## 3 Health Benefits of Probiotic Supplementation in Healthy Dogs
### Microbiota Changes and Other Benefits in Healthy Dogs upon Probiotic Supplementation
\\  & (Probiotic group, n = 12) & _Enterococcus facicum_ & \(9.2\times 10^{9}\) CFU/day & 18 days & Not effective in inhibiting the growth of _Campylobacter_ spp. and _Salmonella_ spp. \\ \hline \multirow{3}{*}{[42]} & Healthy dogs & _Lactobacillus animals_ & & & LA4 could withstand the gastrointestinal environment and proliferate in the dog \\  & (Probiotic group, n = 9) & LA4 & & & and \\ \hline \multirow{3}{*}{[43]} & Healthy dogs & _Bacillus_ & & 39 days (probiotic & \\  & (Probiotic group, n = 8; & _amyloidaefaciens_ CECT & \(10^{9}\) CFU of each probiotic & \(10^{8}\) CFU of each probiotic & \\  & Control group, n = 8) & CECT 4515 & strain per day & & \\  & & & & & \\  & & & & & \\ \hline \multirow{3}{*}{[44]} & Healthy dogs & \multicolumn{3}{c}{Daily dose: 1 g of probiotic } \\  & Healthy dogs & _Lactobacillus_, & & & \\  & (Probiotic group I, n = 23; & _Biddenity_, and & \(\times\)\(10^{9}\) CFU/g), _Biddenity_ & & \\  & & _Bacillus_ species & (\(30\times 10^{9}\) CFU/g), and _Bacillus_ & & \\  & & & & & \\  
The administration of _E. facecium_ EE3 (10\({}^{9}\) CFU per mL) to healthy dogs (n = 11) for one week reduced the fecal staphylococci and Pseudomonas load. Most of the dogs showed a reduction in total lipid levels. Cholesterol levels were also impacted in dogs upon probiotic intervention (i.e., probiotic supplementation increased the cholesterol levels to reach physiological level in the dogs those showed low cholesterol values in their blood samples and also decreased the cholesterol levels to reach physiological level in those with high levels). Moreover, the strain EE3 was found in the experimental dogs' feces after three months of the study. The results showed that EE3 could improve the health condition of healthy dogs [51]. The healthy dogs were administered _Lactobacillus johnsonii_ CPN23 or _Lactobacillus acidophilus_ NCDC15 (10\({}^{8}\) CFU per mL; 0.1 mL per kg of body weight) for nine weeks, and the biochemical profile and antioxidant capacity were assessed. Probiotic supplementation reduced the plasma glucose levels in the dogs of both probiotic groups (each group n = 5) compared to that of the control group (n = 5). There was no change in catalase, reduced glutathione, or glutathione S-transferase levels in the probiotic-treated dogs, while superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase activity were higher in the _L. johnsonii_ CPN23-treated dogs [52]. The administration of _E. facecium_ SF68 (5 \(\times\) 10\({}^{8}\) CFU/g/day) for 14 days to healthy dogs (non-hypocobalaminoemic breeds; Age = 2-5 years old) ( probioticatic group, n = 18, 10 females, 8 males) reduced the mean serum cobalamin when compared with the baseline and at day 14. In this study, cobalamin concentration is considered clinically relevant when the reduction is 25% to 30% from the mean baseline concentration of cobalamin (301.7 pg/mL). An effective cobalamin reduction was observed during the 28 th day (after a 14-day follow-up). There was a non-significant increase in the serum folate level at day 14; however, this level was reduced at day 28. The canine IBD activity index score was nil for both probiotic