CaniNectar Research

CaniNectar Research: UK Border Force Working Dog Trial

A four-week field trial in nine UK Border Force working dogs explored changes observed while dogs received CaniNectar, including stool quality, appetite and faecal microbiome composition. The study provides useful real-world observations alongside important limitations.

CaniNectar / Enzyme Rich Malt Extract research

Study type

Prospective field trial

Sample

9 UK Border Force working dogs

Duration

4 weeks

Measured

Stool quality, appetite and faecal microbiome composition

The research question

Working dogs provide an interesting real-world setting in which to study digestive observations.

Their routines can involve training, travel, environmental change and sustained physical and behavioural demands.

This four-week field trial explored what could be observed when nine UK Border Force working dogs received CaniNectar as part of their normal feeding routine.

The study considered several different aspects of the dogs' digestive environment.

Would handlers observe changes in stool quality or appetite, and would faecal microbiome analysis identify changes over the same period?

What did the researchers do?

Nine UK Border Force working dogs took part in the field trial.

The dogs received CaniNectar for four weeks while remaining within their normal working environment.

Real-world observations

Handlers recorded observations relating to the dogs, including stool quality and appetite.

Faecal sampling

Faecal samples were also analysed to explore changes in bacterial groups within the gut microbiome.

The field setting was useful because it allowed CaniNectar to be evaluated under normal working conditions rather than within a tightly controlled laboratory environment.

However, the absence of a placebo group means the trial should be interpreted as exploratory field research rather than a controlled efficacy study.

What did they measure?

The trial examined both observable and laboratory-based measures.

Stool quality

Handlers recorded whether stool quality appeared to change during the four-week period.

Appetite

Changes in appetite were also recorded by the people responsible for the dogs.

Faecal microbiome

Microbiome analysis was used to compare bacterial groups detected within faecal samples.

Combining these approaches allowed the trial to look at both practical observations and changes detectable within the microbial community.

What was observed?

Several changes were recorded during the four-week trial.

Stool quality

Five of the nine dogs, equivalent to 55.6%, were recorded as showing improved stool quality during the study period.

Appetite

Four of the nine dogs, equivalent to 44.4%, were recorded as showing improved appetite.

Microbiome

Faecal microbiome analysis identified reductions in the relative abundance of selected bacterial groups, including Treponema and Streptococcus.

These findings show that observable and microbiome changes occurred during the period in which the dogs received CaniNectar.

They do not, however, establish that CaniNectar alone caused those changes.

What does this study tell us?

This trial provides a useful piece of real-world evidence.

Rather than examining only laboratory measurements, it combined observations made by experienced working-dog handlers with faecal microbiome analysis.

That makes the study particularly interesting from an exploratory perspective.

It suggests that changes occurring during CaniNectar supplementation can potentially be observed at more than one level:

Everyday observations

Changes recorded by handlers.

Microbial composition

Changes detected within faecal bacterial populations.

The trial therefore supports further investigation of the relationship between Enzyme Rich Malt Extract, digestion and the canine gut environment.

It should not be interpreted as evidence that CaniNectar treats or prevents a digestive condition.

What doesn't this study tell us?

This was a small exploratory field trial involving only nine dogs.

No placebo group

There was no untreated or placebo-controlled comparison group.

Changes occurring during the study therefore cannot automatically be attributed to CaniNectar.

Small sample

With only nine dogs, percentages can appear substantial even when they represent only a few individuals.

For example, the 55.6% stool observation represents five dogs.

Subjective observations

Stool quality and appetite were assessed through real-world observations rather than blinded clinical scoring.

Microbiome interpretation

A change in the relative abundance of a bacterial group does not, by itself, establish whether that change is beneficial, harmful or clinically meaningful.

Field conditions

Working environments provide valuable real-world information, but factors such as diet, routine, stress, exercise and individual variation can also influence both digestive observations and the microbiome.

For these reasons, the results are best regarded as exploratory findings that help generate questions for larger and more controlled research.

Original research

Study details

Study

UK Border Force Working Dog CaniNectar Field Trial

Institutions

UK Border Force

Reference

CaniNectar research programme

UK Border Force Working Dog CaniNectar Field Trial.

Nine working dogs were followed over four weeks while receiving CaniNectar.

The trial included handler observations relating to stool quality and appetite alongside faecal microbiome analysis.

Reported observations:

Stool quality was recorded as improved in 5 of 9 dogs.

Appetite was recorded as improved in 4 of 9 dogs.

Faecal microbiome analysis identified reductions in selected bacterial groups including Treponema and Streptococcus.

This field trial was exploratory and was not placebo controlled.

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