Canine probiotics are often recommended by veterinarians to treat or prevent common, dog-specific stomach problems. Probiotics for dogs are actually something you can give to your pet for a variety of reasons, from treating upset stomachs to preventing nasty bacteria from causing infections. If you have been wondering whether your canine companion could benefit from probiotics, here is a complete guide to using them for your pet.
What Are Probiotics?
Probiotics are the “good bacteria” that reside in your dog’s gut and help to fight against harmful bacteria. Dogs can suffer from an imbalance of healthy to harmful bacteria in their gut, which can lead to a number of stomach issues.
How Do Probiotics Work?
Probiotics work by introducing the good bacteria into your dog’s system to help keep them in balance. You can give your pup probiotics by adding them to their food or dropping them directly into their mouth. If you are worried about being able to successfully administer the tablet, many probiotics are also now available in chewable form.
What Can Probiotics Be Used To Treat?
There are many different conditions that probiotics can treat in your dog. For example, some of the most common issues that probiotics can help to treat and prevent include:
– Diarrhea, which is commonly caused by an infection
– Skin problems, like infections or mange
– Bad breath and tooth decay
– Obesity because of issues with nutrient absorption
How to Give Probiotics to Your Dog?
Some of the most common ways that probiotics for dogs can be administered include:
– Dropping into their food. Make sure that your pup will actually eat the food you are dropping the probiotics into, as many dogs may not like the taste.
– Adding to their water.
– Giving directly into their mouth.
– Putting them on a treat.
It is important to remember that you should only give your pup the recommended dosage of probiotics for dogs, as giving more could lead to some unwanted side effects.
How Long Before Results Can You See?
It can take anywhere from one day to several weeks before you start to see results from the probiotics for dogs, and it may take up to 90 days before you notice a large difference. It is important to remain consistent and administer the probiotics every day, as it can take time for them to build up in your pup’s system.
Probiotics for dogs can help to soothe and prevent common stomach issues and offer great health benefits.
Choosing The Best Probiotics
If you are thinking about giving your pup the best dog probiotics, there are some important things you should consider.
– Look at the ingredients list to make sure that all of the strains included are listed by name, rather than by a number. This can be a sign that the probiotics were not manufactured in a way that ensures stability and survival for all of the strains.
– If your dog is younger than 12 weeks old, you should not give them probiotics. Mother’s milk has special substances in it that help to develop the health of their digestive system, so giving them probiotics could interfere with this process.
– If you are using any medication, check with your vet to make sure that the two are compatible.
Conclusion
Probiotics for dogs are a great way to help your pup with a variety of stomach problems. Not only are they effective, but they are also easy to administer. You can give them directly to your dog or add them to their food or water. It is important that you follow the dosage instructions closely and remain consistent in order to see the best results.