Individual and Seasonal Variations in the Composition of Fecal Microflora of Beagle Dogs

The fecal specimens from eight laboratory-bred male beagle dogs reared under similar conditions were analyzed for the individual variation and the seasonal variation in the composition of fecal microflora. Statistically significant differences in numbers of bacteroides, bifidobacteria, lecithinase-negative clostridia, lactobacilli, enterobacteria and enterococci were observed among individual animals. Megasphaera elsdenii was isolated from two of eight dogs. The microbial populations of bacteroides, clostridia, bifidobacteria, and peptostreptococci were associated with each other bacterial group. The seasonal variation in numbers of lecithinasenegative clostridia, Clostridium perfringens, peptostreptococci, enterococci, eubacteria, bifidobacteria, and lactobacilli, and in the incidences of staphylococci, bacilli, and yeasts were noted. The results of this study showed that apparent variations with individuals and season occurred on the fecal microflora of individual beagle dogs reared under similar conditions.