title: Gastrointestinal and immunological responses of senior dogs to chicory and mannan-oligosaccharides.
abstract: Thirty-four senior dogs (pointers 8-11 years, beagles 9-11 years) were used to evaluate the effects of oligosaccharides on nutritional and immunological characteristics. Dogs were randomly allotted to treatments [1% chicory (CH), 1% mannan-oligosaccharide (MOS), 1% chicory + 1% MOS (CM), or no supplementation (control, CON)] in a parallel design with a 4 week baseline period followed by a 4 week treatment period. Dietary supplementation with MOS or CM tended (P = 0.07) to increase food intake due, in part, to an increase in fermentable fibre and a decrease in energy content of the diet. Although wet faecal output increased (P < 0.05) for dogs supplemented with MOS or CM, when corrected for food intake, no differences were noted. The CM treatment increased (P < 0.05) faecal score (1 = hard and dry, 5 = watery liquid), although these scores remained in a desirable range (3 to 3.5). Chicory supplementation increased (P = 0.07) fat digestibility. Chicory or MOS increased (P < or = 0.05) faecal bifidobacteria concentrations 0.4 and 0.5 log10 cfu/g DM, respectively, compared to the CON, while MOS decreased (P < 0.05) faecal E. coli concentrations. Oligosaccharides did not affect white blood cell (WBC) concentrations, but CH and CM tended to increase (P = 0.10) neutrophil concentrations compared to control dogs. Peripheral lymphocyte concentrations were decreased in dogs supplemented with MOS (P = 0.06) and CM (P < 0.05). Chicory and MOS alter faecal microbial populations and certain indices of the immune system of senior dogs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Sciences, University of Illinois, Urbana 61801, USA.
authors.forename: Christine M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Grieshop
authors.forename: Elizabeth A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Flickinger
authors.forename: Kari J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Bruce
authors.forename: A R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Patil
authors.forename: G L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Czarnecki-Maulden
authors.forename: G C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Fahey
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology; D000821:Animal Feed; D000824:Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D000818:Animals; D001644:Bifidobacterium / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development*; D018651:Cichorium intybus / Q000737:chemistry; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial / Q000662:veterinary; D004043:Dietary Fiber / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000378:metabolism; D004285:Dogs / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000382:microbiology; D004435:Eating / Q000187:drug effects; D002149:Energy Intake; D005243:Feces / Q000737:chemistry / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D005285:Fermentation; D008297:Male; D008351:Mannans / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D009844:Oligosaccharides / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011897:Random Allocation
chemical_list: D004043:Dietary Fiber; D008351:Mannans; D009844:Oligosaccharides