MyMicrobiome Standard 58.10 – Canine Skin Microbiome

For dogs, nature is not only a place of physical activity, but also of emotional well-being. Whether exploring new smells, romping with other dogs or simply enjoying nature, dogs show us time and again how close their connection to the natural world is. Unfortunately for many dog owners, however, it is also part of dogs' natural behaviour to roll around in the dirt and explore the world. Similar to humans, excessive bathing or the use of aggressive grooming products can lead to skin irritation and ultimately to imbalances in the skin microbiome. Skin diseases such as canine atopic dermatitis are among the typical consequences. We have therefore set ourselves the task of identifying the cultivable skin microbiome of healthy dogs and establishing a canine skin microbiome standard with which we are now able to test dog care products with regard to their influence on the skin microbiome. We are proud that we were able to obtain funding for this project from Bayern Innovativ (publication in progress).

There are four key microbes found in a healthy and balanced canine microbiome:

Micrococcus
luteus

Staphylococcus
epidermidis

Staphylococcus
hominis

Staphylococcus
warneri

The certification procedure for Standard 58.10 –
Dog Skin Microbiome

The product goes through four test runs as part of the
"Microbiome-friendly" certification:

1. Quality test

This test ensures the greatest possible microbiological purity of the product. The grooming product is tested for contamination by mesophiles and aerobic microorganisms (bacteria, yeasts, molds (TAMC and TYMC)). The limit is ≤ 20 cfu/g or ml.

2. Balance test

The balance between the most common skin microorganism S. epidermidis and the harmful species S. pseudintermedius should not be disturbed by the product. A co-culture with both species is mixed with the product for a certain time and the ratio of the two microbes is compared with the untreated control group. This must not change in favour of S. pseudintermedius under the influence of the dog care product.

3. Diversity test

For the diversity test, the microorganisms typical of dog skin are cultivated. A co-culture of all species is mixed with the product to be tested and the change in diversity is compared with the untreated control group. The diversity of the skin microbiome must be maintained with regard to the most important key microbes.

4. Vitality test

A Microbiome-friendly product should not only maintain the diversity of the microbes, but also not be detrimental to the growth. In a vitality test-model skin contact is simulated. Here, each key bacterium is directly exposed to the product. In another approach, the bacteria are covered with an agar layer and the product to be tested is placed on this layer. This simulates the potential penetration of the product into deeper layers of the skin. The microbial growth of the two batches is compared to the untreated control group. The growth must not be significantly inhibited.