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Probiotics

DeniseA

Active Member
I'd like to start giving Addy probiotics and I'm having a tough time deciding what to do. As many of you know I'm in Canada, Vancouver Island to be exact and there's not much availability for...well, most everything! And, cost is a consideration so ordering from the US and paying 30% exchange plus inflated shipping isn't feasible.

So ... can I feed a human version? I 'm thinking the health food store here in town, they carry a couple different products, both refrigerated and not. I've always been under the impression that if they aren't refrigerated the culture isn't active...has that changed?

Are there certain strains to look for?
Is there really a difference between human and canine requirements?
I see several people here use fortiflora and Probiotic Miracle has been recommended as well but neither of them is refrigerated so now I'm wondering id refrigeration is no longer needed?

Usually I can research most things here online but this has me baffled. I'm finding so many contradictions.

Please help me out by sharing your thoughts?

Thanks in advance
 
Yogurt with probiotics is all you need. Like a tablespoon a day will promote good bacteria and a healthier GI tract.

Yogurt is a cultured or fermented milk product that is soured and thickened by adding specific lactic acid-producing cultures to milk. The basic cultures or probiotics used to make yogurt are Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus. Additional probiotics are often added.

Dogs are lactose intolerant, so anything more than a tablespoon is probably a bit counterproductive.
 
A good question. Probiotics is the final thing I've been considering trying for Oji's fragile g.i. system. I'll be watching for answers to your questions.
 
I started Kaia a few weeks ago on probiotics. I was going to order from Amazon but was in Petco and saw these and the price wasn't bad (I specifically wanted a chewable probiotic). I figured I might as well try instead of waiting for an Amazon shipment.

I'm glad I did because they have worked so far!! Huge difference in her gas/digestion issues.


Well & Good Digestive Enzymes & Probiotics Dog Tablets, 90 count | Petco Store

Anyway, not sure if it's feasible to order from them. I found this website:

PETCO Canada Online Shop - ShoppingCanadian.ca


But maybe check and see.


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FortiFlora from Purina has been the best probiotic for Drogon. Oddly when he was a pup he didn't like the taste now he loves it and expects it on every meal.
 
FortiFlora from Purina has been the best probiotic for Drogon. Oddly when he was a pup he didn't like the taste now he loves it and expects it on every meal.
Jax is a fan of that one, too. He much prefers it to the chewables. It was a big help when we were really struggling with gastro issues between 3-5 mos.
 
Fortiflora is the best out there. VetriScience chews are great too. Does your vet sell any probiotics? It may be easier (and cheaper) to check with them before looking elsewhere.

Yes, they can have human probios, but typically the concentration from vet to human is different and diarrhea can be a result.

Probiotics do not have to be refrigerated. They did long ago, but due to improved technology, they have found a way to preserve them in a suspended animation type of storage. Some still have to be refrigerated, but imho they are too sensitive so I stay clear of them.

You can technically give yougurt, but I found that it's not as affective. There is less concentration of probios in yougurt and you will find you have to give more (1-2 cups) to get the benefits. Like Fred said, dogs are lactose intolerant (actually they lack the digestive enzyme Lactase required to digest dairy). So, it's a double edged sword...you have to give more to see a benefit, but doing so causes GI upset.
 
I use FortiFlora when traveling since it comes in nice one use packs. We use Dogzymes Digestive Enhancer at home for daily use.

From Natires Farmacy : "Digestive Enhancer is our egg base digestive bacteria and enzyme product. Contains the Highest levels of 5 beneficial bacteria types and 6 enzymes making it the most complete digestive product on the market. 5 Billion colony forming units per gram! (Approx. ¼ teaspoon). Highly palatable with an egg protein base. Small serving size for easy daily usage. Micro-encapsulated for up to 3 year shelf life without refrigeration."

FortiFlora: "
Purina® Pro Plan® Veterinary Diets FortiFlora® is a nutritional supplement for dogs and has been formulated to achieve the following characteristics:

  • Contains guaranteed amounts of live active cultures
  • Proven to promote intestinal health & balance
  • Nutritional supplement for dietary management of dogs with diarrhea
  • Helps reduce flatulence (gas) in dogs"
 
I started Oji on the Geneflora brand of probiotics this past Sunday. We have a nearby pet supply store that sells a lot of higher end stuff (as in, too rich for my wallet) so I assume – more like hope – this brand is good.

Geneflora's website is not too impressive, and it says something like "Geneflora Is Back!"

It is a powder and the dosage is two of the tiny scoopfuls per day. It "highly recommend"s doubling the dose for the first two weeks of use, which we are doing.

Not long before finally taking the plunge on probiotics, I increased Oji's feed back up to 5 cups from the 4 cups I'd reduced it to. He is on his fourth bag of a cheaper food (go ahead and judge). I am considering going back to something like TOTW.

Oji has dropped weight and I am seeing too much skeletal structure visible.

Of course, there is also the ongoing stool problem. That actually improved on the cheaper food, but then again, I reduced his feed amount at about the same time as I switched to the cheaper food.
 
Not long before finally taking the plunge on probiotics, I increased Oji's feed back up to 5 cups from the 4 cups I'd reduced it to. He is on his fourth bag of a cheaper food (go ahead and judge). I am considering going back to something like TOTW.
If you found that his poops were improved then I'd say keep him on the cheaper food. Just add a fifth cup. Changing too many things at once makes it harder to evaluate the progress. Also, I think I read that probiotics have to be served between meals? Oddly enough Kaiser is not on one because I either never found the brand I was looking for or I didn't finish checking prices.
 

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