The effect of chlorella and spirulina on hematological and biochemical blood parameters of working German shepherd dogs

Abstract

The study aimed to investigate the effects of individual and combined microalgae supplements on the biochemical status of working dogs fed a complete dry diet. The experiment was conducted at the cynological club “DOGARM COMPANY” (Kyiv) on 20 working German Shepherd dogs with a body weight of 30 kg, which were divided into four groups: a control group (basal diet Josera Premium) and three experimental groups (with the addition of 1.5 g/day of chlorella, spirulina, or their combination at a 1:1 ratio). The study lasted 60 days. The results demonstrat-ed a clear positive effect of microalgae supplementation on hematological and biochemical blood parameters. Dogs in the experimental groups showed increases in erythrocyte count, hemoglobin concentration, hematocrit, albumin level, and platelet count compared with the control group. The most pronounced changes were observed in the group receiving the combined chlorella and spirulina supplement: erythrocyte count increased by 0.6×10¹²/L (9 %), hemoglobin by 13.2 g/L (8.5 %), hematocrit by 3.5 % (7.8%), albumin by 2.5 g/L (6.9 %), while platelet count increased by 30.1×10⁹/L (12 %). Biochemical analysis revealed a significant decrease in liver enzyme activi-ty, with ALT reduced by 27.4 % and AST by 19.1%, along with a 16 U/L (8 %) decrease in LDH activity, indicat-ing reduced cellular damage and improved metabolic stability. In addition, total protein levels increased by 4.6 g/L (7.1 %), confirming enhanced protein metabolism and liver synthetic function. These findings highlight the multi-faceted biological effects of chlorella and spirulina, including stimulation of hematopoiesis, improvement of oxygen transport capacity, hepatoprotective and immunomodulatory actions, and stabilization of biochemical homeostasis. The combined use of both microalgae proved to be the most effective strategy, improving endurance, adaptive capacity, and overall functional performance of working dogs under high physical load conditions.