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. 2025 Jan 4:103:skaf251.
doi: 10.1093/jas/skaf251.

Effects of Bacillus coagulans (GBI-30, 6086) supplementation on apparent total tract nutrient digestibility and the fecal characteristics and metabolites, immunity, and microbiota of healthy adult dogs

Sofia M Wilson  1 , Yifei Kang  2 , Jocelyn F Wren  1 , John F Menton  3 , Elena Vinay  3 , Mathieu Millette  4 , Melissa R Kelly  5 , Zifan Xie  6 , Michael J Miller  6   7 , Kelly S Swanson  1   7   8
Affiliations

Effects of Bacillus coagulans (GBI-30, 6086) supplementation on apparent total tract nutrient digestibility and the fecal characteristics and metabolites, immunity, and microbiota of healthy adult dogs

Sofia M Wilson et al. J Anim Sci. .

Abstract

Bacillus coagulans GBI-30, 6086, is a lactic acid-producing, spore-forming bacteria with diverse characteristics that lend it resiliency through commercial pet food processing, storage, and chemical and enzymatic digestion through the gastrointestinal tract. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of B. coagulans on dietary apparent total tract nutrient digestibility (ATTD) and the hematology, immunoglobulin concentrations and fecal characteristics, metabolites, and microbiota populations of healthy adult dogs. Adult English Pointer dogs (n = 12; age = 5.9 ± 2.5 yr; body weight = 26.6 ± 6.1 kg) were fed the same diet but supplemented with B. coagulans or a placebo via gelatin capsules in a replicated 3 × 3 Latin square design. Capsules were administered daily before each feeding, with the following treatments tested: (1) basal diet + placebo (control; 250 mg maltodextrin); (2) basal diet + B. coagulans [low dose; 5 × 108 colony-forming units (CFU)/d]; and (3) basal diet + B. coagulans (high dose; 2.5 × 109 CFU/d). Fecal, blood, nasal, and pinnae samples were collected after a 22-d adaptation phase in each period. Data were analyzed using the Mixed Models procedure of SAS 9.4, with P < 0.05 being significant and P < 0.10 being trends. Bacillus coagulans supplementation did not affect ATTD, food intake, fecal metabolites, immunoglobulin concentrations, or hematology, but did lower fecal scores (P < 0.05; firmer stool). Using qPCR, fecal Faecalibacterium spp. abundance was greater (P < 0.05) and fecal Bacteroides spp., Bifidobacterium spp., and Ruminococcus gnavus abundances tended to be greater (P < 0.10) in dogs fed the low B. coagulans dose than those fed the placebo. Overall, our results demonstrate that this bacterial species can be safely supplemented to healthy dogs without a negative impact on nutrient digestibility or canine health parameters, and supplementation with the low dose treatment may help maintain fecal consistency and positively influence gastrointestinal microbiota.

Keywords: canine microbiota; nutrient digestibility; probiotic.

Plain language summary

Bacillus coagulans GBI-30, 6086, is a commercially available, lactic-acid-producing, spore-forming bacteria that exhibits probiotic characteristics. Twelve healthy adult English Pointer dogs were fed the same diet, but supplemented with B. coagulans or a placebo via gelatin capsules with the following treatments tested: (1) basal diet + placebo (control; 250 mg maltodextrin); (2) basal diet + B. coagulans [low dose; 5 × 108 colony-forming units (CFU)/d]; and (3) basal diet + B. coagulans (high dose; 2.5 × 109 CFU/d). Fecal samples for assessment of apparent total tract nutrient digestibility, fecal characteristics, and fecal microbial populations, as well as blood and skin swab samples for hematology and skin microbial populations, respectively, were collected after a 22-d adaptation phase. Supplementation with B. coagulans did not affect nutrient digestibility, fecal metabolites, or hematology. However, B. coagulans supplementation affected fecal scores, with dogs having firmer stools. Interestingly, feeding the lower dose of B. coagulans resulted in greater shifts to the gut and skin microbiome, where some microbial taxa associated with gastrointestinal health were increased (i.e., Faecalibacterium, Bifidobacterium). Overall, our results demonstrate that B. coagulans may be supplemented to healthy dogs without a negative impact on canine health, although substantial benefits to intestinal health and microbiota populations were limited.

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Conflict of interest statement

J.F.M., E.V., and M.M. are employed by Kerry Group. M.R.K. is a private consultant for Kerry Group. All other authors have no conflicts of interest.

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