Do you ever wonder if your dog can benefit from probiotics? Well, the answer is a big YES!
Your dog’s digestive system is made up of billions of bacteria and yeast, both good and bad. Probiotics are the good guys in this story helping to fight off bad bacteria that make your dog sick or cause disease.
By giving your dog a daily probiotic supplement, you are allowing those good bacteria to crowd out the bad and provide your dog with a healthy digestive system.
What is a Probiotic?
A probiotic is a live microorganism, usually a bacteria or yeast that are believed to have health benefits for humans and animals. This good bacteria can keep the bad bacteria in check, making your dog healthier.
A probiotic supplement comes in a powdered form usually and is added to your dog’s food.
How do Probiotics Work?
Probiotics work by literally competing with the bad bacteria that are already in your dog’s system. These good bacteria seek out breeding spots on intestinal walls, preventing the bad bacteria from attaching and doing harm.
These good bacteria can make vitamins such as Vitamin K and certain B vitamins; they can aid in the digestion of food by producing enzymes, and they can also make it harder for bad bacteria to survive in your dog’s system.
Why Are Probiotics Good For Dogs?
The digestive system is made of trillions of bacteria that are both good and bad. The bad bacteria cause disease, illness, and infection when in the digestive system.
Gut bacteria is what controls your dog’s appetite and makes sure he eats enough and eats the right amount of food for his weight. Good bacteria work in a symbiotic relationship with intestinal cells and keep them healthy.
Bad gut bacteria produce toxins that damage the cells in your dog’s intestinal lining, and this can cause digestive problems such as diarrhea or constipation.
How to Choose The Best Ones?
To choose the best dog probiotics, look for one that contains at least 1 billion CFU (colony forming units) to make sure you are getting the right level of good bacteria.
Your dog needs to get the right amount of good bacteria in order for it to do any good, so look for an option that provides this.
A good probiotic will contain at least one lactobacillus and bifidobacterium. These are two of the most well-known types of good bacteria.
Probiotics have been around for a while now, but they are just recently gaining widespread use with humans and dogs.
Veterinarian-prescribed probiotics are becoming more popular, but even if your veterinarian does not prescribe them, you can get them over the counter.
You can find probiotics at your local pet supply store or on some websites like Amazon. Some dog food companies also include supplements in their food.
Be Aware of Side Effects
There aren’t any major side effects of probiotics, but there are some minor ones that you should be aware of.
Some dogs have an allergic reaction to a probiotic if it contains lactobacillus. If your dog has a bad reaction, remove the probiotic and talk to your vet about trying something else.
If you add too many probiotics to your dog’s system, they can cause diarrhea. If diarrhea becomes severe, stop giving your dog the probiotics for a while.
Also, some dogs may have an upset stomach when first taking probiotics, but this usually goes away after a few days.
Conclusion
Probiotics are good for dogs because they keep the bad bacteria in check and can make your dog healthier. Probiotics usually come as a powder that is added to their food and work by competing with the bad bacteria already present in their system. If you’re looking for an easy way to help keep your dog healthy, consider adding probiotic supplements into your dog’s diet!