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Fecal Transplants

February 2018 edition of the  Whole Dog Journal

…has a great article on Fecal Transplants…. well worth reading!

 

 

2014… Fecal Transplantation….a new old possibility …..

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378113514004805

Veterinary Microbiology 

Volume 174, Issues 3–4,

5 December 2014, Pages 463–473

Prevalence of Clostridium perfringensClostridium perfringensenterotoxin and dysbiosis in fecal samples of dogs with diarrhea

Clostridium perfringens is commonly recognized as a cause of diarrhea with mucus and blood in the dog.  The purpose  of  this study was to determine if fecal transplantation could be used to cure Clostridium perfringnes infections that were not cured by treatment with Metronidazole and Amoxicillan trihydrate/clavulanate potassium.

Highlights

C. perfringens was detected in all dogs in this study.
Detection was not indicative of the presence of C. perfringens enterotoxin (CPE).
Fecal dysbiosis was significantly associated with GI disease.
Dysbiosis was independent of the presence of enterotoxigenic C. perfringens or CPE.
Increases in enterotoxigenic C. perfringens may be part of intestinal dysbiosis.

Abstract

Clostridium perfringens has been suspected as an enteropathogen in dogs. However, its exact role in gastrointestinal (GI) disorders in dogs remains unknown. Recent studies suggest the importance of an altered intestinal microbiota in the activation of virulence factors of enteropathogens. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between diarrhea, dysbiosis, and the presence of C. perfringens and its enterotoxin (CPE). Fecal samples were collected prospectively from 95 healthy control dogs and 104 dogs with GI disease and assessed for bacterial abundances and the presence of CPE using quantitative PCR and ELISA, respectively. C. perfringens was detected in all dogs. Potentially enterotoxigenic C. perfringenswere detected in 33.7% (32/95) of healthy control dogs and 48.1% (50/104) diseased dogs, respectively. CPE was detected by ELISA in 1.0% (1/95) of control dogs and 16.3% (17/104) of diseased dogs. Abundances of Fusobacteria, Ruminococcaceae, Blautia, and Faecalibacterium were significantly decreased in diseased dogs, while abundances of BifidobacteriumLactobacillus, and Escherichia coli were significantly increased compared to control dogs. The microbial dysbiosis was independent of the presence of the enterotoxigenic C. perfringens or CPE. In conclusion, the presence of CPE as well as fecal dysbiosis was associated with GI disease. However, the presence of C. perfringens was not indicative of GI disease in all cases of diarrhea, and the observed increased abundance of enterotoxigenic C. perfringens may be part of intestinal dysbiosis occurring in GI disease. The significance of an intestinal dysbiosis in dogs with GI disease deserves further attention.

  • RNA, 16S rRNA 16S ribosomal;
  • AHD, acute hemorrhagic diarrhea;
  • CPE, Clostridium perfringensenterotoxin;
  • cpe gene, Clostridium perfringens enterotoxin gene;
  • GI, gastrointestinal;
  • qPCR, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction;
  • RPLA, reverse passive latex agglutination assay;
  • SCFA, short-chain fatty acid

Keywords

  • Clostridium perfringens;
  • Dysbiosis;
  • Dog;
  • Enterotoxin;
  • Microbiota;
  • Pathogen
Corresponding author at: Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Science, Texas A&M University, 4474 TAMU, College Station, TX 77843-4474, USA. Tel.: +1 979 458 0933; fax: +1 979 458 4015.

To test for this, please contact Texas A&M Gastrointestinal Lab:  http://vetmed.tamu.edu/gilab/service/assays/fecal-elisa-for-c-perfringens-enterotoxin

 

 

A Fecal Transplant on an EPI Dog, Gretta

The following is a veterinary report and actual notes from one of our members, Johnny, who had the Fecal Transplant done on Nov 6, 2014 on his EPI dog, Gretta… with great success.

Personal notes on Gretta’s procedure
Initial observations:
Olesia. Her is what I have seen in the last two days. The first poop after the procedure was the next morning which was yesterday am. It was pretty good but loose at the end. I was thinking that may have been from the procedure. Last night after dinner she went out but nothing occured. Keep in mind she usually had 3-4 movements a day and always got me up atleast once during the night. She woke me at 4:00 to go pee but that was all last night.
This morning before breakfast around 7am she went out and had a very small well formed movement. That was good. After breakfast she usually goes again. Well after she ate she went out and played with Kaiser and no bowel movement. She had one movement just after lunch around 2:00pm and again it was small and perfect. So go figure. She always had a large volume of stool every time like a Great Dane was in the yard. Huge … Now small, well formed and not loose at all. I think this is good and I am still waithing to see how it goes but I have to say that the first 48 hrs have been very good. There were days she had good poops but the next poop was bad. So I am still optimistic and things are looking good.
Months later… update:

Gretta had the transplant and all went well. At first there were good days and some not so good. The not so good was few and far between though and eventually her stools looked great. This went on for a few months but the majority of the time she was very good and had very firm stools. Gretta has been very good in the last 3 months or so. I have figured that stress causes he a little loose stool. It seems as much as she likes to ride in the truck and go places it does stress her some. It is not visibly noticeable, but most of her trips when she was a baby were to the vet and she was always car sick so I can see why she is a bit nervous at times.

Today Gretta is fine. I truly believe that the Fecal transplant helped tremendously. It gave her gut good flora where what I suspect was only bad. Plus all the previous antibiotics had taken their toll also. Today Gretta does have a few instances with soft stools, Nothing like what she has had in the past, But as I suspect it is usually after a long ride in the Suburban to go to the beach or just to ride for the day and sight see. The soft stools immediately clear up the next day.  Previous to the transplant Gretta’s liver values were a bit high but nothing to worry about. I suspect the combinations of meds had something to do with that. Last month she had her bloodwork done and everything was excellent. Today we enjoy the fact of knowing Gretta is health and happy. No tummy trouble.

……. and one very Happy Gretta!

The articles on the procedure are from VIN.com The web address is http://www.vin.com/members/cms/document/default.aspx?objecttyp… That one is called Use of fecal transplant in eight dogs with refractory clostridium perfringes-associated diarrhea and refers to dogs.

  The second one refers to humans but is still supported data on the procedure. the web site is called Fecal microbiota transplant for recurrent clostridium difficile infection : Mayo clinician Arizona experience. The web site is  http://www.vin.com/members/cms/document/default.aspx?objecttyp
2014 & 2015 Various Fecal Transplantation papers

 To read current  ………

FECAL MICROBIOME PUBLICATIONS

check on this link:    http://www.pubfacts.com/search/fecal+microbiome 

Dr. Margo Roman

Well worth checking out… Dr. Margo Roman’s website:

http://www.eatsh-tandlive.com/ 

Veterinarian Margo Roman has done over 420 fecal transplants at Main St. Animal Services of Hopkinton in Massachusetts http://mashvet.com/about . She’s created a website about the therapy, with a very funny, slightly naughty, name.

Dr. Roman has lectured about the procedure in Thailand and Japan, and has two papers coming up on micro-biome restorative therapy, which she hopes will become the natural way to reboot the gut. If this procedure can keep the GI tract, a vital organ that contains up to 85 percent of the immune system, working perfectly, then it has the potential to help sick animals become well and apparently healthy animals to achieve optimal health.

 

What is Micro-biome Restorative Therapy (MBRT)?

MBRT is a treatment used for gastrointestinal ailments, immune endrocrine imbalances, and other varying diseases. This therapy, performed for pets and people, has helped many lives with their chronic conditions. For pets, their chronic ailment may just be solved by eating poop.

 

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