3 Signs Your Dog Needs Probiotics

There are plenty of products for people that provide probiotic benefits, which basically means that they boost the good bacteria in our guts and help with our digestion.

What you might not realize is that dogs can also take advantage of probiotics, and in some cases, this will significantly improve their health and quality of life as a result.

So how can you tell if it’s time to invest in the top-rated probiotics for dogs? Here’s an overview of the signals that show action needs to be taken.

Constipation

Being constipated is a common symptom of wider problems with the digestive system in dogs as well as humans, so if you notice that your pooch is not using the bathroom as regularly as usual, then issues with the microflora in its gut may be to blame.

All living things have bacteria within them that are harnessed to ensure the things they eat can be processed efficiently and have energy and nutrients extracted from them. If there is an imbalance, disruption can occur. Probiotics act to restore the natural order, and thus they can help dogs overcome bouts of constipation.

Diarrhea

At the other end of the spectrum, if your animal is experiencing diarrhea, this is also a sign that administering probiotics should be a priority.

It’s worth pointing out that stress can upset the balance of gut bacteria, so if your dog has experienced some kind of traumatic event, then this can have digestion-related side effects that you might not necessarily associate with this. 

Giving them the right products to redress this issue, as well as making sure that they are kept out of potentially triggering, stressful situations in the future, is wise.

Excess gas & bloating

In addition to constipation and diarrhea, an upset bacterial ecosystem in a dog’s digestive tract will often cause more than normal amounts of gas to be produced.

This might be emitted frequently, which is obviously not particularly pleasant if you are spending time indoors with your dog. Worse still, it might be retained, and result in bloating which will leave them in discomfort and sour their mood, as well as paving the way to further medical issues.

Probiotics will ideally be capable of counteracting the ill effects of bacterial imbalances, meaning that gassy and bloated animals will be brought back to their normal, happy, healthy selves.

Understanding other reasons why probiotics are needed

We have touched on a couple of reasons why probiotics might have to be introduced to your dog’s diet, but it’s also worth noting that aside from the natural causes, there may be other factors at play.

The most common example is if your dog has undergone a course of antibiotics in order to treat an infection. Antibiotics are designed to kill bad bacteria, but can also impact good bacteria indiscriminately, which of course compromises gut health in certain cases.

Your vet may recommend the use of probiotics when prescribing antibiotics, although of course, you’ll need to wait until the treatment has taken effect before you attempt to bring good bacteria back to their digestive tracts.

In terms of how long it takes for probiotic products to have a positive impact, you will typically see improvements within the first 24 to 48 hours.

Obviously, not all digestive complaints are to do with a bacterial imbalance, and if probiotics do not do the trick, then you will need to return to the vet and ask for further advice and assistance. 

Parasites could well be to blame for problems here, for example, so don’t make assumptions or try to diagnose the ailments yourself.