Every day they are more fashionable. For some time now, everyone talks about them, and even dog food brands begin to add them in their formulas. But do you know what probiotics are for dogs and what are they for? We are going to know its function, and what beneficial effects it has on the health of our dogs.
Table of contents
- The importance of a healthy intestinal flora
- The best probiotics for dog
- The most complete: probiotics plus prebiotics and digestive enzymes
- In chewy format
- In individual bags
- Probiotics for dog with diarrhea
- What are probiotics for dog?
- Do you know how they work?
- Benefits of probiotics in dogs
- How to manage them
- How long should I use probiotic for dog?
- Types of probiotics for dog
The importance of a healthy intestinal flora
Millions of bacteria and small organisms inhabit the organism of dogs and also of people . Many of them are found in the mouth, small intestine and especially the large intestine and colon.
We all know that there are “bad bacteria” that cause chronic diseases and infections. Many of these “bad bacteria” by their very existence produce toxins that damage our digestive system and our health, as well as that of our dogs.
Faced with specific circumstances such as suffering from severe stress or canine diseases that weaken the immune system, digestive tract pathogens (such as clostridium, salmonella, and E. Coli) can get out of control and begin to reproduce excessively, causing bacterial infections and diarrhea in the dog.
The good news is that there are also “ good bacteria” that help us fight all those toxins, imbalances and diseases that bad bacteria produce. Using probiotics we increase the amount of beneficial bacteria in our dog’s digestive tract, improving his immune system, intestinal problems and others.
The best probiotics for dog
If your dog has diarrhea, if his defenses are fragile, if he loses his hair, or if he suffers from poor digestion, these products can help a lot. We analyze the best ones below:
The most complete: probiotics plus prebiotics and digestive enzymes
Maxxidigest combines several products in one, probiotics with Pediococcus acidilactici , capable of surviving the extremely acid stomach of dogs, prebiotics and digestive enzymes such as protease, lipase and amylases. It also contains plant extracts such as pineapple and papaya for better digestion. Indicated to improve the digestive system, the immune system and the health of your dog.
It comes in a 200-gram powder format with a measuring spoon. The daily doses depend on the weight of the dog and range from 1 to 5 grams, so they will last you a long time.
In chewy format
This is a chewy probiotic, which comes in small, duck-flavored, candy-like tablets, so it is very easy to administer. It serves to improve digestion, reduce gas and improve the immune system. Just one a day, and you have 160 snacks.
In individual bags
This probiotic comes in individual sachets containing powder, administered one a day. The box contains 30 sachets, intended for the dietary control of diarrhea, improves the immune system and favors the intestinal health of the dog.
Probiotics for dog with diarrhea
In addition to the aforementioned, a probiotic for diarrhea that has given excellent results in both dogs and humans is Saccharomyces Bouladii. It is a probiotic (or more exactly a yeast) widely used to treat cases of diarrhea in dogs. Especially cases in which the diarrhea is caused by parasitic microorganisms that inhabit the intestine, such as clostridium difficile. It works very well when combined with antibiotics appropriate to the infection, a treatment that should always be administered by a veterinarian.
If you want to buy Saccharomyces Boulder, the best value for money is that of the brand “Jarrow formulas” since it contains 90 capsules that serve both humans and dogs. Only one capsule a day is required, so the container will last you 3 months.
What are probiotics for dog?
The probiotics are live microorganisms dog that can be taken orally, they improve the intestinal flora and thus produce positive effects that extend throughout the body of the can.
Our bodies and that of animals are made up of millions of cells. But also, naturally, in our intestines and in that all animals (dogs too), millions of good bacteria live. These beneficial bacteria are an integral part of our body since their mere presence has a beneficial effect on health. Probiotics or “good bacteria” work in symbiosis with our body and that of animals, and improve many of our vital functions. This makes its effect on health very important.
Probiotics are already present from the moment of birth, they are increased during the lactation period, and they are completed when the animal is growing and eating different types of food. Having a healthy and stable probiotic flower is essential for making good use of nutrients in food, having a strong immune system, and maintaining health.
The probiotics have been known for a long time, and even the chemical and bacteriologist Louis Pasteur and noted the positive effects of some bacteria in humans in the nineteenth century. But the truth is that medicine and veterinary medicine have not paid much attention to probiotics until now. In other words, both sciences are beginning to be interested in the benefits of probiotics for a relatively short time.
Do you know how they work?
The probiotics alter the intestinal flora , ie, that make the ecosystem of small organisms that live in our intestines change, reducing the amount of harmful agents and increasing the amount of beneficial agents.
Simply put, the good bacteria that live in the dog’s intestine help it to perform its organic functions correctly and also protect it from diseases, since they compete for resources with harmful bacteria and the microbes that cause them, and make it difficult for them to multiply.
Benefits of probiotics in dogs
We can say that in general, probiotics improve the health of the dog, strengthen its immune system, and this has an impact on the dogs that take them will enjoy a better physical condition and greater vitality. How do these good microorganisms work? The probioticos act mainly in the small intestine , but its beneficial action does not end there. Some of the benefits of probiotics in dogs include:
- The probiotics for dogs greatly improve cases of diarrhea and chronic intestinal diseases.
- Giving your dog probiotics improves his immune system , cutting in some cases acute infections of bacterial origin.
An example that probiotics support the immune system is that, studies have shown that animals with healthy levels of intestinal probiotics respond better to vaccines , and are immune for a longer time to inoculated disease.
In the intestine, probiotics are capable of eliminating many toxins caused by harmful bacteria, and they also eliminate allergens. That is why probiotics have been shown to improve many cases of allergies and other chronic diseases (especially autoimmune). Recently, the antitumor effects (prevention of some types of tumor) that probiotics seem to have been also being investigated.
We must bear in mind that the puppy stage is very important, since the healthier and richer the puppy’s intestinal flora in probiotics, the better the immune system and the better health our dog will have as an adult . That is, the puppies stage is ideal to offer a varied diet to our dog (with dry commercial feed, but also recipes for natural dogs with chicken, turkey, fruits, yogurt, etc. But it is also a good stage to give probiotics to dogs as a nutritional supplement.
How to manage them
It is very easy, the dog simply has to eat them. The probiotics for dogs come in powder , which may be within a small envelope or small capsules probiotic individual dose.
Administer the dose that comes in the product container (or follow the instructions of your veterinarian) and sprinkle the probiotics in your dog’s water or food . He will take them without realizing it, and they will take effect and work in no time.
How long should I use probiotic for dog?
That depends on what probiotic you are using and especially how well your dog is doing. You can use them for a few days or a week in a mild case, but in more serious cases (very liquid and chronic diarrhea for example), you may have to use them for one or two months.
It is best that you consult your veterinarian , or failing that, read the package leaflet of the product you have purchased well and follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
Types of probiotics for dog
There are different types of probiotics for dogs (different species, let’s say) and depending on the variety used and the dose we use, we will achieve different effects on the health of our dogs.
Some good probiotics for dogs are:
- Lactobacillus brevis
- ……..buchneri
- ……… rhamnosus
- Lac……. acidophilus
- Lactobacillus casei
- Enterococcus faecium
- Pediococcus acidilactici
- Bifidobacterium bifidum
- Saccharomyces Boulardii (it’s a yeast)
Consult your veterinarian on this issue, since depending on what parasite, intestinal infection or what chronic disease is affecting your dog, in many cases it is best to combine some types of probiotics with others, or a mixed treatment with antibiotics and probiotics simultaneously.
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