Wondering if your dog needs probiotics? The answer comes down to their gut health.
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Unless you’ve lived in a cave like this woman, you’ve probably noticed that “gut health” is a hot topic in health and wellness lately.
But no only when it comes to us humans. Yes… we also look at your little dog!
That’s because, just like us, maintaining a healthy, well-balanced gut microbiota is extremely important for almost every aspect of your dog’s life. health and wellbeing.
And that’s where probiotics for dogs can help.
So if you want to know the signs your dog needs probiotics – plus the many ways probiotics can benefit your dog’s gut health and overall well-being – we have all the answers here.
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Know the signs your dog needs probiotics
The Basics: Dog Gut Health and the Microbiome
Living inside your dog’s belly, namely his gastrointestinal tract (gastrointestinal tract), are several different types of bacteria.
When all of these good bacteria are in balance, it creates a thriving microbiome that helps your dog:
- digest food well
- manufacture and absorb vitamins
- fight all harmful germs
- promote a healthy connection between your dog’s gut and his brain (you may have even heard that the gut is known as the second brain!)
When this healthy balance is upset by a growth of harmful bacteria (known as ‘dysbiosis‘) a whole range of infections or digestive disorders can occur.
What causes an imbalance in a dog’s gastrointestinal tract?
Taking antibiotics, changing your diet, dealing with a pesky parasite, or even going through a stressful time can cause dysbiosis — and ultimately lead to stomach issues for your best friend.
Not-so-fun symptoms they may experience include diarrhea, vomiting, bloating, and even a weaker immune system. We will discuss them in a bit more detail below.
Are you beginning to understand why it’s important to maintain a healthy balance of good bacteria in your dog’s gut? We know we wouldn’t want to see our boys in that kind of discomfort!
The benefits of probiotics for dogs
Fortunately, it is possible to ensure that your dog has a good mix of different types of gut bacteria without resorting to medication. You guessed it – with probiotics made specifically for dogs.
Probiotics for Dogs are dietary supplements that contain live microorganisms such as bacteria or yeasts, and are specially formulated to help restore intestinal imbalance. Since a dog’s digestive system can be quite sensitive, veterinarians often recommend probiotics.
Dog probiotics work by increasing the number of beneficial microorganisms in your dog’s belly. Ultimately, adding good bacteria helps restore the microbiome to a healthy state and, in turn, support your dog’s overall health. health and wellbeing.
When to Give Your Dog Probiotics
So how do you know if your dog needs probiotics?
Along with all the digestive issues they can alleviate, dog probiotics can also be prescribed to help with a number of other health issues your pup may be experiencing.
A research study from Cornell University shows that giving your dog beneficial bacteria through probiotics can help improve the following:
Diarrhea
If your dog has diarrhea, you can assume something is wrong with his stomach. Whether the root cause is stress, poor diet, or digestive issues, the bacteria that created the imbalance in the gut need to be addressed.
Probiotics for dogs are a good solution to get rid of diarrhea by reducing the number of bad bacteria in your dog’s gut and eliminating all the unpleasant symptoms that come with it.
Other Digestive Issues
Does your dog suffer from constipation, gas or bloating? These are additional signs that their gut microbiota is out of balance and needs to be restored.
If you notice frequent gurgling coming from your dog’s belly or irregular pooping, it’s time to consider giving your pet probiotic supplements.
Food allergy
Dry skin, rashes, itching, and swelling around the lips and eyes are all symptoms of allergies in dogs.
Probiotics can help dogs with allergies by lowering histamine levels and calming inflammation in the gut, which in turn relieves the uncomfortable symptoms they are experiencing.
Note, however, that food allergies can be difficult to determine and even more difficult to treat. So, if you notice any of these symptoms, you should take your dog to the vet for proper examination and diagnosis.
Antibiotics
Antibiotics can be extremely helpful in fighting various diseases and bacterial infections, but they can also harm your dog’s gut by disrupting their gut microbiota.
This is often why probiotics are recommended along with antibiotics, to maintain balance in the gut and repopulate it with good bacteria.
While your dog is taking antibiotics (and for some time afterwards as well), it is advisable to give your dog probiotics to prevent any intestinal imbalance.
Weightloss
When a dog’s gut microbiota is out of balance, it can lead to poor nutrition and weight loss.
It goes without saying, but if you notice your puppy losing weight, you should take him to the vet immediately. Only when all other underlying conditions are ruled out is it safe to assume that your dog is simply not getting enough nutrients from his food.
If this sounds familiar, it might be time to rethink your dog’s diet. This could include adding probiotics and other supplements or meal toppings to their diet.
A healthy gut microbiota produces enzymes and proteins that support digestion. When this process isn’t working properly, probiotics can help by balancing the microbiome and increasing the number of digestive enzymes present.
In other words, your puppy will be able to better absorb the nutrients from his food.
Mycosis
A small amount of yeast is usually present in your dog’s gut and skin, but yeast infections can occur with an overgrowth of the fungus. candidiasis.
By balancing the gut microbiota, probiotics can help control yeast infections such as these (as well as other treatments or medications, depending on the condition).
Stress
Just like us humans, stress can seriously affect your dog’s gut health. When exposed to a stressful environment or major changes in their surroundings, dogs can become anxious. This ultimately gets reflected in their gut and can lead to all sorts of digestive issues.
Since stress can affect your dog’s gut health, it’s a good idea to have dog probiotics on hand when traveling or moving house. This can help prevent stomach upset or diarrhea.
For immune support
A dog’s gut microbiota is closely tied to their overall health and immune system.
Therefore, if something goes wrong with the gut, it will impact your dog’s entire body, as well as his immune response to various infections and illnesses.
For this reason, probiotics can be helpful in maintaining your dog’s immune system and overall health. Probiotics may be particularly beneficial for older dogswho are more prone to health problems and diseases.
Human probiotics for dogs: yes or no?
Technically speaking, giving your dog a human probiotic once in a while shouldn’t hurt. After all, probiotics designed for humans must meet certain standards to ensure they are safe, clean, and made with good quality ingredients.
But here’s the catch: Human probiotics are designed for human digestive systems.
Although they are unlikely to cause immediate harm to your dog, and may even be used on a regular basis, you can never really be sure unless they have been tested and proven to be safe. for dogs.
Therefore, it is always best to play it safe and look for probiotics that have been clinically proven and specifically formulated for dogs.
Does your dog need probiotics? Final Thoughts
If you decide to give your dog probiotics, always follow the instructions and ask your veterinarian for advice, especially if you are giving your puppy probiotics for the first time.
Also be sure to gradually add probiotics to your dog’s diet and have some patience as it may take time to show signs of improvement!
We hope you now know when a gut imbalance can occur in your pup and the signs your dog may need to start taking probiotics.
Good luck!
Before you leave…!
Because you are interested in probiotics for dogs, these topics might also be useful to you:
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