Digestive health in dogs

Do you know what was in your dog's digestive tract when he was first born? Not much. But as your pet grew, many different types of bacteria began to colonize in his gut. Relax, this is a good thing!

The majority of these bacteria are beneficial. Otherwise known as "friendly flora" or "probiotics," they include Lactobacillus acidophilus, Bifido-Bacterium bifidum and Lactobacillus bulgaricus. They may be small, but these organisms have a big job keeping your pet in good health by aiding in the digestive process and providing enzymes, B vitamins and natural antibiotic-like substances.

These friendly flora aren't the only residents of your pet's gastrointestinal tract. Pathogenic bacteria (not-so-friendly flora) live there, too, and produce toxins that can cause digestive upsets, appetite loss, weakness and, ultimately, lead to disease. Too many toxins place an increased demand on the liver and kidneys, as these organs must work overtime to compensate for the malfunctioning GI tract.

In healthy pets, there is a delicate balance between these beneficial and pathogenic bacteria. As long as the balance is maintained, the animal remains healthy and is able to keep up a strong immune system. The optimal ratio, experts say, is 85% friendly flora to 15% pathogenic bacteria.

What throws your pet's digestive tract out of whack? There can be a variety of factors – including poor diet, pollutants and stress – that cause the pathogenic bacteria to gain the upper hand. Stress comes in many forms, some less obvious than you might think. Inclement weather, strenuous exercise, travel, separation anxiety – even a change in diet – can deplete beneficial bacteria.

Perhaps the greatest offender, and most common cause of imbalance in the digestive tract, is antibiotics. While these lifesaving drugs attack infectious disease-carrying organisms, they don't differentiate the good from the bad and beneficial bacteria is eliminated as well. If your dog is prescribed antibiotics, he may lose his appetite and suffer from digestive upsets while taking the medication. It may take several days before his normal beneficial bacterial flora is reestablished.

What's a responsible pet owner to do? More and more canine caretakers are exploring direct-fed microbial supplements, which contain naturally-occurring lactic acid bacteria (or, as you now know them, probiotics) in a stabilized form. When given as directed, these supplements help repopulate a pup's gut with beneficial bacteria following antibiotic use, stressful situations, or as otherwise indicated below:

• At birth: As mentioned earlier, a young pup has a nearly sterile gut. Probiotics can help colonize friendly bacteria and get your pet off to a good start
• Following antibiotic therapy
• Following deworming: Intestinal parasites release toxins when they die that kill bacteria
• During gastrointestinal upsets such as vomiting and diarrhea
• To restore regular eating habits in dogs suffering from a lack of appetite

Probiotic supplements are available in various dosage forms, including gels, suspensions, powder and tablets, so you may need to experiment to find what works best for you and your pet. It's also important to understand that not all probiotics are created equal and you'll need to ensure that the product you select has been made using correct manufacturing processes. Experts recommend a supplement that's produced under food-grade standards and is moisture-controlled.