Beneficial effects of a prebiotic-postbiotic supplement on digestive health and fecal microbiota in dogs and cats

Gastrointestinal (GI) disorders are a frequent concern for pet owners and veterinarians. Dietary management of mild GI disorders is often essential in order to correct imbalances in the gut flora. In this context, “biotics,” including probiotics, prebiotics, and postbiotics, have received increasing attention for their potential to favorably modulate the gut microbiota and support digestive function. In this study, we investigated the effect of a nutritional supplement containing a specific blend of prebiotics (baobab fruit pulp and acacia gum) and postbiotics (inactivated L. helveticus and selected yeast fractions) on digestive signs exhibited by healthy dogs and cats with mild GI imbalances, such as soft stools, increased quantity of stools or flatulence. The supplement was tested over a 28-day period. Digestive signs were evaluated on 57 dogs and 57 cats and the microbiota analysis was conducted on samples from 35 dogs and 27 cats. Questionnaires completed by the pet owners at regular intervals were used to evaluate digestive signs, while changes in the intestinal microbiota were assessed by fecal sample analysis performed before and after supplementation. The supplement was accepted either alone or mixed with food by 94% of dogs and 91% of cats. In both cats and dogs, the supplementation significantly improved digestive health as of day 7 ( p 0.001). Animals starting the study with impaired stool consistency or high quantity of stools showed significant improvement by day 7. The stool odor also improved from the first week. The proportion of dogs and cats with flatulence was reduced by 45 and 63%, respectively, by day 28 ( p 0.001), and the proportion of pets vomiting was reduced by 51 and 54%, respectively ( p 0.001). The impact on gut microbiota involved mainly changes on multiple subdominant taxa (such as Megamonas and Peptacetobacter in dogs, Anaerotignum and Succinivibrio in cats), without altering the overall microbial community architecture (as shown by diversity indices). Altogether, these results show that the supplement tested (Floragest™ soft chews, Virbac) can help support the digestive health of dogs and cats with mild gastrointestinal disorders.