The
Definition of Probiotics
The original meaning of the word
probiotic is ‘benficial to life’. Probiotics are live microorganisms which when
ingested in appropriate amounts (not to little, not too much) are beneficial to
the host and help prevent disease…and in the case of this discussion ‘host’ is
defined as dog!
These micororganisims are live, friendly
bacteria that live in the gastrointestinal tract (GI tract). Dogs have over 500
types of bacteria living in their GI tract, humans have just over 400. The most
common good bacteria are L. acidophilus and Bifidobacterua bifidum.
The Benefits of
Probiotics
Probiotics can play a huge role in protecting your dog’s
immune system. The good bacteria found in probiotics fight the un-friendly, 1pathogenic
bacteria that are also found in the GI tract.
The skin and the mucous membrane linings of the
gastrointestinal, genitourinary and respiratory tracts are the first line of
defense against invasion of microbes and parasites - the GI tract is the largest
of these barriers.
When a dog does not have enough good bacteria residing in
his/her GI tract, the bad bacteria flourish unchecked and take over - this
condition can cause:
- Cadidiasis
(overgrowth of Candida albicans, a bad bacteria that causes yeast infections);
- Digestive
upset due to E. coli, which causes diarrhea;
- Lethargy.
On
a daily basis physiological (real or perceived physical threat) and psychological
(emotional threats i.e. anxiety) stress can cause fluctuations in the balance
between good and bad bacteria in the GI tract.
Probiotics
give the naturally occurring good bacteria found in the GI tract a population
boost which in turn…
- Alleviates
and helps prevent constipation, diarrhea and IBS;
- Enhances
immune system response (thus helping to fight cancer and other diseases,
illness, viruses);
- Encourages
anti-tumour and anti-cancer activity in the body;
- Increases
the ability to absorb and utilize nutrients such as B complex vitamins, calcium,
copper, iron, phosphorous, zinc;
- Increases
the GI tract’s ability to digest food;
- Helps
fight bad breath;
- Helps
reduce gas and reduces the odour of stools;
- Helps
prevent shedding and scratching caused by stress when GI tract good flora is
compromised;
- Helps
in the fight against anxiety and depression;
- Replenishes
the good bacteria that are killed-off when taking antibiotics;
- Reduces
incidence of yeast infections (Candida), yeast related rashes and skin
problems.
- Replenishes
good flora killed-off by antibiotics.
It is important
to note that antibiotics are the premier over-subscribed drug for both humans
and dogs alike. Enabling your dog’s immune system to work at optimum
capacity helps to ensure that your dog will not require antibiotics.
The two biggest issues with antibiotics are:
One - Antibiotics kill the kill the beneficial bacteria (in your dog's GI tract) not just the pathogenic bacteria. When this occurs the delicate but healthy balance of the tract is disrupted which can lead to the overgrowth of yeast enabling the formation of yeast colonies. Yeast bacteria (hyphae) can bore holes through the lining of the intestinal wall - resulting in a condition called 'leaky gut'. This leaves your dog susceptible to a wide spectrum of health problems such as:
- Allergies;
- Arthritis;
- Asthma;
- Autoimmune Disorders (when the body mistakenly attacks healthy body tissue);
- Digestive problems;
- Kidney Problems, and;
- Skin Problems.
Two - The more
antibiotics your dog takes the more your dog’s risk of immunity to antibiotics
rises. This can put your dog in grave and mortal danger. In addition, the over
use of antibiotics has resulted in the appearance and increase of 1MRSA
in dogs.
To lesson the chance of your dog having to take antibiotics:
- Make sure your dog is on a good diet;
- Learn about alternatives to
prevent, and remedy issues without the use of antibiotics, for example treating:
When Should your Dog Take Probiotics?
Probiotics are
essential to the maintenance of optimal health therefore...
- Probiotics
should be included as part of a healthy puppy, teenage and adult dog’s daily
diet;
- If your dog is
on antibiotics you should be supplementing your dog’s diet with Probiotics as
antibiotics kill bacteria in the GI tract - bad flora and good flora alike, which
puts your dog’s immune system at risk;
- Your dog will be better protected against the side affects of other common stressors (such as vaccinations) when he/she has a back-up system to replace good GI tract flora.
When Should Your Dog Not Take Probiotics?
If your dog is
undergoing treatment for disease (i.e. cancer and is receiving chemotherapy)
taking probiotics may be too much for the dog’s weakened system. If your dog is
suffering from any disease you must speak to your veterinarian before adding
any supplement such as probiotics to your dog’s diet.
Don’t Be Fooled By
Advertising
Many
dog food manufactures promote their kibble, canned food and treat products as containing
probiotics.
To be effective, probiotics must be live. The beneficial micro-organisms and
probiotics required by the GI tract are susceptible to heat damage. Most
commercially made dry pet food is sterilized or pasteurized - canned food is
prepared using dry heat. The only way in which the manufacturers can add
probiotics to these foods is by coating the products with a liquid or powder after
processing is complete. This presents two fundamental problems:
- The
coating is inconsistent, and;
Advertising that the food contains probiotics is just a means to market the
product, however the actual benefit derived from the 'probiotics' added to these foods is minimal if any.
In
order to ingest enough probiotics on a daily basis your dog requires a high
quality concentrated source of probiotics.
Options for Providing
Probiotics to Your Dog
- You can purchase
probiotic supplements, or;
- You can feed
your dog food that is rich in naturally occurring probiotics.
Probiotic Supplements:
Probiotic
Supplements for dogs are not regulated in many countries. Like everything else
in the pet food industry, not all probiotic supplements are created equal,
therefore you really need to know how to choose a good supplement.
There
are some very good probiotic supplements among the many average and
poor ones - to identify the good supplements you really need to know
what to look for. Do you know how to tell which of the supplements shown below is a really good product, which are average and which provide little benefit?
Beware! Just because
a manufacturer says the product is probiotic does not mean that it is a
probiotic.
Some products labelled ‘probiotic’ do not include any clinically
validated strains. Tests carried out on multiple products have revealed that
many manufactures and retailers are selling probiotic supplements that do not
include ingredients as noted on the product label and/or include dangerous
contaminants. Another thing to keep in mind - a probiotic supplement is not
cheap to purchase, especially if you have multiple dogs.
If you would
like to understand how to choose a good probiotic supplement you can read this article.
Foods That Are Rich in
Naturally Occurring Probiotics
You can make
sure that your dog receives very high quality probiotics by adding these dog-safe
amazing foods to your dog’s diet…
1. Kefir
2. Sauerkraut
If you would
like to learn about the amazing benefits of these two foods and how to incorporate them into your dog's diet, etc. you can read this article.
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Article and graphics by Karen Rosenfeld.
Hello, I have a 2.5 yr old female Boxer who I've discovered is severely allergic to grains and sugars of any kind. Eating these foodstuffs causes a terrific yeast infection and, of course, she scratches until she scratches big hunks of skin away and bleeds a lot. About a year ago when I figured out the problem I put her, and her little sister also somewhat mildly affected by same yeast infection issue, on a raw foods diet. Ground beef, fish, chicken, ground broccoli. I'm an American living in Ecuador and find broccoli cheap and plentiful year round. I do serve other vegetables once in awhile but they're happy with broc. I mix it in the food processor sometimes with plain, no sugar/unflavored yogurt or hard boiled eggs or a splash of lemon juice. But - my older Boxer still is not entirely over the yeast imbalance. I've bought $150/bottle 11-strain acidophyllus - not the answer. What else can I do?? I'm in a country with limited resources.
ReplyDeleteChristina@PlayaCasaEcuador.com
Hi Christina - sent you some info, K
DeleteHi Karen, I'm wondering if I need to feed Kefir once or twice daily, currently I'm doing twice, mixed into their food. Should I leave it on top rather and if their food is slightly warmed, does it affect the Kefir?
ReplyDeleteMany thanks for your very informative site, Ann
Hi Ann,
DeleteYou can choose to add Kefir either once a day or twice a day.
Heat does destroy the micororganisims so you might want to try giving them the Kefir in another dish beside their warmed-up food.
You can mix a little raw unpasturized honey or fruit into the kefir if they will not be interested in eating the kefir plain.
Raw unpasturized honey has many health benefits and dogs love the taste. Raw unpasturized honey can be given once or twice a day - daily dosage is 1/4 tsp for every 20 pounds of body weight. Cheers, Karen
Thanks Karen, they love their Kefir, can't keep them away from it :)
DeleteI think I killed my dog by stopping his probiotics after 2 months. He was doing really well on then but I guess I thought after 2 months it would be okay to stop. For 2 weeks he was fine, then for two weeks he had loose stool so I double dosed his probiotics for a couple of days. A month after I stopped probiotics and 2 weeks after I started them again my dog passed away. I never thought that stress and stopping the probiotics would kill the most precious living being in my life. I'm sickened by the fact I let myself stop hos probiotics and made him die. How can I forgive myself such inconsolable actions?
ReplyDeleteHi Jessica, you have to forgive yourself. By forgiving yourself you allow yourself to help others. No animal - including a human is perfect. We all make mistakes - sometimes we suffer becasue of an accidental mistake we make and sometimes our mistake also has an impact on someone we love. We learn and evolve by our mistakes, we can learn to help others through the mistakes that we make or we can choose to simply punish ourselves and never recover. My dogs have taught me much of what I know. My first dog - who is the inspiration for what I do today - she was my best friend and soul mate - she would not have died of cancer if I knew back then what I know now. You should read here bio it will help you understand how you feel now and how to evolve what you feel into something that further enables the love you have your boy - go to this link to read her story http://www.ottawavalleydogwhisperer.com/My-Pack_Shanny.html#.UmBMLz-Om64
DeleteWhen Shanny passed away I turned my grief to work with dogs that deserved a second chance at life. My own dog pack consists of 10 dogs - 8 rescues, many from death row.
To honor her I learned from what I went through with her and have gone on to share my knowledge with people around the world. I also am a behavourist and make me living working with dogs who other trainers, behavourists either give-up on or make worse.
Here is one way you can forgive yourself - go to a high-kill shelter and adopt a rescue dog - there are so many wonderful dogs of all breeds that get dumped at these high-kill shelters for no fault of their own. Then take your old and new knowledge and give a rescue dog a new home, a new lease on life. This will owner your boy and allow you to give back. His passing will be honored and your great and deep love of dogs can grow to help another dog. Grieve but do not punish yourself, and then reach out to another dog - for you, for your boy and for the other dog. Paw hugs, Karen
Hi Karen,
ReplyDeleteDo you have any tips and suggestions for my dog Louie who doesn't want to eat his food after I've added powered Digestive Enzymes (I just purchased Mercola)? A little weary as I've also purchased Mercola's Probiotics and I'm worried that I've spent so much money on something that my dog won't take :-(
Rachel
Yes I do...
Delete1 - yogurt and natural honey to his meal(s)
http://ottawavalleydogwhisperer.blogspot.ca/2014/01/honey-good-for-dogs-cats-honey-is.html
http://ottawavalleydogwhisperer.blogspot.ca/2013/07/dairy-products-cheese-kefir-yogurt-are.html
2 - You can also do this for a treat
http://ottawavalleydogwhisperer.blogspot.ca/2013/07/diy-smoothies-frozen-treats-for-dogs.html
Hi Karen ~
ReplyDeleteI'm at my wits end and just want to do something to help my baby feel better - I would appreciate any suggestions you could offer.
My Klowee is a 9.5 year old white, Boxer. She's had horrendous allergies for 9 of those years and sadly, I didn't realize it until about 4 years ago. She's suffers from Thyroid disease, chronic ear infections and has had over 70 (that was not a typo) mast cell tumors removed. 2 years ago so tore both CCL's chasing a cat that taunted her relentlessly. I had ZERO idea that the ear infections and mast cell tumors were the body’s response to allergies. My VET didn't even tell me.... I have literally spent close to 15K on vet bills for her over the years, so needless to say, her system is overrun with antibiotics and NSIDs.
In January of this year, my Vet suggested we try Adequan injections for her leg issues. Worked great for the first 2 months and then the tumors started to reappear and she was totally lethargic. I took her off that med immediately. We went thru Dasuquin and Cosequin - before I said enough is enough. The meds were making her more sick.
In July, she came down with a bout of Pancreatitis. Of course the Vet suggested an antibiotic. I gave it to her for 2 days and promptly took her off as she was lethargic and depressed. I went to my dog health food store and got a Pancreatic Enzyme - and a special diet as I wanted to try the holistic route.
I fed her a hardboiled egg, cottage cheese a small amount of very low fat beef and either cooked potato or pasta. She did good on this diet for a couple of months and then she stopped eating certain things. I noticed that the dairy and low fat yogurt I had been giving her gave her terrible gas but she was doing better and had energy.
Trip to the vet and blood work confirmed that the pancreatitis was in "remission". I took the dairy out of her diet and continued to feed her the low fat ground beef and potato.
About a month and a half later back to the Vet with a horrible case of diarrhea. It was like turning on a faucet with brown water - but that there was some blood and the stool that was solid, was greasy. Colitis.
Vet advised that the best treatment was of course the antibiotics that were prescribed for the pancreatitis that I did not use. So I gave her 1/2 of the dose that was prescribed (as she is very sensitive to medication and as I mentioned has severe allergies). After a week - recheck at the vet. He advised that I needed to give her the full dosage. I listened to what he said. About the 3rd day in to the full dosage - she awoke with severely swollen eyes. She truly looked like a Shar Pei, not a Boxer.
Back to the Vet who put her on IV fluids for the day and a stronger form of Benadryl. Things calmed down and she was much better, although she still had diarrhea.
So I gave half the dose of antibiotics on the 2nd day after the IV stay at the Vet. In a matter of 2 hours - her skin turned bright red, she broke out in hives and threw up her low fat, ground beef dinner
(part 2) I immediately know the reason for the severe allergic reaction and discontinued the antibiotics.
ReplyDeleteI'm now faced with a completely different problem. Everything I feed her either causes diarrhea or makes her eyes turn bright red so she's afraid to eat. It's not that she's not hungry, it's that she's afraid to eat.
I started doing my own research on her symptoms and really could kick myself for not doing it sooner. Leaky gut, Colitis, Pancreatitis all linked to NSID and antibiotic use. The poor thing is just overrun with medication!!
For her chronic ear infection, I purchased some Calendula gel (no RX for ear drops). In about a week - her ears had almost completely cleared up.
For her GI, I went back to the health food store and purchased some probiotic paste. I've only been giving her about half the recommended dosage though as she is so sensitive to things.
We had some fairly good results stool wise, by adding organic pumpkin to the tuna I was feeding her. After 3 days of that, the diarrhea came back and she won't touch tuna.
This is where my frustration lies now! She won't eat anything (tuna fish, cod, sole, ground beef, pork, duck, salmon) - everything is giving her the runs so she won't eat it. She takes one sniff and walks away if she knows she has eaten it before.
I don't know what to do for her - I even resorted to trying some of the minimal ingredient kibble from the health food store. She ate it once, diarrhea, so she won't touch it.
She won't eat rice, I tried mixing Quinoa with some pork wet food and pumpkin - ate that once, same response so she won't eat Quinoa or pumpkin now.
I don't know what to do for her - but I know I don't want her on any more meds!!!! There aren't any holistic Vets close to where I live and I just need to try something to help her.
Do you think I should increase the dosage of the probiotic paste? I have been giving her some electrolyte paste from the health food store as well and her energy and interest in playing has absolutely increased.
I'm not willing to put her down!!!! If I though there was not a hope in the world and she was suffering I would of course go that route (I had to put my other Boxer down last year for bone Cancer). I just can't lose her too and I'm not willing to give up on her.
Please help me - is there anything you could suggest to help me help her!?!?!?
Most sincerely,
Klowee in California
Klowee,
DeleteThe honest truth is that most 'holistic' vets are little to no better than a conventional vet - you would only be wasting more money and time. While their are a few very good holistic vets - the majority use the term 'holistic' without actually being truly holistic. If you want to help your Boxer girl there is only one course of action I can recommend and that is to engage me to address her health properly. You can email me if you are SERIOUSLY interested in doing so.. I can and would be happy to do a holistic diet nutrition wellness plan to address her short-term and long-term health...cheers, Karen
Hi Karen,
ReplyDeleteWhat probiotic do you recommend? I have a 12 week Bernese Mt puppy that was full of worms and bacteria, after treating her for those issues she now has wacky BM every other day. I think the meds were too harsh for her little system and wonder if a probiotic would help..
For this you would require a consultation...
Deletehttp://ottawavalleydogwhisperer.ca/diet-nutrition-health-consultations/
Can you really cause the death of your dog by giving them probiotics and then stopping? One of the stories I read here was quite upsetting and makes me afraid to give my dog anything for fear it may be more harmful than good. She has fatty tumours :( thank you.
ReplyDeleteGiving probiotics to the dog did not cause the dogs death.
Delete