Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
How daily bathing changes skin bacteria in Labrador retrievers
By Discepolo, Dakota et al.·Published in Frontiers in veterinary science·2023·Department of Animal Science, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Impacts to canine dermal microbiota associated with repeated bathing.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of Labrador retrievers was bathed daily with a diluted dish detergent solution for two weeks to see how it affected their skin's natural bacteria. The study found that frequent bathing changed the balance of healthy bacteria on their skin, which could potentially lead to skin problems. While the dogs were not reported to have any immediate health issues, the researchers suggested that disrupting the skin's natural microbiota might have negative effects on their skin health in the long run. Pet owners should be cautious about how often they bathe their dogs and consider the potential impacts on their skin.
People also search for: dog skin problems from bathing · how often should I bathe my dog · Labrador skin health issues
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Working dogs routinely operate in environmental conditions which may necessitate daily bathing to remove contaminants or soilage. The impacts of frequent or repeated bathing on the canine dermal microbiota are unknown. The objective of this study was to characterize changes in canine dermal microbial populations following repeated daily bathing. METHODS: Labrador retrievers (= 16) were bathed daily using a dilute dish detergent solution (1.6% detergent solution) over the course of 14 days. Dermal microbial DNA was collectedsterile swabs (= 142) taken at days 0, 7, 14, 16, 21, 28, 35, 42, and 49 and analyzed for alpha diversity, beta diversity and relative abundance to assess changes in the dermal microbiota16 s sequencing. RESULTS: Results indicate that daily bathing significantly increased Shannon diversity, Chao1, and several rare amplicon sequence variants. Although typically reported in highest abundance, relative abundance was decreased in the phyla Actinobacteria, Firmicutes, and Proteobacteria (< 0.05). CONCLUSION: Repeated daily bathing with dilute dish detergent significantly reduced normal healthy dermal microbial taxa and created significant changes in the dermal microbiota of canines. Disruption to the canine dermal microbiota may cause negative impacts to canine dermal health and require further investigation.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37621867/