Altered Intestinal Production of Volatile Fatty Acids in Dogs Triggered by Lactulose and Psyllium Treatment.

The intestinal microbiome of dogs can be influenced by a number of factors such as non-starch polysaccharides as well as some non-digestible oligo- and disaccharides. These molecules are only decomposed by intestinal anaerobic microbial fermentation, resulting in the formation of volatile fatty acids (VFAs), which play a central role in maintaining the balance of the intestinal flora and affecting the health status of the host organism. In the present study, the effects of lactulose and psyllium husk (Plantago ovata) were investigated regarding their influence on concentrations of various VFAs produced by the canine intestinal microbiome.