The Use of Ascophyllum nodosum and Bacillus subtilis C-3102 in the Management of Canine Chronic Inflammatory Enteropathy: A Pilot Study

The aim was to assess the effects of Ascophyllum nodosum (AN) with/without Bacillus subtilis C-3102 as alternative treatments for Chronic Inflammatory Enteropathy (CIE) of dogs. Fourteen CIE patients, which had received the same control (CTR) diet, were enrolled to serially receive three diets: (1) hydrolysed protein (HP) diet; (2) 4.0% AN supplemented HP (HPA) food, (3) HPA diet fortified with 125 billion B. subtilis C-3102 spores/10 kg body weight (HPAB diet). Clinical outcome was assessed by Canine Inflammatory Bowel Disease Activity Index (CIBDAI), whereas gut microbiota compositional variations were investigated via 16S rRNA gene analysis, and faecal fermentation end-products by liquid chromatography. Higher abundances of the Ruminococcaceae and Rikenellaceae families were shown in HPA relative to CTR treatment, with Bacillus genus being differentially abundant on HPAB diet. Concentrations of acetate were higher (p < 0.05) in dogs fed HPA compared to CTR diet, and amounts of isovalerate and isobutyrate were greater (p < 0.05) in HPA compared to HP food. A tendency for higher amounts of faecal butyrate was found for the HPAB treatment (p = 0.06). Comprehensively, while displaying potentially positive effects on faecal fermentations, the tested substances failed to improve CIBDAI scores and microbial richness in CIE dogs.