title: A canine-specific probiotic product in treating acute or intermittent diarrhea in dogs: A double-blind placebo-controlled efficacy study.
abstract: A double-blind placebo-controlled intervention study on 60 dogs recruited from a pool of canine patients visiting a veterinary practice and diagnosed with acute diarrhea was conducted. The dogs received in randomized manner either a sour-milk product containing three canine-derived Lactobacillus sp. probiotics in combination of Lactobacillus fermentum VET 9A, L. rhamnosus VET 16A, and L. plantarum VET 14A (2×109cfu/ml), or placebo. Stool consistency, general well-being, and the numbers of specific pathogens in stool samples were analyzed. Our results demonstrated that the treatment with the study sour-milk product had a normalizing effect on canine stool consistency. The treatment also enhanced the well-being of the pet by maintaining appetite and may reduce vomiting. In addition, the concentrations of Clostridium perfringens and Enterococcus faecium, which typically increase during diarrhea episodes in dogs, were decreased in probiotic group feces when compared with the placebo group. Taken together, the sour-milk with the specific probiotic combination had a normalizing effect on acute diarrhea in dogs which was associated with decreased numbers of potential pathogens in the feces of probiotic-treated dogs.
authors.affiliation: Functional Foods Forum, Faculty of Medicine, University of Turku, Itäinen Pitkäkatu 4 A, 20014, Turku, Finland.
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gómez-Gallego
authors.affiliation: Oy 4Pharma Ltd, Lemminkäisenkatu 1, 20520, Turku, Finland.
authors.forename: Jouni
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Junnila
authors.affiliation: Oy 4Pharma Ltd, Lemminkäisenkatu 1, 20520, Turku, Finland.
authors.forename: Sofia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Männikkö
authors.affiliation: Eläinklinikka EHYT Oy, Maorlantie 1, 24800, Halikko, Finland.
authors.forename: Pirkko
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hämeenoja
authors.affiliation: Vetcare Ltd, Liedontie 45, 04600, Mäntsälä, Finland.
authors.forename: Elisa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Valtonen
authors.affiliation: Functional Foods Forum, Faculty of Medicine, University of Turku, Itäinen Pitkäkatu 4 A, 20014, Turku, Finland.
authors.forename: Seppo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Salminen
authors.affiliation: Vetcare Ltd, Liedontie 45, 04600, Mäntsälä, Finland. Electronic address: shea.beasley@vetcare.fi.
authors.forename: Shea
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Beasley
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000628:therapy / Q000662:veterinary*; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000628:therapy*; D004285:Dogs; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D052197:Limosilactobacillus fermentum; D048191:Lactiplantibacillus plantarum; D052201:Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus; D019936:Probiotics / Q000494:pharmacology*
keywords: Canine diarrhea; Clostridium perfringens; Enteric pathogens; Enterococcus faecium; Lactobacillus sp.; Probiotics