Abrupt Dietary Change and Gradual Dietary Transition Impact Diarrheal Symptoms, Fecal Fermentation Characteristics, Microbiota, and Metabolic Profile in Healthy Puppies
Pinfeng Liao,
Kang Yang,
Hongcan Huang,
Zhongquan Xin,
Shiyan Jian,
Chaoyu Wen,
Shansong He,
Lingna Zhang,
Baichuan Deng
Affiliations
Pinfeng Liao
Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition Control, National Engineering Research Center for Breeding Swine Industry, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
Kang Yang
Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition Control, National Engineering Research Center for Breeding Swine Industry, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
Hongcan Huang
Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition Control, National Engineering Research Center for Breeding Swine Industry, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
Zhongquan Xin
Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition Control, National Engineering Research Center for Breeding Swine Industry, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
Shiyan Jian
Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition Control, National Engineering Research Center for Breeding Swine Industry, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
Chaoyu Wen
Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition Control, National Engineering Research Center for Breeding Swine Industry, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
Shansong He
Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition Control, National Engineering Research Center for Breeding Swine Industry, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
Lingna Zhang
Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition Control, National Engineering Research Center for Breeding Swine Industry, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
Baichuan Deng
Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition Control, National Engineering Research Center for Breeding Swine Industry, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
Dietary changes are inevitable for pets, yet little is known about the impact of different dietary change methods on the gastrointestinal response. The current comparative study evaluated the effects of different dietary changes on the diarrheal symptoms, fecal fermentation characteristics, microbiota, and metabolic profile of healthy puppies. A total of 13 beagle puppies were randomly divided into two groups; puppies in the abrupt change (AC) group were given 260 g of a chicken- and duck-based extruded diet (CD)daily for the one-week transition period, whereas puppies in the gradual transition (GT) group were fed according to a gradual transition ratio of a salmon-based extruded diet (SA) and a CD diets with a difference of 40 g per day for seven consecutive days. Serum samples were collected on D7, and fecal samples were collected on D0 and D7. The results indicated that GT reduced the incidence of diarrhea in puppies throughout the trial period. Dietary change methods had no influence on serum inflammatory factors or fecal SCFAs, but isovaleric acid was significantly reduced after GT. Meanwhile, 16S rRNA sequencing showed that the fecal microbiota was changed after different dietary changes. Compared with the bacterial changes after AC, the relative abundances of beneficial bacteria (i.e., Turicibacter and Faecalibacterium) in feces were increased after GT in puppies. Additionally, both GT and AC caused changes in amino acid metabolism, while AC also altered lipid metabolism. AC increased fecal histamine and spermine concentrations, but decreased concentrations of metabolites such as 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid and serotonin. Our findings indicated that GT most likely reduced the diarrhea rate in puppies by modulating the composition and metabolism of the gut microbiota.
