2017 ACVIM Forum Research Abstract Program

Functional obstruction of the LES due to LES-AS and LES-D represent discrete disease states distinguishable by VFSS. Various options for an elimination diet are available, and a vegetable dry food is one alternative. Dietary interventions are thought to alter gut microbial communities in healthy individuals and the resolution of dysbiosis is expected in diseased animals concurrent with remission of clinical signs. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate changes in fecal microbiota in dogs with FRE before and after an elimination dietary trial with a vegetable diet. The same vegetable diet trial was performed in healthy control dogs (HC) to evaluate changes in fecal microbiota before and after the trial, and to compare them to FRE dogs.