Perplexed by probiotics?

You already know that gut health is vital for physical and mental well-being, but are probiotics perplexing to you? 

Probiotics are beneficial live organisms – bacteria or yeast that promote a healthy gastrointestinal tract.

While a healthy diet is a cornerstone to good health, probiotics can be a healthy addition to maintaining balanced gut flora. Find them in foods such as yoghurt and sauerkraut, and kimchi (avoid giving your dog anything with onions or garlic).

 

Offering probiotics to your Pawsome pet can reduce potentially harmful microbes in the gut and promote immune health by helping to improve resistance to harmful.

Microorganisms (pathogens) help support gut barrier function and may even help reduce allergic and inflammatory responses.

 

Do they need probiotics regularly?

Probiotics don't permanently colonise the gut, so when you stop giving them, the beneficial bacteria they have introduced to your gut will usually disappear within around two weeks.

In the long term, probiotics can also support the growth of beneficial bacteria in the gut. 

 

What if probiotics don't fix your pet's issues?

If symptoms your pet experiences before probiotics

remain or worsen; your pet may have a small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO). SIBO is the presence of excessive bacteria in the small intestine. It can cause chronic diarrhoea, malabsorption, weight loss, and nutritional deficiencies. Could you talk to your vet for individual advice?

 

Should you give your dog probiotics at the same time as antibiotics?

Wide-spectrum antibiotics, which indiscriminately kill all your dog's gut microbes – the good ones (probiotics) and the harmful ones (pathogens), can be particularly detrimental to your dog's gut health.

 

You can offer probiotics after a course of antibiotics, but taking them simultaneously can still be effective – one won't cancel the effects of the other as long as you allow a few hours between each. Alternatively, the probiotic yeast Saccharomyces BoulardiS (SB) can be offered. Because it is a yeast, antibiotics that destroy bacteria do not affect it.

 

Not just good for your dog's gut

Probiotics can also benefit mental health and support gut health and immunity.

 

Certain strains, such as Lactobacillus rhamnosus,

Bifidobacterium bifidum and Lactobacillus acidophilus have been shown to signal the production of certain neurotransmitters that affect mood. These probiotics

have also been shown to signal the vagus nerve to impact the brain. Most (80%) of the mood-boosting neurotransmitter serotonin is produced in the gut. Hence, a healthy gut is vital for a healthy brain and mood.

 

Why numbers matter

Of course, there is a difference between one billion and ten billion. And, as hard as it is to wrap your head around numbers of that size, it is a good idea to research the number of colony-forming units needed to achieve a clinical effect.

 

Understanding the CFU count in probiotics is crucial. CFU stands for Colony Forming Units, and a probiotic's CFU count represents the amount of viable (living) bacteria in a serving. The total CFU in a probiotic formula will be the combined sum of all bacteria included in the formula. Researching the number of colony-forming units needed to achieve a clinical effect is a good idea, as there is a significant difference between one billion and ten billion.

 

Each strain/probiotic species should be listed with its CFU on the product label. For general health maintenance, 1-4 Billion CFU daily is very influential for dogs, depending on the dog's weight. Under 25kg, start with 1-3 billion CFU per day.

Dogs over 25kg should be given 2-5 billion CFU daily. A much higher CFU count is more effective if your pet has IBS. A standard or lower CFU of probiotics is for dogs with diarrhoea. Higher counts of probiotics may be contraindicated for dogs with diarrhoea.

 

Pawsome Naturals probiotic gut health contains a specific yeast-based probiotic not affected by antibiotics so that it can be taken before, during, and after antibiotic treatment. This unique probiotic, Saccharomyces BoulardiS (SB), can't be absorbed from foods, but it is still a good idea to provide probiotic-containing foods in small amounts to your Pawsome mate.