Veterinary session

Dysbiosis refers to an imbalance in the intestinal microbiota composition that can be linked to gastrointestinal dysfunctions. Therapeutic approaches of dysbiosis aim to modulate and support the intestinal microbiome. One of the most promising therapeutic interventions is fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT). FMT involves transferring fecal sample from donor dog into the gastrointestinal tract of a diseased recipient using methods such as oral capsules, endoscopy or rectal enema, with the goal of restoring intestinal barrier integrity.

As a new method, FMT currently lacks standardization in veterinary sciences, and requires further research. The aim of our study was to provide better knowledge on FMT-procedure, as well as introduce FMT to the small animal practice and establish a fecal donor program in Hungary. We intended to further develop the protocol for donor selection through screening to confirm their absence of ESBL (extended-spectrum beta-lactamase) producing bacteria, which is routinely not included in the donor selection procedures. Our study also focused on assessing the effects of FMT in five dogs with chronic enteropathies (CE).

During FMT-procedure fresh or frozen fecal samples were prepared and rectally administered to five dogs with chronic enteropathies at intervals of two to four weeks, in total two or three occasions. Two donor dogs were selected for good health based on negative blood tests, fecal tests, favourable fecal microbiota composition analysed with dysbiosis index (DI), and absence of ESBL-producing bacteria in their feces. The recipient dogs were specifically chosen due to their prior unresponsiveness to conventional therapies. Many of them had unfavourable DIs as well.

The results demonstrated that our fecal preparation techniques provided samples with good condition. FMT was well-tolerated and led to improved fecal quality and the overall condition of patients with chronic enteropathies . Our donor selection procedure keeping strict criteria was appropriate to prevent transmission of enteropathogens via fecal enema. Selection protocol should focus on exclusion of ESBL-producing E. coli strains that are regularly carrying resistance to the most common antibiotics.

In conclusion, our FMT-study including the investigation of the technique and also its effect has shown promising outcomes. The favourable response of our patients with CE highlights the potential of this technique as a significant part of the complex treatment for this condition.

However, the study's limitation lies in its small recipient pool, emphasizing the need for further research involving a larger number of patients diagnosed with chronic enteropathies to thoroughly evaluate FMT's effectiveness.