Fecal Microbiota Transplants For Drug-resistant Epilepsy In Dogs

Managing epilepsy in dogs can be challenging, especially when it resists medication. Many of these dogs suffer not only from seizures, but also anxiety and ADHD-like symptoms. 

Recently, researchers from the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (VMBS) and the Center for Systems Neuroscience in Hannover, Germany made a fascinating discovery. They found that fecal microbiota transplants (FMT) for drug-resistant epilepsy in dogs can help reduce negative mental health symptoms. 

FMT is a non-invasive treatment delivered via enema. It has become popular in human medicine over the last two decades, thanks to increased scientific understanding of the gut microbiome. 

Scientists have also discovered the gut microbiome plays an even bigger role by influencing other parts of the body. This includes the brain, in what is called the gut-brain axis. 

“We know that high levels of mental stress can affect gut motility,” said Dr. Jan Suchodolski, associate director of research and head of microbiome sciences at the Texas A&M Gastrointestinal Laboratory. “Several neurological diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease and strokes, also seem to cause gut symptoms in patients, and vice versa. 

“Studies have shown that changing the gut’s microbiome with probiotics or diet alterations can affect disease symptoms, so there’s a lot of evidence of this relationship,” he adds. FMT is just one treatment type that makes use of the gut-brain relationship, and it’s proving to be highly effective.

For the study, the researchers treated nine dogs with drug-resistant epilepsy. “Each patient received FMT three times over a period of several weeks, and was monitored during follow-up appointments,” said Dr. Suchodolski.

“After treatment, the dogs showed significant improvements in their mental health, including reduced anxiety-like behavior and better quality of life” While the frequency of seizures did not change significantly, the researchers noted a definite enhancement in the dogs’ mental well-being. 

This indicates that fecal microbiota transplants for drug-resistant epilepsy in dogs are an effective approach.

“If you think of the microbiome like a garden, FMT is like putting in a whole new ecosystem,” added Dr. Suchodolski. “You’re adding various bacteria and other organisms to see if something changes.

“While we don’t yet understand the mechanism causing these behavioral improvements, we hope to continue developing new ways to help patients with drug-resistant diseases using microbiome science.”

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