Randomized, controlled, crossover trial of prevention of antibiotic‐induced gastrointestinal signs using a synbiotic mixture in healthy research dogs
Abstract Background Synbiotics decrease antibiotic‐associated gastrointestinal signs (AAGS) in cats, but data supporting synbiotic use to ameliorate AAGS in dogs are lacking. Objectives To determine if administration of synbiotics mitigates AAGS in dogs. Animals Twenty‐two healthy research dogs. Met...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Wiley
2019-07-01
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| Series: | Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1111/jvim.15553 |
| Summary: | Abstract Background Synbiotics decrease antibiotic‐associated gastrointestinal signs (AAGS) in cats, but data supporting synbiotic use to ameliorate AAGS in dogs are lacking. Objectives To determine if administration of synbiotics mitigates AAGS in dogs. Animals Twenty‐two healthy research dogs. Methods Randomized, double‐blinded, placebo‐controlled, 2‐way, 2‐period, crossover study with an 8‐week washout period. Each period included a 1‐week baseline and 3‐week treatment phase. Dogs received enrofloxacin (10 mg/kg PO q24h) and metronidazole (12.5 mg/kg PO q12h), followed 1 hour later by a bacterial/yeast synbiotic combination or placebo. Food intake, vomiting, and fecal score were compared using repeated‐measures crossover analyses, with P < .05 considered significant. Results Hyporexia, vomiting, and diarrhea occurred in 41% (95% confidence interval [CI], 21‐64), 77% (95% CI, 55‐92), and 100% (95% CI, 85‐100) of dogs, respectively, during the first treatment period. Derangements in food intake were smaller in both periods for dogs receiving synbiotics (F‐value, 5.1; P = .04) with treatment‐by‐period interactions (F‐value, 6.0; P = .02). Days of vomiting differed over time (F‐value, 4.7; P = .006). Fecal scores increased over time (F‐value, 33.5; P < .001), were lower during period 2 (F‐value, 14.5; P = .001), and had treatment‐by‐period effects (F‐value, 4.8; P = .04). Conclusions and Clinical Importance Enrofloxacin/metronidazole administration is associated with a high frequency of AAGS. Synbiotic administration decreases food intake derangements. The presence of milder AAGS in period 2 suggests that clinical effects of synbiotics persist >9 weeks after discontinuation, mitigating AAGS in dogs being treated with antibiotics followed by placebo. |
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| ISSN: | 0891-6640 1939-1676 |