Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Metronidazole-sulfadimethoxine effects on puppy digestion and gut
By Melotto, Karina S K et al.·Published in Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association·2025·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Metronidazole-sulfadimethoxine combination affects diet digestibility, immunity indicators, fermentation metabolites, and intestinal microbiome of puppies.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of 12 growing Beagle puppies was given a combination of two medications, metronidazole and sulfadimethoxine, to see how it affected their digestion and gut health. After treatment, the puppies showed lower digestibility of their food and changes in their gut bacteria, which could lead to increased inflammation and compromised gut function. This suggests that while these medications can be useful, they may also negatively impact the intestinal health of puppies. It's important for pet owners to discuss the potential effects of these medications with their veterinarian.
People also search for: puppy digestive issues · metronidazole side effects in dogs · antibiotics and puppy gut health
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of a commercial metronidazole-sulfadimethoxine formulation on the apparent digestibility coefficients and metabolizable energy of the diet and immunity, gut permeability, fermentation metabolites, and intestinal microbiome of puppies. METHODS: 12 growing Beagles (65 ± 14 days old) were divided into a control group (n = 6), without administration of antimicrobials, and an antimicrobials group (6), with oral administration (q 24 h) of 15 mg of metronidazole and 15 mg of sulfadimethoxine/kg of body weight for 5 days. Both groups were fed the same dry extruded diet for growing dogs for 80 days. Diet digestibility and fecal characteristic analyses were performed between days 20 and 25. Feces were collected for ammonia, pH, short-chain fatty acids, branched-chain fatty acids, phenols, indoles, biogenic amines, immunoglobulin A, and fecal microbiome analysis. In addition, blood samples were collected to analyze intestinal permeability and inflammatory and oxidative indicators. RESULTS: The use of antimicrobials reduced the diet apparent digestibility coefficients of dry matter, organic matter, and crude protein and resulted in lower butyrate and higher branched-chain fatty acid concentrations in feces. The antimicrobials group had higher serum concentrations of nuclear factor κB and higher intestinal permeability. The use of antimicrobials reduced fecal immunoglobulin A (days 50 and 80), bacterial diversity, and genera such as Blautia and Turicibacter. CONCLUSIONS: Metronidazole combined with sulfadimethoxine may negatively affect markers of intestinal functionality, increasing inflammation, and compromising the intestinal barrier function in puppies. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Antimicrobials may negatively affect intestinal health indicators in puppies, and veterinarians should consider their use carefully.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40523636/