Natural zeolite (chabazite/phillipsite) dietary supplementation influences faecal microbiota and oxidant status of working dogs

Figures & data

Table 1. Chemical composition of natural zeolite (chabazite/phillipsite) utilised in the present study.

Chemical composition
Moisture, g/kg	120
SiO2, g/kg	520
Al2O3, g/kg	170
TiO2, g/kg	5
Fe2O3, g/kg	36
P2O3, g/kg	3
MnO, g/kg	2
MgO, g/kg	20
CaO, g/kg	57
Na2O, g/kg	6
K2O, g/kg	61
Cation-exchange capacity, mEq/g	2.2
Bulk density, g/cm^3	0.7–0.9

Table 2. Ingredients (%) and chemical composition of diet.

Ingredients
Poultry fresh meat	26.00
Bread	12.80
Commercial extruded mixed feed	4.00
Wheat bran	3.20
Vitamin and mineral premix^a	0.25
Water	53.75
Proximate analysis:
Moisture, %	78.95
Crude protein, % DM^b	24.94
Crude fat, % DM	23.51
Crude fibre, % DM	2.42
Ash, % DM	5.46
ME, MJ/kg DM	18.40

^a Providing per kilogram of diet: vitamin A, 12.500 UI; vitamin D3, 400 UI; vitamin E, 50 mg; vitamin B1, 2 mg; vitamin B2, 4 mg; vitamin B6, 2 mg; vitamin B12, 0.010 mg; vitamin C, 100 mg; vitamin PP, 20 mg; vitamin K, 2 mg; Biotin, 0.2 mg; Fe, 800 mg; Cu, 15 mg; Mn, 35 mg; Se, 0.05 mg; Zn, 110 mg.

^b DM: dry matter.

Table 3. Effects of chabazite/phillipsite (Z) supplementation on faecal score and faecal microbial concentration at day 29.

	Group^a
Item	C	Z	SEM^b
Dogs/replicate, n	10	10
BW, kg	19.50	18.13	2.67
Faecal score^c	2.81	2.88	0.29
Lactobacillus spp.^d, log10 CFU/g of faeces	8.32^e	8.98^f	0.04
Enterococcus spp.^d, log10 CFU/g of faeces	7.27^e	8.10^f	0.04
Enterobacteriaceae^d, log10 CFU/g of faeces	7.27^f	6.35^e	0.06

^a C = untreated group with chabazite/phillipsite, Z = treated group with chabazite/phillipsite;.

^b SEM, standard error of the difference of means.

^c On a five points (1–5) scale.

^d Samples collected post trial.

^e,f Different letters in the same row indicate statistical difference (p < .05).

Table 4. Effects of chabazite/phillipsite (Z) supplementation on BW and on oxidant/antioxidant parameters at day 29.

	Group^a
Item	C	Z	SEM^b
Dogs/replicate, n	10	10
NO, μmol/L
Pre trial	4.69	5.03	1.33
Post trial	4.75	4.17	1.21
SOD, U/mL
Pre trial	9.00	10.23	4.36
Post trial	8.73	11.05	5.01
GPx, mU/mL
Pre trial	76.00	82.90	5.00
Post trial	77.09	81.73	4.86
TBARS, nmol/mL
Pre trial	2.28	2.60	0.99
Post trial	3.03^d	1.84^c	0.97

^a C: untreated group with chabazite/phillipsite; Z: treated group with chabazite/phillipsite.

^b SEM: standard error of the difference of means.

^c,d Different letters in the same row indicate statistical difference (p < .05).