Natural Endotoxemia in Dogs—A Hidden Condition That Can Be Treated with a Potential Probiotic Containing Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus licheniformis and Pediococcus acidilactici: A Study Model

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Digestive problems are a frequently occurring condition in dogs. Their manifestations can be clinically visible or, in some cases, hidden at the level of the digestive tract. Such a condition is represented by naturally occurring endotoxemia that may, or may not, have a clinical manifestation. However, as it is a little-studied condition in dogs, there are not enough data to diagnose it and its manifestation may be neglected in clinical practice. Probiotics are believed to be an alternative method that can be included in the treatment scheme for gastrointestinal (GI) problems. By their mechanism of action, those formulas may be able to improve or stop the symptoms of different digestive problems and also target the source of the problem. Probiotics can be considered to be host-friendly treatments, with beneficial effects for general health status. As probiotics do not represent aggressive treatments and have few or no side effects, using this type of alternative treatment can increase the animals’ welfare. The aim of the present study was to characterize naturally occurring endotoxemia in dogs and assess the effect of a probiotic formula on this condition. We suggest that this hidden condition can be treated with probiotics as an alternative that is friendlier for animals. ABSTRACT: Spore-based Bacillus spp. products are considered to have a higher probiotic potential compared to products containing only lactic acid bacteria because their viability in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract is higher, even when GI environmental conditions are unfavorable. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of a Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus licheniformis and Pediococcus acidilactici spore-based potential probiotic on the natural levels of postprandial endotoxemia. A total of 11 dogs completed the study: group 1—healthy dogs: n = 5; group 2—dogs with apparent dysbiosis: n = 6. For 30 days, the dogs were fed the probiotic product; clinical examinations and blood sampling were done before and after completion of the probiotic treatment. Endotoxin levels were assessed pre-meal, 6 h and 12 h post-meal, before initiation and after completion of the treatment. The results showed a decrease in endotoxin levels after treatment, especially 12 h post-meal (group 1: 20.60%; group 2: 44.93%). This study reports new information with regard to natural endotoxemia levels in dogs and suggests that a multi-strain formula (spore-based) consisting of B. subtilis, B. licheniformis and P. acidilactici is able to diminish endotoxin values.