Dogs are man's best friend, but they also suffer from many health issues that affect their quality of life.
One of the most common and chronic conditions is canine inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which causes symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, weight loss, and abdominal pain.
IBD is thought to be caused by an imbalance of the gut microbiome, the community of bacteria and other microorganisms that live in the digestive tract.
The gut microbiome plays a vital role in digestion, immunity, and metabolism, and any disruption can lead to inflammation and disease.
But what if there was a way to restore the balance of the gut microbiome in dogs? What if the solution was hidden in the guts of their wild ancestors, the wolves?
A recent study by researchers at Oregon State University Cascades suggests that this might be the case.
The study, published in Applied Microbiology, reports a novel strain of bacteria with probiotic qualities that was isolated from the gastrointestinal tract of a North American gray wolf.
The researchers believe that this bacterium could potentially help dogs with IBD by promoting a healthy and diverse gut microbiome.
The Wolf Gut Bacterium
OLIVIER MORIN/AFP via Getty Images
The bacterium that the researchers discovered belongs to the genus Paenibacillus, which is known to have beneficial effects on plants and animals.
The wolf gut bacterium has several features that make it a promising probiotic candidate for dogs.
First, it can digest complex carbohydrates such as starches, which are often found in processed dog food and can negatively affect the gut microbiome.
Second, it produces antimicrobial substances that can inhibit the growth of harmful pathogens. Third, it is a spore-former, which means it can survive harsh conditions such as high temperatures and low pH levels.
The researchers performed whole genome sequencing on the wolf gut bacterium and found that it has genes that encode enzymes for breaking down starches, as well as gene systems for expressing antimicrobials.
They also tested its ability to grow in different media and found that it can utilize various carbon sources.
These results suggested that the wolf gut bacterium is adaptable and versatile, and could potentially colonize the dog gut and modulate its microbiome.
The researchers hypothesize that the wolf gut bacterium could help dogs with IBD by restoring the balance of their gut microbiome and reducing inflammation. They base their hypothesis on several lines of evidence.
First, they noted that wolves and dogs have a common ancestry, and that their gut microbiomes are more similar to each other than to those of other animals.
This implies that the wolf gut bacterium could be compatible with the dog gut and confer some of the benefits that wolves have from their natural diet.
Second, they cited previous studies that have shown that probiotics can improve the symptoms and quality of life of dogs with IBD by enhancing their immune system and modulating their gut microbiome.
Third, they point out that spore-forming bacteria have been shown to have anti-inflammatory effects in animal models of colitis.
The researchers planned to further investigate the potential of the wolf gut bacterium as a probiotic for dogs by performing more genetic analyses and conducting animal trials.
They hoped that their findings will lead to a novel dietary supplement or food additive that could improve the health and well-being of domestic dogs.
