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Veterinary Sciences
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The Role of Gut Microbiome in Regulating Animal Health
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The Role of Gut Microbiome in Regulating Animal Health

A special issue of Veterinary Sciences (ISSN 2306-7381). This special issue belongs to the section "Veterinary Microbiology, Parasitology and Immunology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 August 2026 | Viewed by 1710

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Jianhui Li

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Animal Science, Shanxi Agricultural University, Jinzhong 030801, China
Interests: poultry environmental control; gut health
Prof. Dr. Na Sun

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Veterinary Medicine, Shanxi Agricultural University, Jinzhong 030801, China
Interests: traditional Chinese veterinary drugs; gut health; targets
Dr. Miaomiao Han

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Animal Science, Shanxi Agricultural University, Jinzhong 030801, China
Interests: poultry nutrition; animal feed additives; gut health

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The gut microbiome is increasingly being recognized as a key regulator of animal health, influencing host metabolism, immunity, and disease resilience. This Special Issue focuses on advances in understanding the composition, function, and dynamics of gut microbial communities across animal species. Topics of interest include the microbiome’s role in nutrient utilization, immune modulation, pathogen resistance, and its involvement in metabolic, gastrointestinal, and systemic disorders. Researchers exploring dysbiosis-associated mechanisms, microbiome-based diagnostics, and emerging interventions—such as probiotics, prebiotics, synbiotics, dietary strategies, and microbiota-targeted therapeutics—are especially encouraged to submit their findings. By integrating molecular, microbial, and clinical perspectives, this Special Issue aims to highlight innovative approaches that advance microbiome-driven health management in veterinary medicine and animal science.

Prof. Dr. Jianhui Li
Prof. Dr. Na Sun
Dr. Miaomiao Han
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Veterinary Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2100 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • gut microbiome
  • animal health
  • dysbiosis
  • host–microbe interactions
  • immune modulation
  • microbial ecology
  • probiotics
  • prebiotics
  • microbiota-targeted therapies
  • veterinary microbiology

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

17 pages, 7525 KB  
Article
Effects of a Low-Fat Diet Supplemented with Plant Extract on Lipid Metabolism, Antioxidant Capacity, Inflammation, and Gut Microbiota in Healthy Beagles
by Mengdi Zhao, Yixin Wang, Yuanyuan Zhang, Xinda Liu, Wenhao Wang and Guangyu Li
Vet. Sci. 2026, 13(3), 266; https://doi.org/10.3390/vetsci13030266 - 13 Mar 2026
Viewed by 611
Abstract
Obesity has become a major disease in dogs and cats. Dietary management is a preventive measure because controlling energy intake (e.g., portion size and diet energy density) helps maintain an ideal BCS and reduces the likelihood of progressive weight gain and associated metabolic [...] Read more.
Obesity has become a major disease in dogs and cats. Dietary management is a preventive measure because controlling energy intake (e.g., portion size and diet energy density) helps maintain an ideal BCS and reduces the likelihood of progressive weight gain and associated metabolic abnormalities. This study evaluated a low-fat diet, with or without plant-extract supplementation, and its effects on serum biochemistry, lipid metabolism, gut microbiota, and metabolic profiles in healthy beagles. Thirty beagles were randomly divided into three groups (n = 10 per group): a conventional diet (Group A), a low-fat diet (Group B), and a low-fat diet supplemented with plant extract (Group C). The experiment lasted for a total of 9 weeks, comprising an adaptation period of one week and an experimental period of eight weeks. Results showed that, compared with Group A, the low-fat diet interventions (Groups B and C) significantly reduced serum levels of triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein, and total bile acids (p < 0.05). Furthermore, superoxide dismutase activity was significantly higher in Groups B and C than in Group A (p < 0.05). Compared with both Groups A and B, Group C exhibited significantly lower malondialdehyde levels, reduced proinflammatory cytokines (tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-1β, interleukin-6; p < 0.05), and decreased serum diamine oxidase activity and lipopolysaccharide levels (p < 0.05). The gut microbiota analysis revealed that Group C had a significantly increased relative abundance of beneficial bacteria, such as Lactobacillus (p < 0.05). Metabolomic analysis further indicated that beneficial metabolites, including γ-aminobutyric acid and glutamine, were significantly upregulated in Group C (p < 0.05). In conclusion, while a low-fat diet effectively regulated serum lipids in healthy dogs, the supplementation of a blended extract from Atractylodes lancea, Magnolia officinalis, and Citrus reticulata Blanco demonstrated broader efficacy. It further improved lipid metabolism, systemic antioxidant status, and intestinal barrier function, while attenuating inflammation and enriching beneficial gut microbes (Lactobacillus) and metabolites (GABA and glutamine). These findings suggest that while a low-fat diet alone is beneficial, its combination with plant extract provides a novel dietary strategy for promoting lipid metabolism and potentially reducing obesity-related disease risk in dogs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Role of Gut Microbiome in Regulating Animal Health)
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20 pages, 6620 KB  
Article
Study of Fecal Microbiota Transplantation Ameliorates Colon Morphology and Microbiota Function in High-Fat Diet Mice
by Xinyu Cao, Lu Zhou, Yuxia Ding, Chaofan Ma, Qian Chen, Ning Li, Hao Ren, Ping Yan and Jianlei Jia
Vet. Sci. 2026, 13(2), 116; https://doi.org/10.3390/vetsci13020116 - 25 Jan 2026
Viewed by 739
Abstract
This study investigates whether fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) can alleviate gut microbiota dysbiosis induced by a high-fat diet (HFD) through modulation of fatty acid metabolism, competition for nutrients, production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), and restoration of mucus layer integrity. To elucidate the [...] Read more.
This study investigates whether fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) can alleviate gut microbiota dysbiosis induced by a high-fat diet (HFD) through modulation of fatty acid metabolism, competition for nutrients, production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), and restoration of mucus layer integrity. To elucidate the mechanisms by which FMT regulates colonic microbial function and host metabolic responses, 80 male Bal b/c mice were randomly assigned to four experimental groups (n = 20 per group): Normal Diet Group (NDG), High-Fat Diet Group (HDG), Restrictive Diet Group (RDG), and HDG recipients of NDG-derived fecal microbiota (FMT group). The intervention lasted for 12 weeks, during which body weight was monitored biweekly. At the end of the experiment, tissue and fecal samples were collected to assess digestive enzyme activities, intestinal histomorphology, gene expression related to gut barrier function, and gut microbiota composition via 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Results showed that mice in the HDG exhibited significantly higher final body weight and greater weight gain compared to those in the NDG and RDG (p < 0.05). Notably, FMT treatment markedly attenuated HFD-induced weight gain (p < 0.05), reducing it to levels comparable with the NDG (p > 0.05). While HFD significantly elevated the activities of α-amylase and trypsin (p < 0.05), FMT supplementation effectively suppressed these enzymatic activities (p < 0.05). Moreover, FMT ameliorated HFD-induced intestinal architectural damage, as evidenced by significant increases in villus height and the villus height-to-crypt depth ratio (V/C) (p < 0.05). At the molecular level, FMT significantly downregulated the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-1α, TNF-α) and upregulated key tight junction proteins (Occludin, Claudin-1, ZO-1) and mucin-2 (MUC2) relative to the HDG (p < 0.05). 16S rRNA analysis demonstrated that FMT substantially increased the abundance of beneficial genera such as Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium while reducing opportunistic pathogens including Romboutsia (p < 0.05). Furthermore, alpha diversity indices (Chao1 and ACE) were significantly higher in the FMT group than in all other groups (p < 0.05), indicating enhanced microbial richness and community stability. Functional prediction using PICRUSt2 revealed that FMT-enriched metabolic pathways (particularly those associated with SCFA production) and enhanced gut barrier-related functions. Collectively, this study deepens our understanding of host–microbe interactions under HFD-induced metabolic stress and provides mechanistic insights into how FMT restores gut homeostasis, highlighting its potential as a therapeutic strategy for diet-induced dysbiosis and associated metabolic disorders. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Role of Gut Microbiome in Regulating Animal Health)
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