Probiotics
Probiotics are all the buzz in the pet food industry and healthy pet space, but I see some recurring confusion that should be addressed. That confusion centers around two questions, “Does my pet need a probiotic?” and “What is the best probiotic to give my pet?”
What are probiotics?
Probiotics are the bacteria that are in your pet’s gut. They are often referred to as “good” bacteria. A healthy gut will have a diverse population of good bacteria, and keeping it balanced will prevent any “bad” bacteria from taking over the gut.
Prebiotics, however, are non-digestible food that feeds probiotics and helps them thrive in your pet’s body. Regularly feeding the probiotics already in your pet keeps them effective and prevents them from dying off.
This brings us to our first myth about probiotics, which is that your pet needs to be supplemented with a constant stream of probiotics. A gut filled with good bacteria regularly fed and not assaulted by toxins will maintain itself without needing a constant resupply of bacteria.
What damages or kills probiotics?
The following can all cause damage to your pet’s gut microbiome and upset the balance of bacteria.
- antibiotics
- non-steroidal anti-inflammatories and steroids
- over-vaccination
- processed food
- stress
- grains or beans (anything with lectins)
If your pet is regularly exposed to these things, you first want to examine whether you can eliminate that exposure. There are (rare) instances where antibiotics or NSAIDs might be unavoidable, but the other things are under your control. You must eliminate your pet’s exposure to these things before attempting to repair or rebuild the gut. No amount of probiotics will overcome or cancel out the damage these things do to your pet’s gut. I use this analogy a lot because your pet’s body is its house, and if your house is flooding, you must stop the water from entering the house before you start replacing the carpet and fixing the damage. Changing out the carpet while water is still filling your house is the same as adding probiotics while continuing to put toxins into your pet.
The Wolf | Species Appropriate Probiotic
When a pet might need probiotics
In addition to rebuilding the gut after damage, probiotics can often help pets suffering from digestive upset (diarrhea), irritable bowel disease (IBD), allergies, and poor skin health, as well as supporting immunity and regulating inflammation. These are all symptoms indicating an imbalance in the gut. Absent a microbiome gut test, you won’t know what bacteria is missing or out of balance, so you may need to rotate through different probiotics, ensuring that you are giving various strains of bacteria. If you are not seeing any improvement or change, stop with that product and reassess. The first rule of supplements is that you should stop giving the supplement if it is not doing anything for your pet. You also risk an imbalance in the gut if you add too much of one bacteria, which can cause it to push out other types of bacteria. One more reason to rotate probiotics is if you are giving them regularly.
What to look for in a probiotic
Not all probiotics are created equal. With little to no regulation in the supplement market, you can quickly be taken advantage of by deceptive marketing. Here are some basic things to look for to ensure you are not wasting your time or money.
• High CFU – CFU stands for Colony Forming Unit and measures the number of bacteria in the product capable of dividing and forming colonies. The higher the CFUs, the more bacteria your pet’s gut is getting.
• Variety – Look for a product with as many strains as possible. This helps ensure diversity and increases the chance you will replace the missing or out-of-balance bacteria.
• Probiotics that contain prebiotics – Prebiotics feed the probiotics, so a product containing prebiotics will support the probiotics in your pet.
• Avoid fillers, binders, artificial flavors and colors, anti-caking agents, etc. – You’re paying for probiotics, not a bunch of other junk your pet can’t use.
Prebiotics
What most pet parents are asking when they ask about probiotics is actually about prebiotics. Prebiotics are non-digestible food ingredients that promote the growth of beneficial bacteria in the gut, essentially acting as fuel for probiotics. Feeding prebiotics in their diet is a preventative step we all should be looking to do. A steady flow of prebiotics in the diet keeps the probiotics abundant and balanced.
Here are some prebiotics you can easily include in your pet’s diet.
• Fruits and veggies – The age-old question, “Does my pet need fruits and veggies?” Your pet doesn’t, but the bugs in the gut do, and that is what you are feeding when you incorporate fruits and veggies into your pet’s diet. A little goes a long way; typically, the diet needs only about 5-7% fruits and veggies. Fermented veggies are even better if you can.
• Tripe – It stinks, but it is good for your pet and their gut. Tripe is the stomach of a ruminant animal filled with pre-digested plant matter, digestive enzymes, and probiotics. Add some tripe to your pet’s diet if you can’t feed or source fermented veggies.
• Mushrooms – Medicinal mushrooms like chaga and turkey tail are another great source. They are high in healthy polysaccharides, which feed those probiotics. Other benefits include antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, which help balance the immune system.
Conclusion
Probiotics are all the rage in the pet health industry. Everybody wants to include them or thinks their dog needs them, but many pet parents are confused about what they do and if their pet needs them. Probiotics are necessary, but most pets do not need them constantly. Instead, most pets need to feed the probiotics they already have. If you do need to give probiotics, be mindful of what you are giving and the quality. Only give them for as long as your pet needs them, and then support them by including prebiotics in their diet. Lastly, remember that whether it’s a supplement, food, or simple tool like a leash, the “best” of anything is the one that works for you and your pet!
