Thailand

Abstract

Acute diarrhea is a common clinical sign in dogs which the pathogenesis has associated with altered gut microbiome compositions and influenced by diet, environment, and medication. However, the impact of gut microbiome on dog health has still not been well elucidated in Thailand. This study aims to investigate the alterations of the fecal microbiome in dogs with diarrhea (<3 days) compared to healthy dogs. Fresh feces were collected once from each dog, and DNA extraction was performed following the QIAamp DNA stool mini kit protocol. The 16s rRNA gene, then, amplified and analyzed by the next-generation DNA sequencing technology. The results showed a significant reduction of the evenness and Shannon index in dogs with the diarrhea group. The most dominant phylum in healthy dogs, Firmicutes, was markedly declined. Additionally, significant decreases in bacterial abundances were observed in twelve genera. To the best of our knowledge, seven of them were first described in their alterations including Clostridium sensu stricto 1, Lachnospiraceae NKA4136 group, Erysipelatoclostridium, Tyzzerella 3, Alloprevotella and Slackia. Therefore, these findings disclose the new possible biomarkers for intestinal diseases and the effect of ordinary diets on the fecal microbiome in dog health, Thailand.