The Intestinal Microbiome in Dogs with Chronic Enteropathies and Cobalamin Deficiency or Normocobalaminemia-A...

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Medicine
• Gastroenterology
• Microbiome Research

Background:

• Cobalamin (vitamin B12) deficiency is a frequent complication of chronic enteropathies (CE) in dogs.
• Limited research exists comparing the gut microbiome of CE dogs with and without cobalamin deficiency.

Purpose of the Study:

• To characterize and compare the fecal microbiome composition in dogs with CE and cobalamin deficiency versus those with CE and normal cobalamin levels, and healthy controls.
• To assess the impact of cobalamin supplementation on the fecal microbiome in CE dogs.

Main Methods:

• A prospective, comparative study included 29 dogs with CE and cobalamin deficiency, 18 dogs with CE and normocobalaminemia, and 10 healthy controls.
• Fecal samples were analyzed for microbiome composition (beta diversity) at baseline and after 3 months of cobalamin supplementation (oral or parenteral).

Main Results:

• Baseline fecal microbiome composition significantly differed between CE dogs with cobalamin deficiency compared to normocobalaminemic CE dogs and healthy controls.
• Dogs with cobalamin deficiency showed increased Firmicutes and Actinobacteria, and decreased Bacteroidetes and Fusobacteria relative to controls.
• Microbiome composition remained significantly altered 3 months post-supplementation in both oral and parenteral cobalamin groups.

Conclusions:

• Cobalamin deficiency in CE dogs is associated with significant gut dysbiosis.
• Cobalamin supplementation alone, even with other therapies, did not restore normal microbiome composition.
• Cobalamin deficiency likely serves as a marker for underlying pathophysiological differences contributing to dysbiosis, rather than being the direct cause.