The Best Probiotics for My Dog

By now it is pretty common knowledge that probiotics can be incredibly helpful to your health when it comes to your gut, your immune system, your skin, even your mental health! But what about the health of man’s best friend, your four-legged fido? How do you find the answer to what the best probiotics for my dog are?

In fact, just as probiotics can be healthful for people, they can be incredibly helpful for dogs as well. The best probiotics for dogs can help cure gastrointestinal problems, improve mood, and also reduce the risk of future health concerns later in life.

Simply, probiotic supplements can be a great help to dog owners who want to ensure that their pets live a full and healthy life. They can have benefits that range from preventing diarrhea to lowering cholesterol levels.

Here are some facts about probiotics for your dog if you are interested in extending the use of probiotic supplements to the four-legged members of your family.

Can I use human probiotics for my dog?

This is an important question to ask before you give your dog probiotics, and the short answer to this question is yes! Thus far, there have been no findings to point to the fact that human grade probiotics would have any negative impact on your dog or canine friend. The one thing to keep in mind however is that there are few actual positive impacts that the human-grade probiotics will have on your dog because the needs of a human gut and the needs of your dog’s gut are very different.

One major difference between human and dog’s digestive tract include differences in the acidity level, different enzymes, and stomach fluids. A human-grade probiotic hasn’t been tested for dogs, but has only been tested for humans. Because of that, we have no real way of knowing how well it will work on your furry friend.

What should I look for in probiotics for my dog?

Just like all people, all dogs’ guts are a bit different. That means that to get the right probiotic for you dog, you have to know that it is being tailored to their individual needs. They could definitely lead you to ask, “How do I know what the right probiotic for my dog is?”

Here is a quick breakdown of some of the most common strains that you will come across when probiotic hunting:

Probiotics for my dog

Bacillus coagulans

This probiotic helps protect your dog from harmful bacterial strains. It forms spores that help coat your dog’s digestive tract to protect it from absorbing harmful pathogens.

Bifidobacterium animalis

This can be found naturally in your dog’s large intestine and it is used to support their immune system.

Bifidobacterium bifidum

This helps strengthen your dog’s immune system as well. it is also used to make sure that the biome in your gut is well balance and healthy.

Enterococcus faecium

This is found in your dog’s stomach. It helps you dog digest their food better and also adds some extra muscle to their immune system.

Lactobacillus acidophilus

This is a naturally occurring bacteria in your dog’s digestive tract and them digest better and more efficiently by protecting their digestive tract lining.

Lactobacillus casei

This strain of bacterium helps protect your dog’s digestive tract lining and makes sure that they are getting the most out of the food you feed them.

Lactobacillus plantarum

A strong strain of bacterium that can survive through thick and thin, it helps treat diarrhea and improves your dog’s liver health.

VSL#3

This probiotic is very popular thanks to the fact that it contains billions of live bacteria that can be mixed with a probiotic to powerfully boost your dog’s immune system. It is also strong enough to survive the harsh enzymes that live in your dog’s stomach.

This list is good proof that giving your dogs human-grade probiotics wont hurt them, but also won’t do what you want them to do when it comes to offering you dog a healthy and happy digestive tract, immune system, and more.

The benefits of probiotics for my dog:

Probiotics for your dog offer clear health benefits that healthy diet and regular exercise alone will not give them. In fact, a study done in 2010 to test how strong of an impact probiotics can have on dogs showed that dogs who suffered from diarrhea recovered an average of three days faster when administered probiotics compared to those who were not. When asking should I give my dog probiotics, there are a number of factors to consider. Basically current science is that yes dogs can benefit too from taking probiotic supplements.

With approximately 70 percent of your dog’s immune system and 80 percent of your dogs plasma cells existing in your dog’s gut, the health of their gut biome is incredibly important. The list of benefits for your dog are extensive and vast, but here are some of the key advantages:

• strengthens the immune system and response
• helps manage and prevent a long list of diseases such as kidney disease and gastrointestinal disorder
• packed with healthy antioxidants
• improves recover time of illness and infection
• reduces pain, swelling, and is a strong anti-inflammatory
• improves breath, decrease diarrhea, decreases gas, and helps treat symptoms of good poisoning
• reduces cholesterol
• improves stress response and emotional well-being

Are there any side effects of probiotics for my dog?

If you are seriously considering administering your dog probiotics to help with their physical and mental health, it’s also important to know what side effects and negative impacts there are to keep an eye on.

The vast majority of side effects that come from probiotics for my dogs are similar to gas and bloating in the early stages of administering them and will subside over time, but there are other more serious side effects that you should be aware of as well.

The majority of these side effects are infections and metabolic problems that occur as a result of over stimulation of your dog’s immune system. If you suspect that this may be taking place, it is important to cease giving your dog probiotics and contact your veterinarian.

While it is true that probiotics can be a great help for your favorite four-legged pal, the side effects can be serious.

That being said, if you are interested in giving your dogs probiotics, it could be the best choice you’ve ever made for their health and happiness!

What are some brands of Dog Probiotics

There are a number of brands that make dog probiotics either in power form or available in a specialized meal format. Popular brands include 21st Century probiotics (a vet’s favorite reccomended brand), Blackmores Paws Digesticare, Protenix, Zesty Paws and Pet Ultimates.