Veterinary research finds dysbiosis index and targeted qPCR can predict microbiome therapy response in companion animals

Dr. Jan Suchodolski of Texas A&M Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences told the Council that chronic gastrointestinal disease (chronic enteropathy) in dogs and cats produces a persistent dysbiosis that can be difficult to reverse. He said the field is moving from routine antibiotic use to nutrition and microbiota modulation, but responses to fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) are heterogeneous and depend on disease severity.

Suchodolski explained that targeted qPCR assays measuring absolute abundances of core bacteria (for example, Faecalibacterium and Peptacetobacter hiranonis, a key bile‑acid converter) yield a dysbiosis index that is more consistent across methods than relative‑abundance sequencing. He said severe dysbiosis predicts poor long‑term response to FMT, whereas antibiotic‑induced dysbiosis is often easier to restore if FMT is timed immediately after antibiotic cessation.

He described a small probiotic pilot: of six cats lacking Peptacetobacter hiranonis, five reached reference intervals after a three‑day probiotic course and showed improved bile‑acid conversion. Suchodolski argued these targeted, function‑focused approaches could reduce reliance on antibiotics and help design more predictable interventions across veterinary and potentially human settings.