Microbiota in Mild Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) Can Be Modulated by Beta-Glucans and Mannanoligosaccharides: A Randomized, Double-Blinded Study in Dogs.

Simple Summary: Chronic inflammation in the intestine that can lead to detrimental changes in the composition of bacteria living in the gut, which includes increasing disease-causing bacteria and decreasing those that control them and are beneficial to the host. This shift may exacerbate and complicate treatment efforts. Intestinal bacteria are important to control inflammation and, when the cause of inflammation cannot be completely withdrawn, medications and dietary adjustments become necessary to manage symptoms. Prebiotics are fiber sources that nourish beneficial bacteria and can be provided in food or concentrated in capsules. This study found that the daily intake of beta-glucans (a type of prebiotic) for 60 days positively modulated the gut microbiota in dogs with this condition. The patients receiving prebiotics did not experience any disease relapse over a period of 6 months. Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in dogs is the most common chronic gastrointestinal disease in dogs. Its etiology evolves an aberrant immunological response towards food antigens and indigenous bacteria in the gut bacteria and, consequently, dysbiosis. Prebiotics provide substrates for the growth of beneficial bacteria and promote the production of beneficial fermentation products. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of oral supplementations of beta-glucans and mannanoligosaccharides (MOSs) over 60 days in fecal microbiota and fecal concentrations of fermentation products in dogs with mild IBD. Eighteen dogs with mild IBD were divided into three experimental groups in a blinded and randomized manner: A—dogs received 0.1% of a beta-glucan-based prebiotic, B—dogs received 0.1% of a MOS + beta-glucan-based prebiotic, and C—dogs received 0.1% of a placebo. Fecal microbiota was analyzed using the latest generation 16S rRNA sequencing (Illumina^®). Relative abundances of each taxon were analyzed using a generalized linear model, and fermentation products using a mixed model. A significance level of p was used. The prebiotics positively modulated the bacterial population of Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes. Treatment A improved alpha diversity and populations of beneficial bacteria. Beta-glucan supplementation for 60 days had beneficial effects on modulating intestinal microbiota in dogs with mild IBD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]