Effects of betaine on blood indicators and fecal microbiota in pet dogs

DING Zhirong; SHI Qingsong; XI Yumeng; TU Yuanlu; ZHANG Kai

doi:10.13557/j.cnki.issn1002-2813.2026.02.024

Abstract：This experiment aimed to investigate the effects of dietary betaine supplementation on the feed intake,fecal score,blood indicators,and intestinal microbiota in pet dogs.Twenty healthy Poodles(half male and half female)with similar age and a body weight of(7.02±0.78)kg were randomly divided into two groups,with 10 replicates in each group,and one dog in each replicate.The control group was fed a basal diet,while the experimental group was fed a basal diet supplemented with 0.2%betaine.The pre-trial period was seven days,and the formal trial period was 21 days.The results showed that there were no significant differences in feed intake,body weight,fecal score,and plasma biochemical indicators between the two groups(P>0.05).Compared with the control group,the content of endotoxin(LPS)in the serum of the experimental group was significantly reduced(P<0.05),and the concentrations of eosinophil cationic protein(ECP),malondialdehyde(MDA),as well as the activities of myeloperoxidase(MPO)and matrix metalloproteinase-9(MMP-9)in the feces were significantly decreased(P<0.05).Compared with the control group,the relative abundance of beneficial bacteria such as Acetatifactor muris,Bacteroides caecimuris,and Limosilactobacillus fermentum,in the feces of the experimental group significantly increased,and the relative abundance of harmful bacteria such as Fusobacterium and Enterococcus faecalis significantly decreased.The study indicates that adding 0.2%betaine to the diet can reduce serum LPS content,enhance antioxidant capacity,promote the proliferation of intestinal probiotics,and thereby improve intestinal health in Poodles.