Probiotics For Dogs
Understanding the Importance of Probiotics for Dogs
You may have heard of probiotics for dogs before, but are you aware of just how important they can be for your dog’s health? When we say “probiotics”, we are actually talking about the micro-bacteria that promote good health in your dog’s intestines. The idea of using bacteria to enhance a dog’s diet may seem a little radical to you at first, but read on to learn if it could be just the thing to boost your dog’s health.
The “good bacteria” that make up probiotics help to fight off the “bad bacteria” that can sometimes grow to overwhelming degrees. There are a variety of bacteria included in standard probiotics for dogs, which acts as a blockade against the harmful bacteria that may try to hang around your dog’s gastrointestinal tract. The most prominent of the good bacteria found in probiotics are Lactobacillus bulgaricus, Lactobacillus acidophilus, and Bifido-bacterium bifidum. Coincidentally, these bacteria also promote good intestinal health in humans, as well!
There are many reasons why your dog may have developed too much “bad bacteria”, such as a change in your dog’s diet or from having a poor diet altogether, acquiring a virus or bacteria, exposure to harmful chemicals such as fertilizers or pesticides, or even stress. One of the most common cause for a dog’s good/bad bacteria levels to become flip-flopped is from the use of antibiotics. Antibiotics are great for obliterating the bacteria causing an infection, however the down side of this is that antibiotics cannot tell good bacteria apart from bad bacteria—all are destroyed until the infection is gone. If your dog has recently been on a course of antibiotics, it’s a good idea to administer a probiotic to help restore a positive balance of bacteria in your dog’s intestines.
Chemicals can find their way into your dog’s diet if they are in the water supply or in the soil. Chemicals can have an adverse effect on your dog’s body, and upsetting the balance of the bacteria in his intestines is just one of the results. If your dog has a poor diet, he may not be getting enough nutrients to sustain good colon health.
There are quite a few clues that your dog may be suffering from an intestinal issue. Diarrhea or constipation is a good clue that there is something wrong with your dog’s digestion. If you have recently switched brands or type of dog food, this could be the cause, but a decent probiotic will help your dog get his bacteria back in line. You might also notice that your dog has become lethargic or lacking in energy. When your dog’s body is having trouble digesting, it tends to leech energy levels wherever it can in order to complete digestion. The issue causing this digestive strain may be due to low levels of good bacteria. Poor skin can also result from bad digestion. Just like humans, a dog’s skin can start to show signs of deterioration due to poor colon health. Digestion is a vital process, and if necessary it may sap nutrients from the skin and fur in order to function.
If you start to notice any of these symptoms in your dog, you should try searching your local pet store for probiotics for dogs. Probiotic supplements come in various forms, most usually in a capsule or tablet, liquid, or paste. The best probiotic to get for your dog is one that contains equal amounts of Lactobacillus Casei, Enterococcus Faecium, and Bifidobacterium Thermophilum.
If your dog has other symptoms accompanying those we have mentioned earlier, there may be something more severe wrong with him. If you feel that your dog’s health may be suffering at all, it’s best to schedule an appointment with your veterinarian.