Periodontal diseases are highly prevalent in dogs and intricately interconnected with the composition and functional attributes of the oral microbiota. The demand for non-invasive interventions to support oral health presents an opportunity for functional ingredients. The novel postbiotic heat-treated (HT) Lactiplantibacillus plantarum CECT 9161 inhibited growth and biofilm formation of oral microorganisms in vitro. The in vitro growth of saliva-derived biofilms was also inhibited and revealed microbiome modulation. Two doses of the postbiotic (LOW: 5 mg dog/day, HIGH: 25 mg/dog/day) were assessed in a placebo-controlled, double-blinded, 57-day clinical trial involving 60 dogs. Associations were found between the postbiotic, reduced plaque formation, and modulation of the oral microbiome, including increased abundance of genes involved in denitrification, heme and catechol biosynthesis, and oxidative stress reduction. The results suggest that HT Lactiplantibacillus plantarum CECT 9161 may support oral health in dogs by modifying the microbiome of supragingival plaque and reducing plaque formation.

Canine osteoarthritis is a progressive degenerative joint condition characterized by inflammation, structural damage, pain, and impaired joint function. Osteoarthritis risk is influenced not only by well-established factors such as age, genetics, obesity and underlying arthropathies, but also by systemic conditions such as low-grade inflammation and sarcopenia. Current interventions are primarily focused on pain relief rather than mitigating physiological impairment, despite recent veterinary guidelines. In this study, several preclinical models were employed to identify postbiotic candidates with potential to promote canine joint health. An initial screening of nine heat-treated bacterial strains identified two Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus strains, PRIOME^® JH and HT-PB01, which demonstrated significant anti-inflammatory activity on canine chondrocytes. Further characterization revealed that these two strains significantly increased type II collagen synthesis in canine chondrocytes and modulate immune responses in canine macrophages, enhancing Interleukin-10 secretion over Interleukin-12. Additionally, both strains showed potential in mitigating risk factors such as gut inflammation and permeability, fat accumulation and sarcopenia in Caenorhabditis elegans models. In conclusion, this study identified two promising postbiotic candidates, PRIOME^® JH and HT-PB01, with the potential to target key risk factors associated with osteoarthritis through multifactorial mechanisms. These findings emphasize conducting dog clinical trials to evaluate their relevance in osteoarthritis.

Background: Constipation is a common gastrointestinal (GI) state for which probiotics have shown promise as a relief. This study examined the laxative effects of the strain Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis CECT 8145 (BPL1^®) in a loperamide-induced rat model of constipation. Methods: Fifty-nine rats were divided into control and loperamide-induced constipation groups. Animals received a 3-day intervention with either placebo or probiotic BPL1^® at two doses: 1.5 × 10⁸ CFU (colony-forming units) (low) and 3 × 10⁹ CFU (high). The study assessed several parameters to determine the probiotic’s effect, including: stool and gut characteristics, gastrointestinal transit time (GTT), gene expression and gut microbiome composition. Results: While loperamide significantly decreased stool number, weight and humidity, BPL1^® supplementation effectively restored these parameters, being more pronounced at a high dose. Microbiome analysis showed that BPL1^® at a low dose reduced the abundance of Muribaculaceae and Muribaculum gordoncarteri, associated with constipation. In addition, Muribaculaceae abundance was negatively correlated with stool humidity. Functional microbiome profiling indicated that BPL1^® suppressed pathways related to mucin degradation, vancomycin resistance and isoleucine biosynthesis while promoting L-lactate and pyridoxal-P (vitamin B6) biosynthesis, which may support gut motility and barrier integrity. Conclusions:Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis BPL1^® exhibits potential as a functional probiotic for relieving constipation through improving stool excretion and consistency, inducing taxonomic changes and beneficial functional modulation of the intestinal microbiome. These findings justify further investigation into the mechanisms of BPL1^® as a probiotic for constipation management.