Galactoligosaccharide and a prebiotic blend improve colonic health and immunity of adult dogs

PLoS One. 2020 Aug 28;15(8):e0238006. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0238006. eCollection 2020.

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of two prebiotics in different concentrations on nutrient digestibility, fermentative products and immunological variables in adult dogs. Twenty-four adult dogs were randomly divided into six blocks according to their metabolic body weights (BW0.75); within these groups, dogs were randomized to four treatments: control without prebiotics (CO); inclusion of 0.5% prebiotic blend Yes-Golf (B1); inclusion of 1.0% galactooligosaccharide (GOS); and inclusion of 1.0% prebiotic blend Yes-Golf (B2). The experiment lasted 30 days, with 20 days adaptation and 10 days stool and blood collection. Results were analyzed for normality and means were separated by ANOVA and adjusted by the Tukey test at the significance level of 5.0%. Prebiotic supplementation had no effect on apparent digestibility coefficients (ADC), total stool production and fecal scores (p > 0.05). Prebiotics evaluated also did not alter fecal pH, nor the concentrations of ammonia, lactic acid, short chain fatty acids (SCFA) and most fecal branched chain fatty acids (BCFA) (p > 0.05). The addition of GOS decreased the concentration of iso-valeric acid (p = 0.0423). Regarding immunological variables, concentrations of fecal IgA were not influenced by the treatments. Treatments GOS and B2 increased the total number of polymorphonuclear cells, as well as the oxidative burst in relation to treatments B1 and CO (p < 0.0001). Treatment B2 improved the rate of S. aureus phagocytosis in relation to CO (p = 0.0111), and both the GOS and B2 treatments had a better index for E. coli phagocytosis than the CO treatment (p = 0.0067). In conclusion, there was indication that both prebiotics GOS and B2 at 1.0% inclusion improved the immunity of healthy dogs.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Colon / drug effects*
  • Colon / immunology
  • Colon / microbiology
  • Diet / veterinary
  • Dogs
  • Fatty Acids, Volatile / analysis
  • Feces / chemistry
  • Gastrointestinal Microbiome / drug effects
  • Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
  • Leukocytes / cytology
  • Leukocytes / drug effects
  • Leukocytes / metabolism
  • Oligosaccharides / pharmacology*
  • Phagocytosis / drug effects
  • Prebiotics*
  • Reactive Oxygen Species / metabolism
  • Staphylococcus aureus / physiology

Substances

  • Fatty Acids, Volatile
  • Oligosaccharides
  • Prebiotics
  • Reactive Oxygen Species

Grants and funding

Grandfood Indústria e Comércio, São Paulo, Brazil provided support in the form of salaries for authors RSP and CFFP. The specific roles of these authors are articulated in the ‘author contributions’ section. We would also like to thank Yes Sinergy do Brasil Agroindustrial LTDA team for their support in this study. Funders did not have any role in the study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.