Probiotics, Prebiotics and Canine Digestion

Canine digestion is one thing most pet parents don’t give much if any thought to until something goes awry.  However, it plays an important role every day in the health of your furry friend.  My most recent canine nutrition lesson was on digestion.  Dogs have a shorter digestive tract than us humans….their food can transit anywhere from 24-48 hours.  If we were to eat a large meal, such as a steak, potatoes and bread, it could be as long as 7 days before it’s out of our system.  Doggie stomach acid is also much stronger than ours; which helps them to fight off the bad bacteria that enter their system when they eat things they really shouldn’t. (I’m sure many of us have experienced that!)

First, let me explain what probiotics are.  These are microorganisms, bacteria or yeast like you find in yogurt and cheese and they contain live cultures.  Prebiotics require a little more explanation.  This is basically non-digestible foods that wind their way through the digestive system and along the route help good bacteria grow and flourish….this is a good thing.  The source of this is usually non-absorbable carbohydrates like fructooligosaccharides (FOS).  These naturally occur in whole grains, fruits and legumes.  A couple of benefits about these are they do not produce a peak in blood sugar and there’s no contribution to caloric uptake.  Foods you can include in your dog’s diet that have prebiotics in them are: garlic, tomatoes (don’t feed too often), asparagus and bananas.  I always like to obtain nutrients first from food sources, and if that is not enough, then a supplement may be necessary.

There are some good supplements out there and some ‘not-so-complete’.  I reviewed a few of them, and following are my findings.  Note: You can purchase any of these from Only Natural Pet from their website.  (www.onlynaturalpet.com).  Ark Naturals has a product that is a Pro/Prebiotic capsule, 60 count (also available in a soft chew, 120 count).  It contains Bacillus Coagulans (formerly known by Lactobacillus Sporogenes), these bind cholesterol in the gut.  Integrative Therapeutics Spectra Probiotic is a multi-probiotic (comes in ultra-capsule form) that contains a proprietary blend of 8 strains of highly concentrated, viable microflora.  One of the benefits of this product is, there are no artificial colors, flavors or preservatives.  No corn, gluten, soy, wheat or yeast (good for dogs with allergies), and no salt or sugar.  It contains Lactobacillus in four forms: acidophilus, helveticus, casei and salivarius.  It contains Bifidobacterium in three forms: bifidum, infantis and longum.  The last strain is Streptococcus thermophilus. Ultra-Pet Total Biotics is available in a 2.2 oz. powder.  It contains 11 stabilized strains of probiotics.  It is suggested to use with Total-Zymes digestive enzyme formula to give a one, two punch to digestive issues.  This product has human grade ingredients and no side effects.  The beneficial bacteria in the product are: Acidophilus DDS, B. bifidum, B. infantis, B. longum, L. casei, L. plantarum, L. rhamnosus, L. salivarius, S. thermophilus, L. lactis and L. helveticus.  On the prebiotic side, Inulin IQ FOS (fructooligosaccharides), MGG chelate, the only patented stabilized glutamine, and Live Enzyme Activated Delivery System (L.E.A.D.S.).

Pro/Prebiotics contain beneficial bacteria that helps to digest foods, absorb nutrients, and eliminate toxic substances.  They help alleviate occasional gas, diarrhea and intestinal upset.   If your dog suffers from yeast infections, ear infections or is on antibiotics, using these products before and after antibiotics can help replace the gut with good bacteria.  Introducing these into the diet also can promote proper elimination and help manufacture the B-vitamins.  These are definitely supplements worth looking into, however, you don’t want to ‘over supplement’, i.e., adding numerous supplements at one time.  If your dog is experiencing a lot of digestive issues, I strongly suggest getting a fur analysis so you can truly see where your dog needs help, so you get the right kind of supplements started.  You can find out more about fur analysis at: www.animalpainvet.com.  Becoming familiar with your pet when all is well can greatly be of benefit with something isn’t right.  Be pro-active in your approach.  Catching problems early can not only save money when a trip to the vet is warranted, it can also help your pooch recover earlier.  There are times with prescription drugs cannot be avoided, I understand.  Keeping these to a minimum is in the best interest of your dog’s health, as their systems consider these to be ‘foreign intruders’, as handle them as such, making it more difficult to deal with the issue.  I believe that already having herbal and natural supplementation in place is ‘insurance’ that should something arise, it won’t be as bad and won’t last as long.  Believe me, you’ll be glad you planned ahead! As always, I will be researching and learning more about probiotics, prebiotics and digestion, as it is so large, one article will not suffice.  If you have any questions, feel free to email me at: ChiLadyInIndy@att.net.  Also, feel free to leave comments or suggestions as to what you’d like to see discussed in future blogs.  To your dog’s health!