Sammendrag
Background: Diet has a major influence on the composition of the gut microbiota, whose importance for gut
health and overall well-being is increasingly recognized. Knowledge is limited regarding health implications,
including effects on the faecal microbiota, of feeding a diet with high content of red meat to dogs, despite some
owners’ apparent preference to do so. The aim of this study was to evaluate how a diet change from commercial
dry food to one with a high content of boiled minced beef and vice versa influenced the faecal microbiota, and
short chain fatty acid profile in healthy, adult, client-owned dogs.
Results: The diet change influenced the faecal microbiota composition and diversity (Shannon diversity index). The
most abundant OTUs in samples of dogs fed the dry food and high minced beef were affiliated with the species
Faecalibacterium prausnitzii and Clostridia hiranonis respectively. The high minced beef diet apparently also
influenced the short chain fatty acid profile, with increased isovaleric acid, as well as an increase in faecal pH. These
effects were reversed when the commercial dry food was reintroduced in weeks 6 and 7.
Conclusions: Results of this study can aid in the understanding of how diet changes influence the faecal
microbiota and metabolite content on a short-term basis. Long-term studies are required to investigate potential
implications for canine gut and general health.
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