As a dog owner, you might have heard the importance of probiotics in a dog’s overall health and well-being. While paying close attention to the diet structure of your dog, you need to understand what nutrients they need and the benefits of the nutrients. Mist dogs require different types of enzyme supplements as well as probiotic supplements. It doesn’t matter which type of pet food you purchase, most of them contain antibiotics. On the other hand, drinking water is treated chemically. Therefore, the digestive tract of the dogs might get depleted of healthy gut bacteria.
When you choose the best probiotics for your dogs, they will help in digestion, showcase intestinal benefits, and boost the immune system. They might also treat the symptoms of IBS, diarrhea, and intestinal inflammation in dogs. They will prove super beneficial in treating urinary tract infections.
But how can you know your dog needs probiotics supplements? Here are the signs that will help you know that your dog requires healthy gut bacteria. Before that, let’s discuss everything you need to know about dog probiotics.
What are Dog Probiotics?
Probiotics are known as beneficial microorganisms that can be found in the digestive tract. In the gastrointestinal system of a dog, billions of healthy gut bacteria maintain the effectiveness of the gut. These healthy gut bacteria will balance the internal environment of the gut to promote health and prevent diseases. The microorganisms will perform some essential tasks such as:
- Making vitamins and nutrients
- Breaking down food
- Boosting immunity
- Fighting the pathogens
Do Dogs Need Probiotics?
Vets prescribe probiotics for dogs to maintain a proper balance of intestinal microbial. When your dog is healthy, it will face no problems maintaining the overall digestive microbes.
However, during times of stress, malfunction, and illness, your dog might suffer from probiotics imbalance.
Many dogs are capable of responding to probiotics and enzyme supplements to boost the balance of healthy gut flora.
Advantages of Probiotics in Dogs
Reports proved that some specific types of probiotics are extremely beneficial as per the health and breed of the dog. Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus can help their body to:
- Prevent anxiety
- Reduce symptoms of food allergies and diarrhea
- Reduce stress
- Boost the immune system
- Improve mood and emotions
Additionally, the bacillus species can also support the immunity system of the body.
Can You Use Probiotics When Your Dog is Suffering from Diarrhea?
Yes, you can use probiotics to address the symptoms of diarrhea. Diarrhea can be caused by various issues such as:
- Stress colitis from moving, boarding, or any other type of disruption in their routine
- Improper changes in the overall diet structure of your dog such as unusual food. Not to mention, eating human foods can also cause various complications
- Improper imbalance of gut bacteria
Infections might cause an overgrowth of bacteria. If you want to address this situation, consider choosing probiotics.
Can You Feed Probiotics to Your Puppies?
Many dog owners ask if probiotics are safe for puppies or not. Remember that despite the age of the dog, probiotics will never cause any side effects or allergic symptoms. But you need to ensure you’re feeding specific probiotics to your dogs. This will help the puppies develop a proper balance of intestinal bacteria to support the overall healthy immunity system. You can also decrease diarrhea, infections, and constipation due to the digestive tract.
Different Types of Probiotics for Dogs
You will find different forms of probiotics available in the market for dogs. Some specific dog foods even contain probiotics.
However, keep an eye on the ingredient section of the foods. If it contains any probiotics, you will get to know about the quantity and type.
Some probiotic strains are specific for the species such as Bacillus coagulants and Enterococcus faecium. Other types of probiotic strains that will enhance the quality of stool and consistency are Lactobacillus Rhamnosus and Lactobacillus Acidophilus.
Many dog owners ask if their dogs can take probiotics designed for humans. Even though it’s completely safe to feed your dog human probiotics, they might not prove as effective as species-specific probiotics.
Can Your Dog Eat Yogurt?
Some specific human foods such as kefir, yogurt, and fermented vegetables come with live cultures that will prove beneficial for your dogs. As per Healthline, yogurt is a great source of Vitamin A.
Make sure you read the ingredient levels of these foods properly. Choose something that is unsweetened and unsalted. Products that don’t contain Xylitol and artificial sweeteners are perfect for dogs as Xylitol is poisonous for animals. Even if you do feed probiotic foods to your dog, make sure you pay close attention to the quantity.
Are Probiotics Responsible for Causing Side Effects?
Some dogs might go through bloating, digestive issues, constipation, gas, diarrhea, and nausea when they start taking probiotics. Their digestive system might get affected before it starts improving. Not to mention, their appetite might also change.
Now that you some essential things about probiotics, it’s time to know the symptoms that will help you determine if you need probiotics for your dogs.
Constant Itching
Scratching and itching are some of the most common problems dogs face. Depending on the overall circumstances of your dog, the symptoms of scratching and itching can range from mild or severe. Keep in mind that food allergies are the most common cause of severe scratching and itching. If you want to improve the digestive system of your dog, make sure you relieve the pancreas from the digestive system. Not to mention, you also need to ensure your dog has healthy gut bacteria. Consider choosing the best dog probiotics to maintain optimal health for your dog.
Foul Odor
Sometimes you will notice that your dog has become stinky. Even though outdoor materials and improper hygiene might make your dog stinky, remember that yeast overgrowth is undoubtedly the most common cause of foul odor. When the balance of good and bad gut bacteria is interrupted, they will start emitting terrible body odor as well as bad breath. Healthy stomach bacteria help a dog maintain a good gut condition. Sulfites and sulfur will affect their internal system which will result in bad breath, food clots, and stinking stools.
Excess Shedding
Excessive shedding is another common symptom of physical stress. If you notice that your dog is shedding excessively, it’s time to consider probiotics for them. Poor digestion, allergies, and advanced aging are possible due to stress. It doesn’t matter what dog breed you choose, they will shed twice a year. If your dog shreds all the time, this is not a positive symptom. Frequent shedding will indicate that they are going through stress. When you choose the best digestive enzyme supplements for your dogs, you will be able to prevent your dog from suffering from digestive issues. As a result, their body can work on maintaining and repairing the other organs.
Flaky and Dry Skin
Just like humans, the skin is one of the most important organs of a dog’s body. The condition of the skin will determine the condition of the internal organs. If you notice the skin of your dog has become blotchy and red, it’s a possible symptom of yeast overgrowth. Additionally, when your dog is suffering from malnutrition, its skin will become flaky and dry. Digestive enzymes and probiotics supplements can improve the overall skin health of your dog. These supplements will also help your dog absorb the important nutrients from foods. This way their body will be able to control the growth of bacteria. Adding probiotics and enzymes to the diet structure of your dog will eliminate toxins and waste, which will improve the quality and texture of their coat and skin.
Ear Infection
When you notice signs of ear infections, allergies, or overgrowth of yeast might be the possible cause behind this. However, some specific dogs are prone to them naturally. It’s extremely important to keep in mind that if your dog suffers from an ear infection, you need to contact a local vet as soon as possible. The vet will thoroughly clean your ear. After that cleaning process is completed, the doctors will determine the root causes of ear infections. They will also suggest relevant measurements to cure your dog.
Diarrhea
Sometimes the intestinal flora of your dog will be dominated by pathogenic bacteria. As a result, they will suffer from diarrhea which will make their body super weak. Diarrhea is undoubtedly one of the most complicated situations for both the dog and the dog owner. When your dog is suffering from diarrhea, it will indicate that the gut needs healthy flora. When you start giving probiotics supplements to your dogs, the healthy bacteria will improve the overall condition of their gut.
What Things to Consider Before Choosing Probiotics for Your Dogs?
Now that you the benefits as well as symptoms of choosing probiotics, you need to know some essential things that you need to consider while choosing probiotics. Make sure you always choose a product that contains different types of probiotic strains. You also need to consider the format. Choose something that will be preferred by your dog.
Conclusion
This is everything you need to know about dog probiotics. What are your thoughts? Consider commenting below.
