Probiotics for Dogs: How to Choose the Right Probiotics?

As a dog owner, nothing will be more bothersome than the ill health of your pet. In order to ensure the well being of your furry friend, you ensure to provide them with the best possible food, care, unconditional love, required medical attention and, needed grooming. In case they tend to suffer from any health complications, we make the best possible attempts to get them the needed medical treatment.

Sometimes the use of a particular component in the diet of your dog can assist in keeping them healthier, thereby eliminating any potential health issues. An example of such a dietary element is that of Probiotics. They belong to a large group of microorganisms that tend to contain approximately 400 similar members. 

They are popular for ensuring that a body stays healthy, energetic, and free from illnesses. Initially, they became an integral part of the dietary intake of humans as a daily supplement. Now they have made their way into the lives of our pets as well. Probiotics are responsible for improved digestion, a stronger immune system, and better absorption of nutrients in your paw-tners.

Are Probiotics For Dogs the Same as For Humans?

Pets tend to require a lot of attention when it comes to their dietary intakes. They may be picky eaters or face GI complications at times. Therefore it is absolutely essential that they get well balanced and wholesome meals that help them lead healthy lives. It goes without saying that the food requirements of our pets are quite different from those of our own. However, can the same be said about microorganisms like Probiotics??

Given the distinct biological system of a dog and that their GI tract caters to 70% of the animal’s immunity is reflective of the fact that a canine’s probiotics cannot be the same as that for a human. Even though human Probiotics are not seen to be particularly harmful to a dog, their chemical structure is not fit to cater to the bacteria present in the GI tract of your furry friend. Therefore it is integral that you choose Probiotics specific to canines for your pet.

Should You Give Your Dog Probiotics?

The primary functionality of Probiotics is better digestion and absorption of nutrients for your pets. Since the gut is responsible for 70% of a dog’s immunity, it is absolutely necessary that it is in a healthy condition. If the GI tract has complications, it will directly impact the immune system of your pets.

If you are looking to keep your pet’s digestive tract in good condition, then the use of Probiotics in a balanced manner can be made a part of their diets. The key, however, is balance since an excess can damage the GI tract rather than improve its health.

What is a Natural Probiotic for Dogs?

Probiotics are present in natural and manufactured forms for canines. Natural Probiotics will comprise foods that tend to contain the microorganism as part of their chemical structure. They have not undergone any processing to include Probiotics in them. There are some foods that are quite rich in Probiotics. These include but are not limited to bananas, honey, yogurt, leeks, and artichoke.  

However, the natural foods that are rich in Probiotics are also potent in other minerals, which may not agree with the digestive tract of your pet. An example of this is that kimchi, which is rich in Probiotic, is very spicy for dogs and cannot be digested by them. Yogurt has also been a hit and miss where its suitability is concerned for dogs.

What may suit one breed may not suit another. This is because these are food items that are present for human consumption and don’t always tend to agree in their natural form with a dog’s GI tract. So far, only green tripe has been proven to be suited across multiple dog breeds as a natural source of Probiotics.

Alternatively, there are processed or manufactured Probiotic options that are present for your furry family members. Unlike food options for dogs that are preferred to be more natural than manufactured, Probiotics tend to be a safer option when a manufactured option is chosen.

This is because the manufactured options have been prepared by brands that cater to the dietary requirements of dogs. They have done extensive research to develop formulae that provide the right amount of nutrients to the dog without harming their health. Probiotics that are manufactured are balanced to keep the gut of our pets perfectly healthy without causing any complications.

What are the Best Probiotics for Dogs?

Manufactured Probiotics are the most suited to canines and are the eBay option when it comes to catering to the health of their GI tract. They have been specifically designed for the canines, and their chances of not suiting them are much lower than the natural sources of Probiotics.

However, while choosing a Probiotic for your dog, it is essential to visit a vet, and a physical workup was done on your pet. This will help identify any potential issues or GI tract sensitivity that your dog might have. This knowledge will assist you in choosing a Probiotic that is most suited to your dog’s breed, age, and health. If you choose a Probiotic without having knowledge of what suits your pet and what doesn’t, it might actually end up being counterproductive.

There are some well-rated Probiotics that are available by Nusentia, Nom Nom, and VetriScience. There are many more brands present that you can explore and choose as per your pet’s requirement. However, you must ensure that it should contain the bacteria strain called Bifidobacterium animalis. 

Conclusion

Probiotics have proven to be highly helpful when it comes to improving the GI health of our furry paw-tners. There are multiple dog breeds that are present, each of which tends to have different dietary needs. An example is that the dietary requirements of a guard dog are completely different from that of a domestic pet poodle.

However, they do require a protein and mineral-rich diet to help them have a healthy and active life. These meals may not always be easily digestible, and that is where Probiotics come in as your savior. They help your pet with food digestion along with nutrient absorption from the meal that is consumed.

As a dog owner, it is a priority to ensure that your pet has a healthy life. This may require having balanced meals by combining natural and manufactured options, the required vaccines over their lifespan, an active life, giving them needed attention, and the presence of supplements like Probiotics in their diet to have a healthy gut. A healthy pet is a happy furry family member. No dog owner would want their pet to be unhealthy and have a painful life.

That being said, we hope you and your pet have a happy and healthy life together. Furthermore, neither of the brands mentioned above are for promotional purposes. They are based on our unbiased analysis of multiple brands that manufacture Probiotics for dogs. Choose one that is most suited to your dog’s breed, age, stage of life, and dietary needs.

Author Bio:

Adam Thornton is the Senior Dog Loving Editor at the Best Dry Dog Food Reviews. He is a kind, caring, and considerate dog lover who has fostered dogs for the majority of his life.