Evaluation of Candida spp. and Other Fungi in Feces from Dogs with Naturally Occurring Diabetes Mellitus

Abstract

Diabetes mellitus is a common endocrinopathy in dogs and in most cases is analogous to type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) in humans. Candida spp. is a common commensal fungi with higher prevalence and magnitude of growth in humans with T1DM. There is currently no published information about the fungal microbiome in diabetic dogs. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to (i) determine whether diabetic dogs were more likely to have Candida spp. or other types of fungi from feces compared to non-diabetic controls, and (ii) identify variables associated with fungi colonization. Fourteen diabetic dogs and 14 age, sex, and breed matched non-diabetic healthy control dogs were included in this prospective case–control study. Matrix assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) was used for fungal identification. Diabetic dogs had greater quantitative fungal growth compared to controls (p = 0.004). Moreover, female dogs were more likely to have fungi colonization than males (p = 0.02). All instances of Candida spp. and Aspergillus spp. colonization were exclusively identified in diabetic dogs. Serum fructosamine concentration was higher in diabetic dogs with fecal colonization of Candida spp. compared to diabetic dogs without growth (p = 0.03). Our results indicate that the fungal microbiome in feces is altered in diabetic dogs, which seem to favor an increased prevalence of Candida spp. and higher quantitative fungal growth. Moreover, female sex and glycemic control could affect the intestinal mycobiome.