Digestibility and Palatability of the Diet and Intestinal Functionality of Dogs Fed a Blend of Yeast Cell Wall and Oregano Essential Oil

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Prebiotics and essential oils are some of the feed additives that can be added to pet food, individually or in combination. These additives can exert important properties on the animal, such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory effects, as well as modulation of gut microbiota. Therefore, the aim of this study is to evaluate the combined effects of yeast cell wall and oregano essential oil on nutrient digestibility, diet palatability, intestinal fermentation products, and fecal microbiota in dogs. The addition of the blend with yeast cell wall and oregano essential oil to the dog’s diet reduced the apparent total tract digestibility of dry matter and the intake ratio compared to the control diet, modulated fecal microorganisms considered beneficial, caused greater bacterial diversity, and lowered histamine, phenol, and ammonia concentrations. ABSTRACT: Feed additives, such as prebiotics and essential oils, are used in pet foods and can affect digestibility, palatability, and intestinal functionality of dogs. The combined effects of yeast cell wall and oregano essential oil on apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) and palatability of diet, intestinal fermentation products, and fecal microbiota in dogs were analyzed. Eighteen adult dogs were fed for 20 days with three dry extruded diets for adult dogs: control (without the additive), a diet containing 1.5 kg/ton of yeast cell wall and oregano essential oil (1.5YCO), and a diet containing 3.0 kg/ton of yeast cell wall and oregano essential oil (3.0YCO). The inclusion of both levels of YCO reduced the intake ratio. The addition of 3.0YCO reduced the ATTD of dry matter, compared to the control group (p < 0.05). There were greater putrescine and cadaverine concentrations and lower histamine and ammonia (p < 0.05) in the feces of dogs fed 3.0YCO. In addition, fecal odor of dogs fed YCO was less fetid than the control group (p < 0.05). There was greater fecal bacterial diversity in dogs fed with both dietary concentrations of YCO evaluated (p < 0.05). Dogs fed 1.5YCO and 3.0YCO showed higher relative abundance of Blautia and Faecalibacterium and lower abundance of Streptococcus (p < 0.05) in the feces, in comparison to the control group. Given the modulation of microorganisms considered beneficial and the lower fecal concentrations of histamine, phenols, and ammonia, the YCO blend resulted in indicators of improvement of intestinal functionality in dogs.