Probiotics can be extremely beneficial for dogs in a variety of ways, and they are very popular with dog owners these days. The fact is that probiotics are considered to be an essential supplement for good overall dog health, but there are some things that you will want to watch out for when giving them to your pet.
While it is true that probiotics can come with a number of benefits, there are some side-effects that you should be aware of.
Some of the adverse side-effects of probiotics in dogs include digestive discomfort like diarrhea, bloating, gas, and constipation. Sometimes a dog’s symptoms might get worse before they get better when giving them probiotics, though this is not always the case. It can also sometimes become difficult to administer probiotics to a dog, especially in tablet form.
At first there may be a bit of a trial and error period where you have to find the right probiotics for your dog before an ideal solution is discovered. Most owners don’t have issues when it comes to getting their dogs to take probiotics, as they can be put into any type of dog food without issue.
Probiotics do not usually require a prescription from a vet, and you can get them either at a pet supply store or online (just like fish oil and hip and joint supplements). There are a number of different websites that sell probiotics specifically for dogs, but not all dogs react the same way to them.
It is important that you carefully observe how your dog reacts to the probiotics you give it so you will know whether or not to stop. If you are unsure as to whether or not the supplements you are giving your dog are causing any adverse reactions, you should make an appointment to see your vet right away.
There are certain dog probiotic supplements that have been proven to treat an unhealthy digestive tract, but a veterinarian will tell you whether or not yours has a serious underlying health problem that caused the digestive issue in the first place.
You will definitely want to get the opinion of your vet before giving your dog probiotics, even though they are usually harmless for most of these animals. A veterinarian will perform a thorough examination on your dog before prescribing or recommending probiotics for it.
By starting your dog on these supplements before getting the input of your vet, you could be putting it at risk.
It is very important that you look for changes in your dog’s eating habits when starting it on probiotic supplements, just so you can be sure that they are not having a bad reaction to it. Some dogs that are given these supplements have problems with gas, constipation, or nausea.
If your dog suddenly stops eating its food or throws it up, you will want to take it to your local vet as soon as possible for an examination.
When you are going about buying probiotics to give to your dog, you will want to look for a dry dog supplement that has stabilized strains of bacteria in it. Stabilized probiotics do not have to be refrigerated and will not react the same way that a liquid or unstable probiotic does when exposed, making it much easier to store.
You will also need to check to make sure that your dog’s probiotic contains prebiotics in low amounts only. A prebiotic provides the probiotics healthy food to grow on, which is absolutely essential for this type of supplement.
If you want to encourage good overall health in your dog, probiotics can be a good option; you will just need to watch out for any signs of adverse reaction to them.
Excerpt from the Animal Care International Association website.