Raiko

When I get a dog I like the idea of using probiotics. I use them myself and feel alot healthier, and it cant be bad to put good bacteria into your system. Of course you all know me, I do my homework before putting something in my body, and you all know a big rant about bad probiotics is about to come.

Sugar probiotics, like some of the cheaper probiotic yogurts. --> they, being cheaper are full of fillers so your not doing your body much of a favor by making it a habit of scarfing down fructose, sucrose, and other preservative fillers. Not to meantion odds are your stomach acid will destroy the majority of the bacteria in the yogurt if its cheep. Activia is okay, the results I got on it were mediocre compared to the pill form. Yogurt is a wonderful breeding ground for bacteria but it doesn't offer enough protection to get optimal results.

Cereal. --> Man... they must think we are dumb.. Look at any probiotics container, they all stress they need to be refrigerated. Furthermore if you ever eat a good probiotic yogurt, its wetter than normal and the pills... dont have the most pleasant texture. I compare swallowing the pills to swallowing a mini raw oyster. Thats because the bacteria need a semi moist environment, the probiotics in cereal are usually dead. Pretending they wernt, at room temp the bacteria would be eating up all of the iron in the cereal as they need it to multiply. So now the main nutrient in the cereal is gone. Not to mention, again majority of the bacteria will be killed in the stomach.

Pill--> Usually a good probiotic will contain several bacteria in a single pill. Each type of course does a certain task, and the more good bacteria the better balance you will have. The pill should also have either a thick wall, or or a double shield to help it survive the stomach. Not all of them say that they do or not, but majority of them will have some form of protection. I take pills and after a few week I could feel the results.

Probiotics are also important to take after using an antibiotic. I don't think I have to explain why.

So.. its sad that the pro/pre biotic craze has hit dog food.
Why is it sad? Well because just like when it hit the human food world, most of it is marketing crap that wont help you in any way. It used to be that probiotics were a bottle of pills the size of your thumb that cost $60 per bottle and were very effective. Now those are in the same isle as... basically plecibos because the bacteria you are ingesting isn't going to survive.

So I was wondering if any of you knew of any particularly good probiotics. Or if human probiotics are dog safe. I would ask a vet, and still will, but doctors and vets don't read literature anymore. Doctors just hand **** out, and depending on your health care, they might give you a mediocre treatment. I would assume vets are the same from seeing some of you guy's rants on how vets don't know the common poodle ailments, or how they don't know much about nutrition.

bigredpoodle

http://naturesfarmacywest.com/StoreFront.bok
Call this place they are a wonderful source of information if they dont have it then they will tell you where you can get it . I have done business with these folks for years..

Raiko

I will. Thank you =]

bigredpoodle

Welcome

*heather*

I use this;

here's the website description....
Holistic Solution™
The science-based, symptom-free way to convert your pet naturally to the benefits of healthier nutrition. The use of Probiotics and Digestive Enzymes aid digestion and nutrient absorption and enhance the digestive tracts ability to accept diet changes without a problem.
Learn more...
Does your pet ever suffer from diarrhea, loose stool, stomach upset? New Holistic Solution™ is a biologic tool that naturally and holistically aids the prevention and relief of these problems. Prebiotics, Probiotics and Digestive Enzymes provide natural, 3-way, holistic approach to resolve symptoms
http://www.eaglepack.com/SP_DigestiveAids.html
I was recommended this product at Global Pet Foods when switching Rogan's food from the breeder's food to Orijen. She just said sprinkle some on his food if he has any loose stool etc. It worked like a charm! Now I just give it to him every once in a while for a healthy treat! He loves it!!

Bella's Momma

So true! I always tell my friends if they don't want to pay for the good refridgerated in dark glass probiotics, then just don't buy anything. We use Natren in our home, for people and for Bella. It's the only kind that I happen to trust as useful and safe (there are other's which market themselves as stronger but the bacteria is not native to humans!).

We don't take them quite as often as we should just due to logistics. For humans they are most effective when not taken with immune-boosters like vitamin c, and even better when taken before a meal. So we sort of pick and choose if it's a vitamin night or a probiotic night. Bella gets them a couple of times a week. It's a gel so I mix it with kibble and stuff it in a kong. I believe some of her other supplements have 'probiotics' in them but they're in a powdered mix so I don't necessarily buy into their efficacy.

Raiko

=] Looks like Bella's mommy does her research too! Yeah I wouldn't put non native bacteria in my body b/c the whole point of probiotics is to create balance in your digestive tract.. not introduce some new species of bacteria.

Ill look at your probiotic too Heather. But If I can, I would like to use the same probiotic on myself as my dog.

bigredpoodle

This is why i would love to live by a city WE have nowhere to get these close by nearest health food store is 2.5 hours away. I am not sure I would give this to my dog though...... I would take it

Raiko

Sometimes CVS or other phamacies will carry probiotics, especially since the craze has hit. If not you can always order it online, honestly buying it from the manufacturer might even be cheaper? If you start on them though start slow, do half the frequency at first. If it says take one a day, take one every two days for the first week.

Its not that they will hurt you, its your body is used to trying harder than it needs to, to digest the food you eat. Now thay you have all the new bacteria in your body you might find your bowel habits changed. usually you will have a slower frequency of need to evacuate(take a crap) and your stool for the first week might be green.

That green color is bile. Bile is a digestive enzyme that breaks down fats and protiens. Since you now have bacteria doing some of the work your body might not know to re absorb the bile and it will be in your stool. It wont hurt you, it will just make your stool soft. Or your body might relax too much and you might get harder stool.(you wont get constipated though, its just a slight change.) you may also produce more or less gass as your body adjusts. After a week or two you'll ajust and you will feel great and also get sick less often. (if good bacteria are eating all the food in your bowels bad bacteria cant go and start eating food thats not there... not to meantion you will be getting more vitamins from your food.)

I would probably go twice as slow with your dog since dogs seem to be more sensitive to digestive changes.