Fecal microbiome profiling in senior dogs

Aging in dogs is a complex phenomenon characterized by metabolic, immunological and neurological alterations that may result in chronic inflammation, oxidative stress and intestinal microbiota changing that can compromise dogs overall health. Phytotherapeutics represents a promising approach to improve the quality of life in elderly dogs. In this study, we have tested a mix of phytoextracts on 7 old breed dogs to evaluate their synergistic beneficial effects. After treatment, an interesting modulation of the microbiota was observed with a trend from T0 to T2 toward higher relative abundances of SCFA producing taxa, although alpha and beta diversity metrics did not reach statistical significance. This study supports the hypothesis that the integration of these herbal medicines into dietary or therapeutic regimens could represent a natural and synergistic strategy to improve the quality of life, promoting the general well-being of old dogs.