Probiotics For Dogs
Know the Top 5 Reasons you want Probiotics for Dogs
Everyone has heard about probiotics on the television or the radio or even read about them in magazines, but fewer people have heard that you can actually get probiotics for dogs. The dog food and care industry does a great job of making sure all pet owners’ needs are met from grooming to feeding requirements, but sometimes a dog might need more. Some of the signs many pet owners consider to be normal occurrences can actually be a sign that their dog needs a bit of help and probiotics could be the answer.
The first thing you should do if you suspect that your dog is suffering from anything because of behavior or symptoms is to visit your veterinarian to make sure there isn’t an underlying health condition. Next, you should think about what you are feeding your dog and if it could be causing allergic reactions or stomach discomfort.
Dogs who are having problems with food often itch, get hives, sometimes vomit, can have occasional or persistent diarrhea and even appear to be fatigued. If you have checked with your vet and your dog has been given a clean bill of health, your pet might be allergic to his or her food. Find what your vet or local breeders recommend and gradually change over to the new food. If your dog’s symptoms don’t improve, you might want to consider trying to put him or her on probiotics for dogs.
If you don’t know what is in a probiotic, it is simply the kind of bacteria that the body needs in order to work properly. Both humans and dogs can benefit from probiotics, but only the human probiotic market has become widespread. By adding good bacteria through probiotics to a dog’s digestive system, it can help to improve digestion as well as elimination.
Every dog experiences some kind of intestinal discomfort throughout his or her life, but there are some situations that can increase his or her chances of needing probiotics. They include:
1. If your dog has been on antibiotics or steroids, the natural bacteria balance could be off and require probiotics to help restore that balance.
2. If you change your dog’s diet on a regular basis, this can wreak havoc on the stomach and intestines. A good probiotic can help prevent this imbalance and give your dog some comfort.
3. Dogs can be exposed to many different things every day. Pesticides, fertilizers, bacteria and viruses are all things a dog can be exposed to that can cause an imbalance in the digestive system. Exposure is one problem pet owners can’t always be aware of, but probiotics can help if a dog has symptoms of intestinal discomfort.
4. Gastrointestinal inflammation is a condition that can be helped by probiotics for dogs. In fact some dogs are actually lactose intolerant! You may need to consult your vet to get a diagnosis and treatment plan.
5. If your dog has experienced any major changes including a move or the absence of a loved one, he or she could be stressed to the point probiotics can help restore balance.
While these are the most common reasons to put a dog on probiotics, some pet owners have had success in alleviating and improving other health conditions in their dogs after going on dog probiotics. Symptoms from arthritis, asthma, constipation and skin problems have all improved or disappeared in some dogs from the addition of probiotics to the diet.
You might not feel “sold” on the benefits of probiotics for any pet, but you might change your mind when you discover they have additional benefits for a dog. Probiotics naturally help to produce folic acid, the B-vitamins and biotin. They can also support a dog’s immune system for improved health.
You can find probiotics for dogs in almost any pet shop or even in an online pet store. Many times you will find them available in tablets or treats. Some people even give their dog non-sweetened yogurt with probiotics with success!
While there hasn’t been a lot of research done on probiotics for pets or other animals, there isn’t any evidence that they are harmful in any way. In fact, the reports about probiotics continue to be positive! If your dog suffers from any unexplained ailment and your vet can’t find a cause, probiotics might be where you turn to next. At the very least, probiotics can give your pet a little boost!