Gillis, AnnikaVandekerckhove, JulieSchleck, EllenEllenSchleck2025-07-012025-07-012025-06-1020252025-06-10https://hdl.handle.net/2078.2/43275The gut microbiome plays a central role in equine health, influencing both metabolic processes and disease susceptibility. This master’s thesis aimed to explore the composition of the equine gut microbiota and its potential relationship with laminitis. A total of 29 fecal samples were collected from healthy and laminitic horses, of which 12 were sequenced to analyze bacterial communities. The dominant phyla across all samples were Bacillota, Bacteroidota, Actinomycetota, Verrucomicrobiota and Kiritimatiellaeota. Sick and laminitic individuals showed a marked decrease in Bacillota and an increase in Bacteroidota, suggesting a shift in microbial balance. The analysis revealed an enrichment of amylolytic bacteria and a reduction in fiber-degrading taxa, a trend also documented in the literature. Interestingly, previously proposed laminitis-associated taxa such as Lactobacilli, Streptococci and Escherichia coli were not found in laminitic horses, but only in healthy individuals or those affected by Pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction or Equine metabolic syndrome. Although microbial shifts were observed fecal samples analyzed, high inter-individual variability and limited sample size make it difficult to draw definitive conclusions. No specific causative agent was identified, but findings point toward a complex interplay between microbial groups and both host and environmental factors. This work lays the groundwork for future studies investigating microbial dynamics in laminitis pathogenesis, highlighting the need for further research in this area.HorsesGut microbiomeFecal samplesLaminitisEquine metabolic syndrome (EMS)Pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID)Dysbiosistext::thesis::master thesis