Canine Halitosis Improved With a Postbiotic: A Validation Study

Halitosis, or oral malodor, is caused by unwanted oral microbes that metabolize proteins and produce volatile sulfur compounds (VSCs). These malodorous VSCs may negatively impact oral health as they are pro-inflammatory, and halitosis is generally considered an important marker of oral health status. A previous clinical study with 24 dogs showed that daily administration of 250 mg of a novel canine oral health postbiotic (COHP) significantly decreased VSCs by 26% compared to placebo on Day 14, with twice as many dogs showing perceptibly improved breath in the COHP group on Day 7. The present double-blinded, placebo-controlled validation study evaluated COHP's ability to reduce canine oral malodor at a reduced dose of 150 mg to confirm that the previously reported efficacy of COHP is reproducible and maintained at a lower dose. Twenty-four dogs were stratified by starting VSC levels and received either COHP or placebo as a powder topper over standard chow for 14 days. VSC levels were measured via a halimeter, and perceived malodor was assessed using a 10-point scale on Days 0, 7, and 14. VSC levels increased in the placebo group by 24% on Day 7 (P = .006) and 38% on Day 14 (P = .002), while COHP prevented VSC increases on both days, resulting in a -26% change compared to placebo on Day 14 (P = .04). VSC levels correlated with perceived malodor, and COHP trended toward a 1-point reduction in perceived malodor compared to placebo (P = .06). These findings agree with the previous study, suggesting COHP effectively reduces canine halitosis across 2 doses.