Bacterial flora of the canine alimentary tract - physiology, feeding influences and dietary consequences

Data on the gastrointestinal micro ecology of dogs are based on studies wit h limited numbers of experimental animals due to the demanding techniques. The bacterial composition is species specific and varies individually and a lso depending on diet composition. Higher numbers of CI. perfringens are in duced by protein enriched rations, while Bifidobacteria and Lactobacilli in crease, when fermentable carbohydrates are fed. Dietary influences on other bacteria seem to be weak or are masked by methodological shortcomings. Dis turbances of the microbial ecology can occur in the large and small intesti ne, inducing undesired faeces consistency, diarrhoea or flatulence. Dieteti c treatment includes correction of the feeding habits or the introduction o f highly digestible diets with moderate protein and increased insoluble fib re concentrations.