Probiotics For Pets!

Introduction

It has long been known that probiotics are beneficial to humans. The live bacteria work to cure some illnesses and even prevent others within the digestive and immune systems of people. A new idea out in the medical community, however, is that these same concepts can be applied to dogs. More and more devoted pet owners are giving their canine friends probiotic supplements to help treat many different hassles and hazards.

Intestinal Disorders

Probiotics can alleviate a variety of disorders that occur in the intestinal tracts of dogs, such as:

- Vomiting
- Diarrhea and constipation
- Bloating
- Bad smelling or exorbitant amounts of gas and stool
- Indigestion

If your dog is struggling with any of these issues, probiotics should be considered. The use of probiotics in these cases can help to ease or even relieve the pressures and pains of the aforementioned problems.

Health Problems

Many other health problems are related to the intestinal issues listed above. These issues have been scientifically proven to have correlation to intestinal problems in dogs, and therefore could also be cured or at least bettered through the use of probiotics.

- Yeast infections
- Improper bowl function
- Food intolerance and allergies
- Rashes and other skin irritations
- Asthma
- Arthritis

Because probiotics are used to give balance to levels of different bacterias in the intestines, and because the above health problems have been connected to intestinal issues, the use of probiotics has been proven to aid in the relief of those problems in the health of dogs.

Please note that some dogs will experience some side effects from the probiotics. However, these side effects are generally mild and are part of the re-balancing process.

Environmental and Circumstantial Problems

Some of the problems your dog may suffer from may not be from natural causes. When this happens, probiotics can still be used to restore your dog‘s health. Some of the outside and uncontrollable conditions that can be helped by this include:

- Being exposed to pesticides, chemical fertilizers or other pollutants
- An inflamed gastrointestinal tract
- A change in their diet
- An imbalance in bacteria caused by the use of antibiotics that can be restored though the use of probiotics

Although there is not much you can do to prevent these problems from happening in the first place, you can help your dog recover from them through the use of probiotics.

When to Give Your Dog Probiotics

Probiotics should, of course, be used if your dog is experiencing any of the problems previously mentioned in this article. They can also be tried if your dog suffers from any other health problems, as they may be tied to the digestive system and therefore be helped by balancing the bacteria in that area.

Puppies can also profit from the use of probiotics. Even though it would not seem that they would need them, as they are young and have not developed many of the common digestive issues yet, they can be of use as a prevention measure. If probiotics are given to puppies before they have lived long enough to develop these issues, their digestive tracts can be bolstered and fortified to resist developing them later in life, therefore avoiding the problem altogether.

Although not as essential as problems where the dog is suffering, there are other advantages to giving your dog probiotics.

- Decreased shedding, especially if the shedding is excessive
- Adding to the shine of their coat
- Increased immune defenses
- Reducing stress during situations such as vacations, vet visits, moving, or surgery
- Reducing bad breath

Even though these problems are not crucial to your dog‘s basic comfort and survival, they are useful and helpful to bettering your dog‘s everyday life, and they only add to the long list of benefits of probiotics towards the health of dogs.

Conclusion

The benefits to giving your dog probiotic supplements are nearly endless. From helping to relieve serious ailments to preventing future ones, this type of treatment can improve the quality of life for your dog exponentially. Whether your dog is healthy or sick, probiotics can help them in some way.

Be sure to always check with your dogs vet before use to make sure you are giving your dog the best possible types of probiotics so that you do not harm your dog.