Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42436588›Full record

ArticleAnimal microbiome2026

Gut microbiome alterations in canine idiopathic epilepsy: a pairwise case-control study.

Yixuan Yang, Julie Nettifee, M Andrea Azcarate-Peril, Karen R Muñana, Benjamin Callahan

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Animal microbiome, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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0citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

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Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

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No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Yixuan YangDepartment of Population Health and Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27607, USA.
Julie NettifeeDepartment of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27607, USA.
M Andrea Azcarate-PerilUNC Microbiome Core, Center for Gastrointestinal Biology and Disease (CGIBD), Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
Karen R MuñanaDepartment of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27607, USA. krmunana@ncsu.edu.
Benjamin CallahanDepartment of Population Health and Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27607, USA. bcallah@ncsu.edu.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundIdiopathic epilepsy (IE) is the most common chronic nervous system disorder of dogs, and its cause is poorly understood. Emerging evidence suggests that microbiome alterations can occur with IE via the microbiota-gut-brain axis. Therefore, we analyzed the fecal microbiomes of 98 dogs (49 IE, 49 control) in a pairwise case-control observational study using 16S rRNA gene sequencing.

resultsAlthough the microbial community was mostly similar between groups, IE was associated with a modest but significant shift in weighted UniFrac distance (p = 0.042). We used six differential abundance (DA) methods to identify differentially abundant amplicon sequencing variants (ASVs) between IE and control groups. Notably, one Collinsella ASV was found to be significantly more abundant in IE dogs by all six methods. The gut microbial compositions varied drastically across households (accounting for about 69% of the total variation), but did not have significant differences between sex, age, or breed. Phenobarbital administration in IE dogs had a significant effect on seizure control, and was not associated with changes in the microbiome.

conclusionOur findings suggest a relationship between gut microbiomes and IE. However, the specific mechanism needs to be further investigated.

Indexed as

Antiepileptic drugsCanineClinical studyDysbiosisEpilepsyGut-brain-axisGut microbiotaSeizures

Identifiers

PMID42436588
PMCPMC13644061

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.