Griswald - Available for adoption in Edmonton from SCARS

You have probably heard the words "probiotic" or "friendly bacteria" used in tv ads for yogurt and milk. You may have researched the benefits of supplementing yourself with probiotics, but did you know that your pets can benefit from supplementation for the same reasons?

What are probiotics?

Simply put, probiotics are supplements that replace the beneficial bacteria that are very often missing in the intestinal tract. They can be found naturally in yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, and other fermented products.

The effects of our modern lifestyles on gut flora

Administering antibiotics to our pets destroys the majority of both "good" and "bad" bacteria in the gut. Even if your pet has not been administered antibiotics by a veterinarian, keep in mind that even the majority of grocery store meat has been treated with antibiotics - just imagine the quality of the meat found in most PET foods? At Tail Blazers, our dry foods are all hormone and antibiotic free!

Using disinfectants in the home, and even chlorinated water can destroy good bacteria along with the bad.

Believe it or not, there may have been soil-based probiotics present in the dirt that our pets used to consume while eating their food and bones outside. Unfortunately, modern agricultural practices have destroyed most of the soil-based probiotics found in the majority of farmer's fields.

How do I know if I need to supplement?

If your pet IS experiencing or HAS experienced any of the following, it may be a good indication to supplement:

-        Antibiotic treatment

-        Chronic stress (traveling, moving, kenneling, new pet or baby, etc)

-        Digestive problems (irritable bowel, flatulence, leaky gut, diarrhea)

-        Allergies (can be exacerbated by a faulty digestive tract)

-        Poor diet (ingredients like artificial preservatives can destroy good bacteria)

-        Frequent urinary tract infections

-        Chronic ear infections

-        Low immune response

-        Drinking chlorinated water

Probiotics can retard the growth of harmful bacteria, yeast, fungi, parasites, and E.Coli. They can improve digestion and absorption. Probiotics can also help protect your pet from pathogens such as salmonella. Puppies can also benefit from the addition of probiotics to help boost their immune systems.

How do I supplement with probiotics?

Probiotics can be given to your pet in many forms. If your pet can tolerate dairy, a good quality plain yogurt can be added to their diet. However, the longer yogurt sits on the grocer's shelf, the less effective it is. Homemade is better.

Tail Blazers carries a variety of probiotics you can add to your pet's food. "Good Digestion" is an example of a powdered probiotic that is easy to add to your pet's food. It not only contains probiotics, but also enzymes and greens. See "Product Features" for more examples...

Many high quality pet foods are also realizing the benefit to adding probiotics to their kibbles. When choosing a dry food, ensure that the probiotic has been added and freeze-dried onto the kibble after it's cooled since heat destroys it. "Nature's Variety" dry pet food adds a freeze dried "bio-coating" that replaces bio-available enzymes, amino acids, essential fatty acids, probiotics, vitamins, and minerals otherwise degraded or lost during the processing necessary to produce kibble.

Choose a product that is human grade, hormone and antibiotic free to prevent introducing more unwanted antibiotics into the diet.

*The information in this article should not replace regular care from a qualified Veterinarian.