A balanced gastrointestinal system is an underlying and fundamental ‘must have’ for your dogs health to be protected from health problems.
And high quality probiotics, loaded with healthy bacteria, help balance your dogs gut flora levels. They control the bad bacteria that adversely affect your dogs digestive system and overall health.
Good bacteria essentially ‘boost’ your dogs immune system to heal gastrointestinal problems and a sensitive tummy.
So what’s in probiotics?
Probiotics are beneficial bacteria like Acidophilus, Bacillus coagulans or Bifidus spp. that work with the microflora or “good” bacteria, living in your dog’s gut. Jointly, they play essential roles in the breakdown and digestion of food and help prevent bad bacteria’s like E. coli from multiplying.
What’s the benefit of using probiotics?
When you add probiotics to your dogs meals, they’ll quickly help repopulate your dog’s lower intestinal tract with new healthy bacteria. Your dogs gut is home to 80% of your dogs immune system which operates as their central defender to invading viruses and bacteria.
By introducing good bacteria, your dogs immune system gets a serious ‘boost’ helping to heal gastrointestinal problems and a sensitive tummy.
Probiotics help to maintain the mucosal barrier which lines the gut wall and enhances cellular repair.
Has your dog had antibiotics recently?
Veterinary antibiotics don’t distinguish between good and bad bacteria, so if your dog’s been taking an antibiotic recently, the good bacteria in their gut will have been decimated, causing further health problems.
Probiotics will restore the good bacteria population and prevent yeast infections.
Dogs with itchy skin, hotspots, ear infections, dander, strong body odor and excessive paw licking need probiotics as soon as possible.
From personal research, practice and dog parent feedback, I can confirm that probiotics are effective for the following:
- Rebuilding gut flora populations after antibiotic use
- Helps to smooth diet transition, preventing diarrhea and vomiting
- Excellent results with healing yeast infections
- Helps to cure and prevent ear infections
- Helps to balance a dog with EPI
- Helps to settle a sensitive stomach
- Reduces or eliminates gas and belching
- Reduces or eliminates body odor
- Reduces or eliminates doggy breath
- Reduces or eliminates excessive diarrhea by firming up stools
- Reduces itchy skin and hot spots to allow healing from excessively chewed, licked and scratched raw areas over parts of the body
- Reduces shedding
How to use probiotics?
If your vets recommending Apoquel for allergies, use probiotics instead to avoid the side effects of this toxic pharmaceutical drug. Simply add a tiny scoop of dormant the live bacteria – powder – to your dogs food and they become active once consumed.
Where to get probiotics for dogs?
You want a high quality probiotic with a good species count and as many CFU’s as possible per scoop and not made in China as the standard is not verifiable and often contains animal digest and sugars.
Probiotic powders or treats are a good option and simply added to food.
There are many brands available and my current favorite is PetHonesty probiotics for the following reasons:
- It has an excellent class leading count of 6 billion CFU’s per two chews
- USA made at a certified GMP lab in small batches for freshness.
- It uses natural ingredients with a pumkin fiber base.
- It includes a 6 enzyme blend better nutrient absorption critical to senior dogs especially and reduces bad gas.
- It has zero fillers.
- It contains nothing artificial.
- 100% satisfaction refund with excellent customer services.
You get a good sized tub with 90 chews, it will last 3 months for dogs 25lb or less.
Be consistent – give probiotics daily
Don’t expect miracles after a few days, although positive change can happen within days. Be consistent with daily additions to the food bowl to build up healthier cultures in your dogs gut. This can take time but over time good things will happen. You might notice positive changes quickly or it might take several weeks, every dog is diferent.
Probiotics are an excellent first option – start there first!
Hopefully you’ve gained a better understanding of probiotics and how this simple solution is the first and best action you can take to better balance your dogs health.
If your dogs having any of the health problems mentioned above, probiotics are an excellent first option that will bring much relief within several weeks of starting.
I’ll also leave a link to an excellent probiotic treat. Their customer service is good and they’ll refund you should the probiotic not live up to your expectations.
Here’s a link to the probiotic, one I use and recommend.
If your dog has the health problems discussed above, try it, be consistent, add to every meal or give as a treat and you’ll be pleasantly surprised at just how much good can come from one simple solution.
My fur baby has been pretty sick. The vet said his liver enzymes were high. I’m changing the way he eats and you sure are helping me. Thank you so much…
Glad I can help Debora. Definitely get some Milk Thistle.
It will soothe the entire digestive tract and flush the liver – important.
My dog has just had IV antibiotics for acute pancreatitis. Would probiotics help? Im hoping to make her dog food myself going forward and feeling a bit overwhelmed.
Hi Sandy, I’d just get my ebook Feed Your Dog Better. There are three complete diets in te ebook!
Probiotics do help with digestion. Keep cooked fats low. Healthy ptoteins, low carbs and some greens. What size is your dog? as freeze dried raw food kibble is a great idea for small dogs and stops the overwhelm as it’s complete nutrition.
All the best.