Characterization and Description of the Fecal Microbiomes of Pet Domestic Ferrets (Mustela putorius furo) Living in Homes.

ABSTRACT: The domestic ferret (Mustela putorius furo) is a popular companion pet in the United States, with an estimated population of 500,000. Despite being obligate carnivores with a fast digestive system, little is known about their gut microbiomes. This study aims to compare the fecal microbiomes of healthy domestic ferrets and cats, which are both obligate carnivores. We collected and analyzed stool samples from 36 healthy ferrets and 36 healthy cats, sequencing the V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene. Using QIIME 2, we assessed the alpha and beta diversities and identified the taxa differences. Compared to cats, ferrets exhibited a higher representation of Firmicutes and Proteobacteria, while Bacteroidota and Actinomycetota were more prevalent in cats. The ferrets' microbiomes displayed lowe

SUBMITTER: Scarsella E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10647649 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature