 Does your dog suffer from diarrhea, soft stool, vomiting attacks or bad gas? There can be many reasons for this including, sickness, allergies or variances in the diet. One common reason is a lack of healthy bacteria in the digestive tract.
Causes of low bacteria levels vary, but one primary cause is related to processed dog food. In its natural form, raw food contains live enzymes and bacteria that help dogs (and us) digest food and absorb essential nutrients. The heat involved in manufacturing and extracting processed dog food kills these good organisms so the dog essentially has less capability to break down the food for nutrient absorption in the intestines.
Another cause is the use of antibiotics. Antibiotics kill healthy bacteria in the gut so it is a good idea to provide extra bacteria during times when your pet is undergoing antibiotic treatment.
The resul of bacteria deficiency is that nutrients including protein, fats and carbohydrates are not completely broken down leading to the growth of unwanted bacteria in the gut. This imbalance of good to bad bacteria leads to many of the gastrointestinal problems described above.
Good bacteria, also known as probiotics aid in digestion, production of key B vitamins, immune functions and ward off harmful bacteria in the intestines. In total, this bacteria helps keep your dog healthy. So what are some ways you can ensure your pet has enough good bacteria?
One option is to switch your dog’s food to a natural, raw meat diet. These uncooked products contain intact, naturally-occurring enzymes that aid digestion and closely match the diet dogs would eat in the wild.
Most processed dog food and dog treats contains contain unhealthy gluten rich grains including wheat and corn, refined biodegradable material and chemicals that can be harmful for our pets. High cooking temperatures kill any good bacteria that were present in the food’s raw form.
If you are feeding your dog a high quality processed food, another option is to supplement your dog’s diet with probiotics. A good probiotic containing a variety of bacteria can benefit your dog in many ways including:
- Improved digestion for better nutrient absorption
- Increased immune functions
- Healthy bowl movements and less stool and less gas
- Reduction in itchy, flaky skin
- Shinier, healthier coat
Distinctive Dog provides the first probiotic dog bakery snack fortified with an all-natural, hypo-allergenic probiotic supplement. These dog treats contain lactobacillus acidophilus, lactobacillus casei, streptococcus faecium, bifidobacterium longum and succharomyces cerevisiae. This mixture has been optimized for dogs to fortify a healthy diet. |
