Can Dog Probiotics Really Aid Digestion?
It’s easy to dismiss probiotics, and “good bacteria” as buzzwords. We’ve all seen yogurt commercials claiming to work miracles for humans.
Actually, probiotics are a powerful and popular supplement both for humans and for dogs.
Problems in your dog’s digestion can be distressing, and it is important to root them out as soon as possible. Probiotics are a supportive product to boost your dog’s digestive system and try and keep your dog “regular”.
How Probiotics Work For Dogs
“Good” and “bad” bacteria are a really good way of simplifying what is going on in a dog’s digestive system. A healthy gut contains a balance of good bacteria and bad bacteria, but when the harmful types start to take over then it can lead to diarrhea or disease.
If your dog has diarrhea then you can give them probiotics to help. Probiotics balance out the gut with more of the good bacteria that your dog needs to digest food.
Research has shown that probiotics, and supplements containing probiotics, such as The One/products/the-one supplement for dogs, help to improve your pup’s digestive system.
Studies show that dogs taking probiotics suffered from diarrhea for shorter periods of time than dogs given a placebohttps://www.scientificamerican.com/article/probiotics-for-dogs/. Giving your dog regular supplements helps to keep their gut functioning as it should.
Probiotics can also prevent the way the harmful bacteria grow and builds up in the dog’s digestive system. Some scientists think that probiotics work by reducing the pH levels within the intestines, producing a healthier gut environment.
Research has also shown that probiotics, including Enterococcus faecium, can help the body to build up antibodies to fight off gut intruders and improve your dogs immune defences. This studyhttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12672936 tested the antibodies five months later, and the dogs who were taking probiotics had far higher levels of gut immunity.
Dog Diarrhea — An Inevitable Issue
Dogs get diarrhea. It’s basically inevitable, and it can seem like it has happened totally randomly. If you’ve ever had to deal with the cleanup, you probably won’t forget about it in a hurry.
So does diarrhea always mean that your dog needs probiotics? In short, yes. Probiotics can help most of the times your dog experiences diarrhea. However, there are a number of different causes for your dog having loose stools in the first place.
Food
A lot of dogs are not very fussy about what they eat. In fact, if they can find it, they will probably eat it. Even if a dog finds spoiled food on their walk, there’s every chance they will not be shy about eating it.
Diarrhea doesn’t always come from spoiled or rotten food. If your dog has had a dietary change then it can make their stomach upset. This is one of the reasons why it is so important to make deliberate changes slowly and gradually. Over the course of a couple of weeks, gradually change the ratios between old food and new to keep that balance of good and bad bacteria.
If you got used to the same meal three times a day and you suddenly changed it, you would likely need time to adjust, too.
Other Causes of Digestive Issues
If your dog is experiencing digestive issues they can stem from a variety of reasons. Allergies and parasites are two common physical reasons causing diarrhea.
If you have an anxious dog, their digestive health might be impacted. Just like anxious humans, dogs experience physical symptoms after distress.
Dogs may also react to changes in medicine, or they might be experiencing an infection that could require veterinary attention.
However, may of the above can still be helped with probiotics to get the gut back into balance.
When is it Time to See a Vet?
If your dog has diarrhea then you might not need to go straight to the vet. You can try some home remedies first.
However, if you are particularly worried about your dog, or they are displaying other symptoms, go straight to the vet. Vomiting, a temperature, or any blood in stools are indicators that your dog needs medical attention as quickly as possible.
You can keep split your dogs meals into tiny, regular portions. Continue to give them free access to water during the day. It was previously thought that a day of starvation may be the best course, but recent thinking says little and often can be just as effective to clear up any issues with diarrhea.
Once you do start to feed your dog once more, try boiled turkey (with no skin) with a little boiled white rice. Giving your pup a simple diet, with easy-to-digest foods, may clear up diarrhea in a day or two.
Giving your dog probiotics can be a preventative measure, but can help to restore balance in the short term during a bout of diarrhea.
You can give your dog The One/products/the-one supplement to support a healthy gut. This is just one of the eight benefits of the supplement, which is clinically proven to support your dog in numerous aspects of daily life.
The Bottom Line on Probiotics for Dogs
Studies of probiotics for dogs are almost universally in agreement. Probiotics including Bifidobacterium animalis, Bifidibacterium longum, Lactobacillus caucasicus, and Lactobacillus plantarum are all types of “friendly” bacteria that can help your dog with regular bowel movements, and may even help boost their immune defences.
Making this change doesn’t have to be a big imposition. The One/products/the-one supplement provides your dog with 8 different benefits by packing 12 clinically-proven ingredients into one daily supplement.
The One/products/the-one also includes sunfiber, which provides nutrients for your dog’s good bacteria. This helps good bacteria to thrive, supporting your dog’s digestive system and gut health.
It is never a bad idea to consult with your vet, who will know more about your dog, and any medical conditions you have. However, probiotics are safe and effective for your pup, and you can see the benefits in a matter of days.