Here’s everything you need to know about probiotics for dogs, including how they can help your dog with digestive health, urinary tract infections, ear infections, allergy symptoms, and much more.
Is your dog prone to digestive issues, such as gas or diarrhea? Does he eat grass when you take him outside? How about chronic skin and ear infections? A probiotic supplement can help with all of those issues! In this article, you’ll learn everything you need to know about probiotics for dogs and how probiotics can help your dog with digestive health, urinary tract infections, ear infections, and even allergy symptoms. I will also offer advice on how to choose the best probiotic for your dog and which ones I currently use and recommend.
What are Probiotics?
Believe it or not, probiotics are actually bacteria. Although we’ve been taught since childhood that bacteria are harmful, it turns out that not all bacteria are the same! These tiny microorganisms live in the digestive tract, mouth, vagina, nasal cavities, respiratory organs, and on the surface of the skin of all animals. Probiotics are crucial for overall health. Dogs need probiotics because they assist with the digestion of food, fight off pathogens, and boost the body’s immune system.
How Probiotics Can Help Your Dog
If you’ve spent much time reading the Fuzzy Butts Blog, you probably already know that I am a big believer in preventive health care for pets. I genuinely believe that most diseases and ailments that affect our furry family members can be prevented with a healthy diet, proper nutrition, essential grooming and hygiene, exercise, and good old-fashioned fresh air and sunshine. Giving your dog probiotics is an excellent way to improve your dog’s digestive health and prevent disease by strengthening his immune system, and just about any dog can benefit from taking a probiotic supplement.
Probiotics for dogs have many of the same benefits as probiotics for humans. In fact, dogs could technically take the same probiotic supplements their human family members do (more on that below!). Probiotics offer a host of health benefits for your fur baby, including:
- Regulating appetite and maintaining a healthy weight
- Strengthening the immune system (especially important for puppies and older dogs)
- Preventing or relieving allergies and their symptoms, including recurring skin infections
- May also prevent or reduce tear stains on white fur
- Preventing infections in the ears and urinary tract
- Improving overall digestive health, including irritable bowel syndrome
- Calming an upset stomach and relieving gas
- Relieving constipation and diarrhea
- Regulating moods and behaviors
Does My Dog Need Probiotics?
Some dogs stay healthy throughout their entire lives without ever having a probiotic supplement. But most dogs can benefit from probiotics, even if they aren’t sick. For example, probiotics can be extremely beneficial for dogs who have excessive gas or other digestive issues like diarrhea or constipation. If your dog is always eating grass when you take him outside, that’s a sure sign of a gastrointestinal problem.
Puppies and senior dogs can also benefit from a probiotic supplement because it can boost their immune systems to help prevent sickness and disease. On the other hand, dogs who are already suffering from an ailment may benefit from a larger dosage of probiotics to help fight off the harmful bacteria in their gut that can slow or prevent recovery.
Dogs that are suffering from allergies, viruses, parasites, or chronic infections should definitely be receiving a probiotic supplement to strengthen their immune systems and fight off illness. If your dog is taking antibiotics or other medications that might kill off good bacteria, a probiotic is essential for introducing good bacteria back into his system. And finally, dogs who are dealing with a stressful situation, such as traveling, a move to a new home, or a change in diet, can also benefit from a probiotic supplement to prevent digestive upset.
However, merely adding probiotics to your dog’s daily routine may not be enough to alleviate an underlying health condition. Understanding why your dog isn’t feeling well in the first place is the first step to making him better. If you have a specific concern about your dog’s health, work side-by-side with your veterinarian to find out what’s causing it and what other treatments he might need. Also, please keep in mind that probiotics are not a substitute for a healthy diet. Feeding the most nutritious food possible should be your first priority.
Side Effects of Probiotics for Dogs
Probiotics rarely cause any side effects, as long as you stick to the appropriate dosage. If the dosage is too high, side effects can include vomiting, diarrhea, and nausea. Luckily, these problems are easily prevented by administering the correct dosage, as recommended on the product label or your veterinarian. The goal is to have a healthy balance between the good and bad bacteria in your dog’s body.
Choosing the Best Probiotic for Your Dog
Although most human probiotics are perfectly safe for dogs, I actually recommend seeking out a product that’s specifically marketed for canines. Here’s why. Proper dosage is essential, and it can vary significantly based on your dog’s weight, age, and health condition. Products that are manufactured for dogs will have dog-specific dosage recommendations right on the label, so there’s no guesswork involved.
Your veterinarian will also be more familiar with probiotics manufactured for dogs, so he’ll be able to offer informed advice if you need it. And finally, probiotics marketed for humans are usually sold in pill form. Manufacturers know that giving your dog a pill can be a real pain in the butt, so they generally offer their probiotics for dogs in powder or flavored chewable form that dogs will find much more palatable.
I’ve had lots of people ask me why they can’t just throw a spoonful of yogurt on top of their dog’s food every day to provide his probiotics. It really isn’t a good idea, and I advise against it for a couple of reasons. First of all, a spoonful of yogurt isn’t going to have enough beneficial bacteria in it to do much (if any) good. And secondly, dogs don’t digest dairy very well. Even if your dog doesn’t get diarrhea or gas from eating the yogurt, he will probably have an upset stomach, which is precisely the opposite of the effect you are trying to achieve.
The same goes for other types of human probiotic foods, like kimchi, kefir, and fermented vegetables. If you decide to try giving these human probiotic foods to your dog, introduce them slowly and in tiny amounts to alleviate stomach upset as much as possible. Remember, just because he likes it doesn’t mean it’s good for him or it’s not upsetting his stomach.
Types of Probiotics and What They Do
When it comes to choosing the best probiotic for your dog, it helps to know a little bit about the different types and strains of probiotics and what they do. There are over 500 different species of probiotics, but here are a few of the most common how they can help your dog.
- Lactobacillus: This is probably the most commonly recognized type of probiotic. It’s useful for improving the absorption of essential nutrients and relieving digestive upset, including diarrhea and nausea.
- Bifidobacterium: Bifidobacterium is an excellent probiotic to give when you want to support your dog’s immune system and boost his overall health. I especially recommend it for dogs who may have weak immune systems, like puppies, senior dogs, or for dogs on chemo or other immune-suppressing drugs.
- B. breve: B. breve is a strain of beneficial bacteria that lives in the vagina and digestive tract. It fights off harmful bacteria that cause infections and also helps break down plant fibers to make them more digestible.
- B. animalis: This strain can help acute diarrhea resolve more quickly.
- L. acidophilus: This is a strain of beneficial bacteria that is found in the vagina a small intestine of animals. It aids digestion and fights urinary and vaginal infections.
- L. reuteri: A bacteria strain that resides in the mouth and small intestine. Research shows that this strain decreases the bacteria that cause tooth decay. It also supports the digestive system.
Other Things to Consider When Choosing Probiotics for Dogs
Make sure the product you choose specifically states that it contains live cultures. Check the label and don’t purchase a product that is close to or past its expiration date. Probiotics are not effective if they aren’t live when you take them. I always store mine in the refrigerator to extend shelf life, even if the manufacturer doesn’t say it’s required.
You should also choose a product that has several different strains of probiotics. Taking a combination of beneficial bacteria seems to be most effective, so I actually prefer to rotate through several different products to make sure my dogs are getting the most variety of beneficial bacteria. My five favorite probiotics for dogs are listed below.
And finally, make sure that the product offers large enough quantities of bacteria to form colonies. Bacteria are measured in colony-forming units or CFUs. Unfortunately, manufacturers do not have to prove their claims of effectiveness, and the FDA does not monitor claims on probiotic products, so be sure to choose a product from a reputable manufacturer.
My Top Five Favorite Probiotics for Dogs
These probiotic formulas contain bacteria strains that are the most beneficial for dogs. I have personally used each one of these products and found them to be very helpful for my own pets. As I mentioned above, I like to change up the brand each time I order so that my dogs get the greatest variety of beneficial bacteria possible. As you can imagine, I’ve tried a lot of products, but these are my tried and true.
- Purina Pro Plan FortiFlora Dog Probiotic Supplement: This product wins out for convenience, and it’s the one I take when we travel. It comes in a box of 30 individual sachets of powdered probiotics that you can sprinkle right on top of your dog’s food. It’s good for the immune system and digestive health, and they also use a unique process to enhance stability. I accidentally left this behind when we went on a camping trip with the dogs, and one of them had diarrhea the whole time. Needless to say, we don’t leave home without it now. It’s a bit pricier than some products I’ve tried, but I like the individual packets because the product stays fresher longer when it’s not being exposed to air every time you open it. And like I said, it’s convenient since it’s premeasured. My dogs gobble it right up, too.
- Thorne Research Bacillus CoagulansVET: I give this product to my dogs and my cats. It comes in capsule form and contains a minimum of 2 billion CFUs of Bacillus coagulans per capsule. The capsules are easy to open and sprinkle on top of food, and none of my animals seem to mind it. My boxer has terrible skin allergies and chronic ear infections and this product really makes a difference. Even better, my cat doesn’t throw up every time she eats when I give her this product. This brand is also highly recommended by holistic vets and naturopathic physicians.
- Jarrow Formulas Pet Dophilus Powder: This product is not only affordable, but it also contains five different strains of beneficial bacteria. It comes in a powder form, and I like to store it in the fridge to keep it as fresh as possible, although the manufacturer says it can just be stored in any cool place to extend its shelf life. It’s made a massive difference in the tear stains on my white cat. My boxer has less gas when he takes this, too… but we don’t talk about that. 😉
- Nusentia Probiotic Miracle Dog Probiotics: Probiotic Miracle comes in a generously sized canister and contains 360 Billion CFUs of beneficial bacteria per jar. It can be given to both dogs and cats, and it comes in powder form with a serving-sized scoop right in the jar. For my animals, this product is excellent for digestive issues, as well as yeast and allergy-related symptoms. This one also includes a prebiotic. If I were going to stick with just one product all the time, this would probably be the one.
- Vetri-Science Mega Probiotic Dog & Cat Supplement: This product is sold in capsule form with 5 billion microorganisms from eight different strains in every capsule. I open the capsules and sprinkle the powder of my pets’ food with no issues. It also has prebiotics for improved effectiveness. This is another excellent all-around probiotic for digestion and allergy-related issues. I absolutely love this product in the spring when my dog has problems with yeast in his ears.
Final Thoughts
I know that your dog is part of the family, and you want to do whatever you can to keep him healthy and happy. Taking care of his gut health is essential for preventing many health conditions, but it’s often overlooked. Luckily, probiotic supplements can benefit your dog’s digestive system and overall health at any age, so it’s never too late to incorporate probiotics into your dog’s diet.
