Digestive Tips from Holistic Veterinarians

​Published in an article on dogster.com "Probiotics for Dogs - Get the Facts"
 

Most pet guardians want nothing more than long lives for their four-legged friends, and will do anything to try to ensure their continued health — including offering them supplements like probiotics. So, let’s talk about probiotics for dogs. Are probiotics for dogs beneficial and safe for our pups?​

First, What Are Probiotics?

According to Dr. Gary Richter, DVM, veterinarian and author of The Ultimate Pet Health Guide, probiotics for dogs are “good bacteria.” Dr. Richter says that probiotics for dogs can provide an array of benefits for your pooch, ranging from improved gastrointestinal health to a stronger immune system. 

“In the wild, animals are eating things that contain bacteria … but in our world, food is pretty much scrubbed clean,” he explains. “We’ve found there’s a real benefit to supplementing the canine diet with beneficial bacteria in the form of probiotics.”

​Found in supplements and certain foods, probiotics are live microorganisms in the form of bacteria and yeasts that live in various parts of your dog’s body, including the gastrointestinal tract. Both human and canine bodies are full of bacteria —  probiotics are considered to be “good” bacteria because they keep the gut healthy and counteract “bad” bacteria that can cause issues ranging from infections to serious illnesses.

What Do Probiotics for Dogs Actually Do?

“Probiotics are actual colonies of living microorganisms that are considered beneficial to a well-balanced gut flora (measured as colony-forming units, or CFUs),” Dr. Sarah Bahan, DVM explains. “Probiotics are products that help maintain a healthy GI microbiome, thus contributing to the overall health of an organism … whether it be a person or their Golden Retriever.”

Probiotics are believed to aid in the digestion of food, make nutrients and vitamins, fight off potential pathogens and boost the immune system. When beneficial microbes are damaged or destroyed, symptoms like stomach upset or other health issues may occur — which is why many veterinarians are encouraging the use of probiotics to help boost the production of beneficial bacteria in a dog’s body.

“New studies establishing the importance of the trillions of microorganisms that live on and in our bodies are being published every day and a lot of them are focusing on the value of our gastrointestinal biota, also known as gut flora, in particular,” Dr. Bahan says.  “Our GI systems are naturally full of symbiotic microbes such as bacteria, fungi and parasites that aid in the digestion of our food, provide essential nutrients and protect us from harmful pathogens … microbiomes are not unique to people, and our pets benefit from their own suites of microflora as well.”

Are Probiotics Right for My Dog?

Discuss probiotics for dogs and any other supplements with your pet’s veterinarian. Dr. Lisa Brienen, DVM, a certified veterinary homeopath practicing at Mercy Vet on Mercer Island, Washington notes that pet guardians with dogs who have certain issues, such as inflammatory bowel disease or severe acute digestive disease, should partner with their veterinarian to ensure their pet has had a complete diagnostic work up when starting or continuing the use of probiotic supplements.

“There are various types of supplements that are available for animals, and probiotics may be the one that’s most ubiquitously recommended,” Dr. Richter concludes. “You almost can’t lose with a good quality probiotic because it’s almost guaranteed to improve your pet’s GI health … and negative reactions are few and far between.”

NOTE: Well Loved Probiotics for Dogs contain a holistic blend of prebiotics, probiotics, and four digestive enzymes for optimal gut health.  Give recommended dose with each meal for best results.​

Veterinarians in article referenced above are not affiliated or sponsored by Well Loved.