Probiotics for Dogs
Posted by Rhonda Jewel on Nov 21, 2016
Probiotics for dogs are a healthy and fairly recent trend in the holistic and natural pet care industry.
Dog owners everywhere are realizing how important it is to treat their pets with healthy supplements to their diet, as most dog foods are not providing all of the right needs for your pooch.
Probiotics feed and nourish a healthy gastrointestinal tract and provide needed intestinal balance in your dog. The healthy bacteria can also build up the immune system and keep your loving companion much more healthy overall, with a longer life span.
To address many concerned dog owners looking for a holistic and natural alternative to allopathic antibiotics, like colloidal silver for pets-we cannot leave out the important topic of probiotics. (When you are using Colloidal Silver as a natural antibiotic – for sure give probiotics as well!)
Many animal nutritionists and Holistic Veterinarians are recommending probiotics due to the overuse of antibiotics on our animals and the dry dog food processed diets fed to so many dogs.
Probiotics are those good guys in the gut- those beneficial bacteria that live in the digestive tract of all animals.
There are many varieties of different strains and species belonging to a big family of beneficials- that include Bifidobacterium, Streptococcus, Lactobacillus, and Enterococcus Some of these species, such as Lactobacillus, live mainly in the small intestine, while some of the others, such as Bifidobacteria, live life only in the colon.
The main thing to know about them is that probiotics make those short-chain fatty acids, which help to inhibit the activity and growth of harmful bacteria, such as E. coli, Salmonella, and Clostridium perfringens, as well as providing other helpful ongoing benefits to the intestines.
The best probiotics offer very host-specific bacteria that is extremely beneficial to a dog’s overall health, energy level and total doggy well-being!
The rise of probiotics for dogs in the last few years has been due to more interest in holistic health for pets. Probiotics have become so popular with dog owners that many veterinarians report experiencing a significant reduction in the number of people bringing their dogs in for yet another antibiotic treatment.
Here are some of the many benefits of giving your dog probiotics regularly:
- Helps eliminate yeast and yeast related skin concerns
- Aids in healthy digestion and digestive issues
- Helps to build a good strong immune system
- Helps to prevent and eliminate problems with diarrhea & constipation
- Helps eliminate smelly poop and gas
- Helps reduce bad breath and doggy odor
- Helps with all the nasty side effects caused by taking antibiotics
- Good to help scratching & shedding
- Improves your dog’s overall smell
- eliminates excess gas
Do Probiotics for Dogs really work?
Many dog owners may ask “Why willingly ingest or feed live bacteria to our dogs?”
The reply would have to be “Our pets digestive systems are naturally comprised of a perfect balance of both “good” and “bad” bacteria. Illnesses, diet, medications, dog foods and our environment can mess up that healthy balance.
Those little bacteria and colonies from probiotics are all about healthy bacteria. The tiny microorganisms in probiotics are actually fully alive and well inside all of us. They are constantly manufacturing those short-chain fatty acids which inhibit the nasty bacteria from getting ahold. They can greatly improve a dogs gut and overall health when ingested in the proper amounts.
If you have ever complained about how your pet “stinks”. It can be pretty obvious to other people even if we are used to that doggy smell ourselves!
A lot of people report that one side effect of proper gut balance from taking probiotics is to eliminate or reduce that doggy smell~
Others report that since taking them they haven’t had any yeast-related infections either – plus their dogs ears seem in clear up.
What about doggy gas? We hear that reports are great on reducing the stinky gas issues too while taking these probiotics.
We have also heard that many dogs who have had sensitive stomachs and have had loose stool on a more regular basis are getting back to normal.
I think it is wise to just have on hand- a good probiotic- great for all our more sensitive dogs and especially for puppies to give them a good start in life – almost all and any dog or cat could benefit from additional probiotics in their diet.
