The Use of Ascophyllum nodosum and Bacillus subtilis C-3102 in the Management of Canine Chronic Inflammatory Enteropathy: A Pilot Study

This pilot study evaluated whether dietary supplementation with Ascophyllum nodosum, alone or combined with Bacillus subtilis C‑3102, could improve clinical outcomes and gut health in dogs with chronic inflammatory enteropathy. Fourteen dogs were enrolled in a stepwise feeding trial involving a hydrolysed diet, followed by seaweed supplementation and then combined seaweed–probiotic supplementation. While no significant improvement in clinical disease scores was observed, important changes in gut metabolism and microbiota were detected. Specifically, the seaweed supplementation increased the abundance of carbohydrate-fermenting bacterial families and elevated faecal short-chain fatty acids such as acetate, suggesting enhanced microbial fermentation and potential benefits for intestinal health. However, these microbiological and metabolic shifts did not translate into measurable clinical improvement in this small cohort. The findings indicate that A. nodosum may exert prebiotic-like effects in the canine gut, although further research with larger populations and longer durations is needed to determine its therapeutic relevance.