PROBIOTICS FOR DOGS. PRECAUTIONS AND BENEFITS OF CERTAIN STRAINS

DISCLAIMER/DISCLOSURE STATEMENT: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. The information contained in this site is for educational and informative purposes ONLY and is NOT advice. Also, this website and the information contained herein have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Please refer to our Disclaimer Policy for more information.

Last Updated on June 30, 2023 by Thee Puppypreneur

Table Of Contents

WHAT ARE PROBIOTICS FOR DOGS?

Probiotics are live nonpathogenic microorganisms.¹ Probiotics for dogs can help in maintaining gut health and the balance of intestinal flora.

Things like antibiotics, dietary intake and certain health issues can contribute to the reduction of healthy intestinal flora which could make you more susceptible to other illnesses.² ³

WHAT ABOUT PREBIOTICS FOR DOGS?

The difference between a prebiotic and a probiotic is that prebiotics feed the probiotics⁴ and the most commonly used prebiotic is nondigestible fructooligosaccharides.⁵

What are fructooligosaccharides you ask? They are a type of oligosaccharides that occur in certain foods such as chicory, apples, bananas and whole oats.⁶ ⁷ ⁸

WHAT DIFFERENT STRAINS OF PROBIOTICS FOR DOGS ARE THERE?

Probiotics are not only strain-specific but their efficacy relies on matching the specific strain to the specific disease or condition.⁹

The most common strains available today are; the Bifidobacterium species, Enterococcus faecium, the Lactobacillus strains, Saccharomyces boulardii, the Bacillus species, and Pediococcus and they all have different effects based on the specific strain in use.¹⁰

There is no exact number of probiotic microorganisms to be ingested but it is thought that billions are needed to adequately colonize your gut microbiota to see beneficial effects.¹¹

WHAT DO THE DIFFERENT STRAINS OF PROBIOTICS FOR DOGS DO?

Certain studies suggest that the Lactobacillus and the Bifidobacterium species of probiotics may be able to replace certain medical therapies.¹²

For example, if you have just finished taking certain antibiotics, they can end up wiping out the good gut bacteria in your stomach and the lack of good bacteria can make your stomach susceptible to more gastrointestinal problems or diseases.¹³

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF PROBIOTICS FOR DOGS AND PREBIOTICS FOR DOGS

CONSTIPATION

Prebiotics for dogs has been found to be helpful in cases of constipation.¹⁴ In fact, prebiotics for dogs can help improve stool consistency and the frequency of bowel movements.¹⁵

IBD

In one such study on dogs with IBD, VSL#3 was given, which is a probiotic for dogs,

Amazon.com: VSL#3® Probiotics Medical Food for Dietary Management of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), High Potency & Dose, 1 Gastro Recommended Multi-Strain Probiotic, 112.5 Billion CFU, 60 Capsules, 2 Pack : Everything Else

and it was used in comparison with dogs receiving only prednisone and metronidazole combination therapy.

After 60 days of treatment, both the probiotic and combination medication therapy were evaluated, and it was concluded that the probiotics actually caused a significant reduction in certain clinical symptoms that are associated with the IBD.¹⁶

If your furbaby has IBD then check out our other articles for more information;

IBD IN DOGS, INFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASE AND HOME REMEDIES

DIARRHEA

L. rhamnosus, L. casei, L. acidophilus, B. bifidum and S. Boulardii¹⁷ strains have been found to be beneficial in certain cases of diarrhea.

In fact, studies have shown that the duration of diarrhea is shortened and some of these strains in animal models have shown an inhibitory effect against certain microorganisms known for causing intestinal diseases.¹⁸

ALLERGIES

Probiotics for dogs may be beneficial in cases of food allergies. It has been found that probiotics are capable of immunomodulation.¹⁹

What this means is there could potentially be specific strains that are able to alleviate food allergies by repairing the gut flora and balancing altered microbiota.²⁰

Lactobacillus or Bifidobacterium probiotics have been used in humans and reported as having beneficial effects on gut inflammation, hypersensitive reactions and gut mucosal disfunction.²¹

Further research is needed as there is some conflicting evidence.

I personally use

Amazon.com : Wholistic Pet Organics: Dog Probiotics and Digestive Enzymes Powder Dog Prebiotic and Probiotic Supplement Prevents Upset Stomach Gut Health Probiotics for Dogs and Puppies Stool Ease for Dogs : Pet Probiotic Nutritional Supplements : Pet Supplies

which contains digestive enzymes, probiotics and prebiotics like fructooligosaccharides and also papain and bromelain which are supposed to ease stomach inflammation and pain.

I also give my little girl organic kefir and yogurt and check the strains that are in there before giving it to her.

PRECAUTIONS WITH PROBIOTICS FOR DOGS

As with anything there are always some risks and the potential for adverse reactions. Usually, digestive upset is the most common symptom.²²

There are certain bacteria not found in the gut of humans like Lactobacillus bulgaricus, Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactococcus species.²³ The species of lactobacilli, Bifidobacterium, lactococci are GRAS or generally recognized as safe.

However streptococci, enterococci, Bacillus and other spore-forming bacteria, do not possess GRAS status but have been used as probiotics.²⁴

These are live organisms and there have been reports of fungemia, bacteremia, sepsis and endocarditis from specific strains like Lactobacillus, Streptococcus, Bacillus, and Bifidobacterium.²⁵

Keep in mind that there are several forms of the Lactobacilli strains, and I did not list all strains in detail.

Please make sure you discuss your option with your veterinarian before starting anything new in your furbabies life.