Microbiota of the gastrointestinal tract of domestic carnivores

The purpose of the analytical review is to generalize and systematize the data of modern scientific literature on the microbiota as a complex ecosystem of the gastrointestinal tract, which has a great impact on the health of the host. It has been established that the number of bacteria and the diversity of their species composition increases throughout the gastrointestinal tract, varies depending on the localization (intestinal lumen or mucous membrane), varies depending on feeding and fasting. The predominant bacterial groups of the intestines of dogs and cats are Bacteroides, Clostridium, Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium spp. and Enterobacteriaceae. The causative agents of infectious diseases of the gastrointestinal tract of domestic carnivores are most often Campylobacter spp., Clostridium spp., E. coli, Salmonella spp. In the study of frozen samples from 60 packages with diets based on raw meat from ten different manufacturers, enterobacteria were found in all samples, and in the 31st sample exceeded the level of 5000 bacteria/g, which is the threshold of satisfactory microbial hygiene in accordance with EU standards. In two samples, the amount of Cl. perfringens exceeded 5000 bacteria/g, which is the maximum allowed level of anaerobic bacteria. Salmonella species were found in four (7%) and Campylobacter species in three (5%) samples. Changes in the composition of the intestinal microbiome are the result of many factors, such as diet, antibiotics, stress, diseases. Currently, there are different ways to modulate the intestinal microbiome - the modulation of diet, the use of antimicrobials, prebiotics, probiotics, postbiotics and synbiotics. Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) is one of the new methods of modulation of the intestinal microbiota.