PR001013 (Project)

Description:The purpose of this study was to compare the fecal microbiome and metabolome of dogs administered enrofloxacin and metronidazole, followed by either a placebo or a bacterial/yeast synbiotic combination, for 21 days with reevaluation 8 weeks after treatment. Fecal samples were collected on days 5-7 (baseline), 26-28, and 82-84. The fecal microbiome was analyzed by qPCR and sequencing of 16S rRNA genes; time-of-flight mass spectrometry was used to determine metabolomic profiles. Split plot repeated measures ANOVAs were used to compare results between treatment groups. P < 0.05 was considered significant, with Benjamini & Hochberg’s False Discovery Rate used to adjust for multiple comparisons. Alpha diversity metrics differed significantly over time in both treatment groups, with incomplete recovery by days 82-84. Beta diversity and the dysbiosis index differed significantly over time and between treatment groups, with incomplete recovery at days 82-84 for dogs in the placebo group. Significant group-by-time interactions were noted for 15 genera, including Adlercreutzia, Bifidobacterium, Slackia, Turicibacter, Clostridium, [Ruminococcus], Erysipelotrichaceae_g_, [Eubacterium], and Succinivibrionaceae_g_. Group and time effects were present for six genera, including Collinsella, Ruminococcaceae_g_, and Prevotella. Metabolite profiles differed significantly by group-by-time, group, and time for 28, 20, and 192 metabolites, respectively. These included short-chain fatty acid, bile acid, tryptophan, sphingolipid, benzoic acid, and cinnaminic acid metabolites, as well as fucose and ethanolamine. Changes in many taxa and metabolites persisted through days 82-84.