You must have encountered probiotics when looking for essential supplements to give to your dog. Indeed, probiotics are those types of beneficial bacteria in the digestive tract that come with many health benefits.
Probiotics are available in different forms and varieties, including Streptococcus, Bifidobacterium, and Enterococcus. Some species, like the Lactobacillus, live in small intestines, and others usually thrive in the large intestines.
What Can Probiotics Do For Your Dog?
There are numerous health benefits attributed to the use of probiotics.
For instance, dog probiotics have been shown to:
Why Do Puppies Need Probiotics?
Newly born puppies experience abrupt changes in their intestinal bacteria’s ability to keep them protected from various diseases since gut flora quickly changes from depending on the amniotic fluid for the body’s nourishment into digesting milk. This fast maturation could result in the development of digestive enzymes that eventually produce bad and good bacteria. Probiotics help stabilize the bacterial population in the pup’s body, which prevents the overgrowth of bad bacteria in the dog’s GI tract.
Gut micro-flora is an important constituent in the mucosal barrier of the dog’s intestine, which is why a lot of vets strongly recommend supplementing your dog’s diet with probiotics. They also recommend therapeutic application through beneficial bacteria that can help improve the dog’s overall health.
For the bacterial strains to be considered a canine probiotic, the strains should be host-specific, and they have to be safe for your dogs. The probiotic bacteria will remain stable in your dog’s acid and bile, and they must adhere to your dog’s intestinal walls and thrive there. Bacterial species that are mostly used in canine probiotics are Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium.
Recommended Dog Probiotics Dosage
Probiotics dosage comes in the form of CFU or Colony Forming Units. There have been a few studies done to figure out the proper dosing of probiotics on dogs. If probiotics are to be introduced on dogs to assist their digestion, it’s best to add them to your dog’s meals. They can also be given through liquid form, which helps to thin out the stomach acid.
Just like with administering any product to your dog, it’s vital that you refer to the label for proper instructions, especially regarding the appropriate dosage for dogs. For dogs that weigh more than 40 pounds, consider giving a full dosage, but reduce the dosage when giving it to smaller dogs.
Pete Decker is the Lead Editor at The Goody Pet. He is a passionate wildlife educator and loves to share his experiences on pets. During his free time, you can find him cozying around his 2 adorable Labradors (Tobi & Kobi).
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