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In dogs, the use of probiotics for preventive or therapeutic purposes has become increasingly common, however the evidence for beneficial effects are often limited. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of feeding a diet containing Enterococcus faecium NCIMB 10415 on faecal quality, faecal short-chain fatty acid concentrations, serum concentrations of cholesterol, triglycerides, cobalamin and folate as well as faecal microbiome in adult dogs. Eleven healthy client owned dogs were enrolled in a randomized, double-blinded crossover study. All dogs were fed the same balanced diet with or without incorporation of Enterococcus faecium NCIMB 10415 for 16 days each. Blood and faecal samples were collected at baseline and during the feeding trial and owners recorded daily faecal scores. An Enterococcus spp. ASV, likely representing E. faecium NCIMB 10415 was detected in the faecal microbiome of some dogs 18–19 days after withdrawal of oral supplementation. Inclusion of E. faecium decreased circulating cholesterol (p = 0.008) compared to baseline. There were no differences in cholesterol concentrations between diets. Owners reported 0.6 ± 0.3) days less of loose stools compared to the control diet. Comparing to baseline, both diets significantly increased faecal concentration of acetate and butyrate, decreased serum cobalamin and increased faecal microbial diversity. Decreased serum cobalamin, and increased faecal acetate correlated with decreases in the Fusobacterium, Streptococcus, Blautia, and Peptoclostridium. Except for effects on circulating cholesterol and faecal score, effects were observed regardless of the addition of E. faecium. It is therefore likely that these effects can be contributed to dietary prebiotic effects on the faecal microbiome. Full article

In farm animals, intestinal diseases caused by Salmonella spp. and Escherichia coli may lead to significant economic loss. In the past few decades, the swine industry has largely relied on the prophylactic use of antibiotics to control gastrointestinal diseases. The development of antibiotic resistance has become an important issue both in animal and human health. The use of antibiotics for prophylactic purposes has been banned, moreover the new EU regulations further restrict the application of antibiotics in veterinary use. The swine industry seeks alternatives that are capable of maintaining the health of the gastrointestinal tract. Probiotics offer a promising alternative; however, their mode of action is not fully understood. In our experiments, porcine intestinal epithelial cells (IPEC-J2 cells) were challenged by Salmonella Typhimurium or Escherichia coli and we aimed at determining the effect of pre-, co-, and post-treatment with Enterococcus faecium NCIMB 10415 on the internal redox state, paracellular permeability, IL-6 and IL-8 secretion of IPEC-J2 cells. Moreover, the adhesion inhibition effect was also investigated. Enterococcus faecium was able to reduce oxidative stress and paracellular permeability of IPEC-J2 cells and could inhibit the adhesion of Salmonella Typhimurium and Escherichia coli. Based on our results, Enterococcus faecium is a promising candidate to maintain the health of the gastrointestinal tract. Full article