Characterization and description of the domestic ferret (Mustela putorius furo) gut microbiome

Background: The domestic ferret (Mustela putorius furo) is a companion animal with an estimated population size, as pets, of 500,000 in the United States. Ferrets are obligate carnivores with a short gastrointestinal tract and a rapid food transit time, but to date, there is little information regarding their gut microbiome composition. The aim of this study is to describe the fecal microbiome in a population of healthy ferrets and compare these to other animal species, including a population of healthy cats. Stool samples from 36 healthy domestic ferrets were collected and compared to samples collected from 36 healthy domestic cats. Methods: Bacterial DNA was analyzed by sequencing the V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene on the Illumina platform. Bacterial sequences were processed with QIIME2 bioinformatics pipeline. Alpha and beta diversity were calculated and compared between the two species, and statistical analyses performed to detect taxa that differ significantly. Results: The ferret microbiome was more similar to that of minks and sables than other common companion animals. When compared to the domestic cat, also an obligate carnivore, bacteria in the phyla Firmicutes and Proteobacteria were more strongly represented in the domestic ferret, while phyla Bacteroidota and Actinomycetota were found to be more strongly represented in healthy domestic cats. The fecal microbiome of domestic ferrets had lower alpha diversity when compared to domestic cats, as was expected based on the shorter gastrointestinal transit time. 22 taxa were found in more than 50% of the healthy ferret population, compared to the 52 taxa found in more than 50% of the healthy cat population. Bacteria genera significantly associated with the ferret microbiome included Clostridium sensu stricto, Streptococcus, Romboutsia, Paeniclostridium, Lactobacillus, Enterococcus, and Lactococcus. Conclusion: The microbiome of the domestic ferret differs significantly from domestic cats. Treatment of ferrets with gastrointestinal conditions may require different care compared to other companion animals. Further studies should investigate how the gut microbiome of ferrets with gastrointestinal conditions differ from healthy ferrets and how they respond to dietary and medical interventions.