The aim of this study was to evaluate the suitability of fermented oat (FO) and black soldier fly larva (BSFL) as food ingredients for dogs. A total of 20 spayed female dogs were divided into four treatment groups, with 5 dogs per group. The four treatment groups consisted of a control group, a diet with 10% FO, one with 5% BSFL, and one with 10% FO and 5% BSFL, and each experimental food was fed for 12 weeks. The feeding of FO and/or BSFL did not affect the daily food intake, body weight, body condition score, fecal score, or skin condition of the dogs. In all the experimental groups, no significant differences in serum IgG, IL-10, or TNF-α levels were observed upon the feeding of FO and/or BSFL. Some hematological (white blood cell and basophils) and serum biochemical parameters (phosphorous, globulin, and alkaline phosphatase) showed significant differences with FO and/or BSFL feeding compared to the control group, but they were within the normal reference range. No adverse clinical signs related to these parameters being affected by FO and BSFL were observed. The feeding of BSFL for 12 weeks reduced the serum cholesterol level (p < 0.05) at the end of the experiment. Our findings suggest the suitability of FO and BSFL as food materials for dogs.

Journal of Animal Science and Technology (JAST) is a peer-reviewed, open access journal publishing original research, review articles and notes in all fields of animal science. Topics covered by the journal include: genetics and breeding, physiology, nutrition of monogastric animals, nutrition of ruminants, animal products (milk, meat, eggs and their by-products) and their processing, grasslands and roughages, livestock environment, animal biotechnology, animal behavior and welfare.

Journal of Animal Science and Technology (JAST) is a peer-reviewed, open access journal publishing original research, review articles and notes in all fields of animal science. Topics covered by the journal include: genetics and breeding, physiology, nutrition of monogastric animals, nutrition of ruminants, animal products (milk, meat, eggs and their by-products) and their processing, grasslands and roughages, livestock environment, animal biotechnology, animal behavior and welfare.

Journal of Animal Science and Technology (JAST) is a peer-reviewed, open access journal publishing original research, review articles and notes in all fields of animal science. Topics covered by the journal include: genetics and breeding, physiology, nutrition of monogastric animals, nutrition of ruminants, animal products (milk, meat, eggs and their by-products) and their processing, grasslands and roughages, livestock environment, animal biotechnology, animal behavior and welfare.

Journal of Animal Science and Technology (JAST) is a peer-reviewed, open access journal publishing original research, review articles and notes in all fields of animal science. Topics covered by the journal include: genetics and breeding, physiology, nutrition of monogastric animals, nutrition of ruminants, animal products (milk, meat, eggs and their by-products) and their processing, grasslands and roughages, livestock environment, animal biotechnology, animal behavior and welfare.

Barley sprouts, the germinated and grown leaves of barley, contain various bioactive compounds, including policosanol, saponarin, and lutonarin. The ingestion of barley sprouts may benefit canine weight management, potentially owing to the anti-obesity properties of bioactive compounds. However, there is limited evidence on the efficacy and safety of barley sprout supplementation in dogs. Therefore, through this study, we assessed the impact of barley-sprout-supplemented diet on body weight and health markers in healthy adult beagles over a 16-week period. The results showed a 7.2% reduction in body weight in dogs fed the barley sprout diet. Hematology, complete blood cell count, and blood biochemistry analyses confirmed that all parameters remained within normal ranges, with no significant differences observed between the control and experimental groups. Although the levels of IFN-γ, IL-6, and insulin remained stable, leptin, a hormone associated with body fat, significantly decreased. Further analysis of alterations in the gut microbiota following barley sprout supplementation revealed no significant differences between the control and experimental groups with respect to alpha and beta diversity analysis. The shift at the phylum level, with a decrease in Firmicutes and an increase in Bacteroidetes, resulted in a reduced Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio. Additionally, the abundance of the Ruminococcus gnavus group was high in the experimental group. Functional predictions indicated an enhancement in carbohydrate, amino acid, and cofactor and vitamin metabolism. These findings suggest that a barley sprouts diet is safe for dogs and may offer benefits for weight management through favorable alterations in body weight, hormone levels, and gut microbiota composition.