Effects of a Nutraceutical Treatment on the Intestinal Microbiota of Sled Dogs

Simple Summary Physical activity is often associated with stress and production of radical oxygen species able to alter the composition of the intestinal microbiota. Usually, sporting dogs present gastrointestinal disorders with a dysbiotic intestinal ecosystem; this alteration is also found in various pathological states. To date, it is not yet clear whether dysbiosis is a cause or a consequence of disease. Given the importance of reducing the damage of an intestinal imbalance as much as possible, we evaluated the effectiveness of a specific nutraceutical product, Microbiotal cane (R), in limiting the dysbiotic condition found in sporting dogs. The results obtained from the present study show the ability of Microbiotal cane (R) to maintain the concentration of beneficial bacterial species like Faecalibacterium spp., Turicibacter spp., Fusobacterium spp., and Clostridium hiranonis, reducing the increase in the harmful ones like Streptococcus spp. and E. coli usually found increased in athlete dogs. Additionally, the dysbiosis index reports a value lower than zero, falling within the normobiosis values, which was not observed in dogs that were not taking the nutraceutical product.Abstract Dog sledding is the main discipline of working dogs on snow, consisting of a team of dogs pulling a sled under the guidance of the owner. To carry out this sport, dogs must have adequate nutrition and vitamin and antioxidant supplementation to ensure that the physical effort is optimal. The present study evaluated the effect that sporting activity and stress have on the canine intestinal microbiota by dividing the dogs into two groups: a control group that did not take any nutraceutical products and the treated group to which a nutraceutical product was administered. The nutraceutical administered in this study is used in all cases of canine intestinal dysbiosis in which it is essential to quickly restore a balanced intestinal microbiota. The results obtained show that in dogs not taking the nutraceutical, there is an increase in bacteria, such as Streptococcus spp. and E. coli, considered enteropathogenic to the detriment of beneficial bacterial species such as Faecalibacterium spp., Turicibacter spp., Blautia spp., Fusobacterium spp., and Clostridium hiranonis. Instead, the group of dogs treated with nutraceutical displays a lower amount of enteropathogenic bacteria and a great increase in the other bacterial species considered beneficial for the animal's health. The results obtained in the present study show that Microbiotal cane (R) can be used in dogs subject to intense sporting activity by preventing severe alterations at intestinal ecosystem levels by maintaining intestinal bacterial composition as balanced as possible.