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. 2022 May 12;12(5):723. doi: 10.3390/life12050723

Table 6.

Recommended selection criteria for canine faecal donors.

History and Physical Examination

  • Age between 1 and 10 years;

  • No travel history outside the local area;

  • No history of chronic GI disease, cancer, allergies, or autoimmune diseases;

  • Healthy state in the last 6–12 months;

  • No antibiotics in the last 12 months;

  • Optimal weight (not overweight or underweight);

  • Fed a balanced diet;

  • Normal faecal consistency;

  • Feeding canine donors with a hydrolyzed diet for several weeks before and during collection is recommended [153,160].

Laboratory screening

  • No significant changes in the hematology and biochemistry profile;

  • Normal value of pancreatic enzymes, pancreatic immunoreactivity, and trypsin-like immunoreactivity);

  • Optimal serum concentration of cobalamin and folate (= tests of intestinal functions);

  • No presence of endocrinopathy (serum cortisol, thyroxine, TSH concentrations);

  • Negative for faecal parasites;

  • Negative for faecal pathogens (Salmonella spp., Campylobacter spp., etc.) [153,160].

Evaluation of the faecal microbiota

  • Faecal dysbiosis index less than 0 [42].