The intestinal microbial community plays a vital role in maintaining host well-being, and growing attention has been drawn to the possible adverse impacts of pharmaceuticals on gut microbiota. The therapeutic application of ivermectin in chinchillas has not been previously examined. This investigation aimed to evaluate how ivermectin injections affect the fecal bacterial composition in chinchillas. A within-subject design was used, comparing microbial changes before and after treatment in 10 clinically normal animals over a 14-day period. Each chinchilla received the same ivermectin dose, and fecal samples collected pre- and post-treatment served as two experimental groups. Samples were taken on day 0 (prior to injection) and day 14 (following administration). Bacterial profiling was conducted using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. No abnormal clinical reactions were observed after subcutaneous ivermectin administration. Although the general abundance and diversity of gut bacteria remained largely unchanged, shifts in the prevalence of specific taxa were detected. In conclusion, ivermectin induced only minor modifications in fecal microbiota among healthy chinchillas, without noticeable short-term effects on their overall health.
