Harnessing the Power of Microbes to Fight Obesity: The Canine SLIM Study

Obesity is a growing epidemic in dogs, ultimately resulting in physical impairment, comorbidities, and reduced quality of life and healthspan.
Evidence is mounting that the intestinal microbiota contributes to obesity, and rational manipulation of this ecosystem may confer a health benefit. We will review the Canine SLIM Study aimed at investigating the therapeutic potential of fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) to facilitate weight loss in obese dogs. This study sheds light on the role(s) that the canine intestinal ecosystem plays during treatment and recovery from an “obesogenic” disease state.
Understanding the obesity-specific key microbial community members and their metabolic function will help to facilitate development of precision canine microbiome-targeted therapies to accelerate improvements in dogs suffering from obesity.
Original Air Date: Tuesday, January 21, 2025
Speaker: Jenessa A. Winston, DVM, PhD, DACVIM (Small Animal Internal Medicine)
Learn more about Dr. Winston's CHF-funded research:
02723: Scientific and Clinical Assessment of Fecal Microbiota Transplant in Obese Dogs: SLIM Study
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