Study of faecal parameters and body condition in dogs with a diet supplemented with Lactobacillus acidophilus D2/CSL (CECT 4529)

Figures & data

Table 1. Effect of the addition of Lactobacillus acidophilus D2/CSL to diet on body weight (BW), skinfold thickness measured at the 4th cervical vertebra (NECK) and at the 7th/8th rib (THORAX), and faecal moisture (FM).

	Labrador Retriever (n = 15)			English Cocker Spaniel (n = 15)
	CTR	LACTO	p-value	CTR	LACTO	p-value
BW (Kg)
Overall period	29.90 ± 0.68	28.83 ± 0.56	0.2416	12.57 ± 0.96	12.61 ± 0.80	.9780
T0	30.41 ± 0.84	28.70 ± 0.69	0.1154	12.62 ± 0.99	13.19 ± 0.82	.6567
T1	30.41 ± 0.84	28.80 ± 0.69	0.1376	12.52 ± 0.99	12.46 ± 0.82	.9646
T2	29.40 ± 0.84	28.91 ± 0.69	0.6518	12.52 ± 0.99	12.46 ± 0.82	.9646
T3	29.40 ± 0.84	28.91 ± 0.69	0.6518	12.63 ± 0.99	12.31 ± 0.82	.8056
NECK (mm)
Overall period	15.09 ± 0.58	13.15 ± 0.48	0.0270*	5.33 ± 0.44	4.62 ± 0.37	.2509
T0	15.09 ± 0.82	13.65 ± 0.67	0.1890	5.67 ± 0.62	4.85 ± 0.51	.3283
T3	15.09 ± 0.82	12.65 ± 0.67	0.0355*	5.00 ± 0.62	4.40 ± 0.51	.4719
THORAX (mm)
Overall period	14.68 ± 0.56	12.96 ± 0.46	0.0374*	6.17 ± 0.42	4.96 ± 0.35	.0592*
T0	15.02 ± 0.78	13.63 ± 0.64	0.1875	6.50 ± 0.60	5.29 ± 0.49	.1429
T3	14.35 ± 0.78	12.29 ± 0.64	0.0601*	5.83 ± 0.60	4.63 ± 0.49	.1429
FM (%)
Overall period	0.68 ± 0.012	0.64 ± 0.010	0.0365*	0.66 ± 0.004	0.63 ± 0.004	.0084*
T0	0.68 ± 0.019	0.65 ± 0.015	0.2157	0.65 ± 0.012	0.65 ± 0.010	.9108
T1	0.64 ± 0.019	0.59 ± 0.015	0.0345*	0.60 ± 0.012	0.60 ± 0.010	.7490
T2	0.72 ± 0.019	0.68 ± 0.015	0.0495*	0.71 ± 0.012	0.62 ± 0.010	<.0001*
T3	0.67 ± 0.019	0.66 ± 0.015	0.5328	0.67 ± 0.012	0.66 ± 0.010	.6372

Source. Least square means ± SE from the performed mixed model in control (CTR) and treated (LACTO) groups. Results are presented for the entire trial period and for each experimental time. T0 (day 0), T1 (day 14), T2 (day 28) and T3 (day 35).

*p-values <.10 were considered significant.

Table 2. Effect of the addition of Lactobacillus acidophilus D2/CSL to diet on body condition score (BCS). Descriptive statistics and results from the Kruskall-Wallis test.

Experimental period	Group	Mean	SD	Median (25th; 75th)
Labrador Retriever (n = 15)
Overall	CTR	4.63	0.58	5.5^a (4.0;5.0)
	LACTO	4.94	0.53	5.0^b (5.0;5.0)
T0	CTR	4.83	0.41	5.0 (5.0;5.0)
	LACTO	4.89	0.33	5.0 (5.0;5.0)
T1	CTR	4.33	0.82	4.5^a (4.0;5.0)
	LACTO	4.89	0.33	5.0^b (5.0;5.0)
T2	CTR	4.67	0.52	5.0 (4.0;5.0)
	LACTO	5.00	0.71	5.0 (5.0;5.0)
T3	CTR	4.67	0.52	5.0 (4.0;5.0)
	LACTO	5.00	0.71	5.0 (5.0;5.0)
English Cocker Spaniel (n = 15)
Overall	CTR	5.67	0.76	5.5^a (5.0;6.0)
	LACTO	5.28	0.85	5.0^b (5.0;6.0)
T0	CTR	5.50	0.55	5.5 (5.0;6.0)
	LACTO	5.44	0.53	5.0 (5.0;6.0)
T1	CTR	5.50	0.55	5.5 (5.0;6.0)
	LACTO	5.44	0.53	5.0 (5.0;6.0)
T2	CTR	6.50	0.84	7.0 (6.0;7.0)
	LACTO	5.55	1.33	5.0 (5.0;7.0)
T3	CTR	5.17	0.41	5.0 ^a (5.0;5.0)
	LACTO	4.67	0.50	5.0^b (4.0;5.0)

Source. CTR: control group; LACTO: treated group; T0 (day 0), T1 (day 14), T2 (day 28) and T3 (day 35).

^a,bWithin each period, medians different if superscript differ (p < .10)

Table 3. Effect of the addition of Lactobacillus acidophilus D2/CSL to diet on faecal score (FS). Descriptive statistics and results from the Kruskall-Wallis test.

Experimental period	Group	Mean	SD	Median (25th; 75th)
Labrador Retriever (n = 15)
Overall	CTR	3.58	0.72	3.0^a (3.0;4.0)
	LACTO	3.19	0.62	3.0^b (3.0;3.5)
T0	CTR	4.33	0.52	4.0 (4.0;5.0)
	LACTO	3.89	0.60	4.0 (4.0;4.0)
T1	CTR	3.67	0.82	3.5^a (3.0;4.0)
	LACTO	2.67	0.50	3.0^b (2.0;3.0)
T2	CTR	3.17	0.41	3.0 (3.0;3.0)
	LACTO	3.11	0.33	3.0 (3.0;3.0)
T3	CTR	3.17	0.41	3.0 (3.0;3.0)
	LACTO	3.11	0.33	3.0 (3.0;3.0)
English Cocker Spaniel (n = 15)
Overall	CTR	3.13	0.68	3.0^a (3.0;3.0)
	LACTO	2.75	0.65	3.0^b (2.0;3.0)
T0	CTR	3.00	0.00	3.0 (3.0;3.0)
	LACTO	3.00	0.00	3.0 (3.0;3.0)
T1	CTR	2.67	0.82	2.5 (2.0;3.0)
	LACTO	2.22	0.44	2.0 (2.0;2.0)
T2	CTR	3.83	0.75	4.0^a (3.0;4.0)
	LACTO	2.56	0.88	2.0^b (2.0;3.0)
T3	CTR	3.00	0.00	3.0 (3.0;3.0)
	LACTO	3.22	0.44	3.0 (3.0;3.0)

Source. CTR: control group; LACTO: treated group; T0 (day 0), T1 (day 14), T2 (day 28) and T3 (day 35).

^a,b Within each period, medians different if superscript differ (p < .10)