Should I Give My Dog Probiotics?

An upset dog tummy is not ideal. When your dog’s stomach is experiencing extreme stress or other ailments, it can affect your dog’s general health.

A microbiome is an environment in which organisms live, specifically microorganisms and bacteria. Healthy microbiomes are important for your dog’s general health because it can impact a range of things from nutrient absorption to mental wellness. 

Without a healthy microbiome, or properly balanced microbiome, there are a slew of things that can pop up as a result of bacterial imbalance:

• Digestive issues
• Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)
• Weakened immune system
• Poor immune system responses and reactions
• Diabetes
• Depression

In today’s world, there’s an increase in these gut health-related issues and we’re seeing it with not just dogs and cats, but even ourselves.

Why is this happening to dogs?

The rise of these bacterial issues and stomach disorders is strongly due to the ingredients in modern pet foods. Medications are also a contributing factor in this rise, specifically due to antibiotics that can cause an imbalance of healthy microorganisms. 

Another factor is your and your dog’s lifestyle in/out of the house. Are you mostly indoors? Or do you get enough walks and exercise in with your pup?

If you see your dog is experiencing stomach issues, do a test and mix things up to see if their diet or lifestyle is affecting their stomach health. If you don’t see it, immediately contact your trusted local veterinarian. 

Your veterinarian might prescribe medications or recommend probiotics.

Dogs & Probiotics

Does my dog need probiotics?

If your dog is showing signs of the following, especially when triggered by stress, it might be time to consider probiotics:

• Diarrhea
• Constipation
• Gas and bloating

Your dog’s gastrointestinal track loses stability when there’s a disproportionate amount (or increase of) bad bacteria in the gut. To maintain that balance, many dog owners and veterinarians turn to probiotics.

Probiotics help introduce good bacteria into your dog’s body to balance out the presence of bad bacteria and eliminate bad bacteria. This helps restore the gut health of your pup.

What if my dog is on antibiotics right now?

If health issues arise and your dog is put on (about to be put on) antibiotics, then probiotics are a must. Why? Because introducing antibiotics into your dog’s system will throw off the balance of your dog’s gut health while they do what they need to do. 

The sudden changes in microflora can make it easy for stress to trigger diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting, if not a more extreme reaction. 

Most veterinarians will recommend giving your dog food with antibiotics, and thankfully, most probiotics can be administered as treats and in your dog’s food or water bowl.

What type of probiotic should I give my dog?

The probiotics you give to your dog or pup might differ from others because they come in various forms. You can administer probiotics to your dog in the form of dog treats, dog food ingredients, liquid supplements, and more. 

But because these probiotics contain living, good bacteria, you’ll want to go for a probiotic that is in its container instead of mixed in with dog food. Extreme temperatures can influence the performance of these probiotics, so be mindful of where these supplements are stowed.

We hope you liked this blog post for a quick breakdown of probiotics, why your dog needs them, and where to start. If you enjoyed this blog post, you might be interested in our blog post 5 Tips For Brushing Your Dog’s Teeth.

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