Dog Probiotics information

The world is full of bacteria; many kinds are harmful and can cause illness, but there are also beneficial bacteria. The gastrointestinal (GI) tract uses bacteria to digest food and to make certain vitamins. Most of these helpful bacteria live in the large intestine (colon). Stress, illness, medication, or change in diet can upset the balance of bacteria in the large intestine, which can lead to minor problems such as gas, or more major problems such as diarrhea. Having the right balance of bacteria helps your dog to make better use of food and can help prevent some GI illnesses.

Dog Probiotics information

Healthy Dog Food for Your Dog's Digestion

Healthy Dog Food

We all know dog food is essential for the health of our dogs. But what's more important is what is in the dog food. A dog's digestive system, which is mainly responsible for breaking down food, absorbs the nutrients from the dog food and distributes it throughout the body and prevents toxins from entering the bloodstream. In fact, research indicates that 70% of a dog's immune system lies in the digestive tract. So then, what are some of these ingredients in dog food that can help maintain proper digestive health for your pet?

1. Probiotics

What are probiotics? They are the "good bacteria" that help improve the digestibility of ingredients and are an essential part of the immune system. By feeding your dog food with live probiotics after it has been cooked and cooled (to assure maximum survival) reinsures you are re-inoculating the digestive tract.

2. Prebiotics

Prebiotics are similar to probiotics. However, according to the International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics (ISAPP), "prebiotic targets the microbiota already present within the ecosystem, acting as a 'food' for the target microbes with beneficial consequences for host." Basically, the prebiotic serves as the nutrition for the health and performance of the "good bacteria" in your dog's digestive tract. Some examples of prebiotic ingredients to look for in your dog's food include beet pulp, soybeans, raw oats and inulin.

3. Natural fiber

If you've ever had issues going to the bathroom than you probably know what fiber has to offer. Fiber promotes the digestive regularity by helping to move food waste from your dog's digestive tract through the colon at an optimal speed. While it may not be pretty, your dog will thank you. Common sources of natural fibers in healthy dog food include flaxseed and oatmeal. You can also find some sources of fiber that can serve as prebiotics too, such as beet pulp.

4. Digestive Enzymes

Your dog breaks down the food in much the same way you do — with digestive enzymes. Produced by organs such as the pancreas, digestive enzymes break down the food so that the intestinal tract can absorb all those great nutrients, which are then distributed throughout your dog's body. When digestive enzymes are added to dog food, it helps to increase digestibility and reduce the stress on your dog's bodily organs.

5. Phytonutrients

Phytonutrients are found in the skins of vegetables and fruits. They act as powerful antioxidants and are known to help neutralize free radicals in order to keep the cells of the body healthy. They are few other natural dog food ingredients that enhance the immune system and help protect a dog's body like phytonutrients.

So next time you're buying dog food remember this … Feeding your dog healthy food that contains probiotics and prebiotics, natural fiber, digestive enzymes and phytonutrients will help maintain a healthy digestive tract and a strong immune system.

Human Probiotics for Dogs

Dogs can benefit from probiotics in yogurt and cottage cheese.

Human Probiotics for Dogs 

Probiotics are as beneficial to a dog’s digestive system as they are to his owner’s health. These friendly bacteria promote regularity throughout the intestinal tract. Dogs are especially vulnerable to gastro-intestinal troubles because canines typically devour anything they find on the ground, which may include toxins. Some pet foods are supplemented with probiotics, but you may also share human foods with your pet that are enhanced with these living microorganisms.

Yogurt

About probioticsfor dogs

"How You Can Help Keep Your Pet's Digestive andImmune System Happy and Healthy"
Total Probiotics formula benefits your pet with 14 beneficial bacterial strains.

When it comes to the health of your pets – especially keeping their sensitive digestive systems happy and working well – there is one option that is finally receiving the recognition it deserves.

It's a solution that provides the gastrointestinal relief and daily support your cats and dogs need to help maintain their active lifestyle.

And, it's a healthy choice that gives you the peace of mind you deserve because you know you're taking the best care of your animals as possible.

But, getting here hasn't been easy...

The Answer to Your Pet's Bowel Health

That Many Traditional Vets Don't Recognize

It's a fact: Bowel health is one of the top 10 reasons owners bring their pets to the vet for healthcare.

I see cats and dogs with less-than-optimal bowel health every day.

But, it doesn't have to be this way...

You see, for years, holistic veterinarians like me have argued that supplementing their diet with probiotics is an essential way to help maintain and promote your pet's optimal gastrointestinal health.

With a healthy GI system, your pet can potentially:

• Achieve peak strength, fitness and vigor
• Maximize optimum health and wellbeing no matter what stage of life they're in
• Fully enjoy a rich life of companionship with you

Alternatives to neutering your male dog

Alternatives to neutering your male dog:

Owners who do not elect to get their dogs desexed often request other ways of preventing or managing the breeding, behavioural or medical problems faced by their entire pets. Which preventative measures and treatment options can be offered really depends on what the owner is trying to achieve. Owners just looking to prevent their dog or dogs from breeding can make use of a range of birth/pregnancy control measures available (sections 10a-10f). Owners looking to control or manage testosterone-mediated behavioural or medical problems (e.g. prostate hyperplasia, perianal adenomas) can look at option 10g. The reality is, however, that no one of these alternative measures alone will manage all of the problems of overpopulation, behaviour and testosterone-mediated health issues like desexing will. Additionally, many of these alternative solutions do come with significant side effects and health risks of their own. Desexing is always the best choice.

IMPORTANT: Check your local state and regional laws before opting for any of these alternatives. Animal population control laws are changing and increasing all the time. It may be illegal for you to keep a non-breeding-purposes (i.e. an entire male "stud" dog not owned by a registered breeder) entire male dog on your property. 

The cost (price) of neutering a dog

The cost of neutering a dog:

Much as I would love to be able to do so, to attempt to place a flat $ figure on the costs of desexing a dog would be grossly irresponsible of me and quite impossible to do. The cost of desexing male dogs is greatly variable and varies from place to place and region to region. It depends on many factors including: the size of the vet clinic, the competition the vet clinic has, the nature of the clinic (e.g. is it a shelter clinic), the suburb the clinic is located in, the size (weight) of the dog, whether the animal is a cryptorchid or not and so on.

In this section, I will give you an idea of the costs and the range of prices that may exist in one town/city when you are considering getting your dog neutered in Australia. (The principles discussed here will most likely to apply to any city in the world). I will outline the ways that vets arrive at these prices and discuss ways that you can source lower cost and discount neutering.

FAQs and myths about dog neutering

Frequently asked questions (FAQs) and myths about neutering:

This section outlines some of the commonly held myths and misconceptions about neutering surgery and answers some of your commonly asked questions.

 Myth 1 - All desexed dogs gain weight (get fat).

I have previously discussed this topic in other sections of this page: it is a commonly held belief that is, quite simply, not true.

Studies have shown that neutered animals probably require around 25% less calories to maintain a healthy bodyweight than entire male animals of the same bodyweight do. This is because a neutered animal has a lower metabolic rate than an entire animal does. Because of this, what tends to happen is that most owners, unaware of this fact, continue to feed their neutered male dogs the same amount of food calories after the surgery that they did prior to the surgery, with the result that their pets become fat. Consequently, the myth of automatic obesity has become perpetuated through the dog-owning circles and, as a result, many owners simply will not consider desexing their dogs because of the fear of them gaining weight and getting diabetes and so on.

Late onset complications of neutering

Late onset complications of neutering

Weight gain.

Not really a complication per se, but an often complained about sequelae of desexing surgery.

Studies have shown that neutered animals probably require around 25% fewer calories to maintain a healthy bodyweight than entire male animals of the same weight do. This is because a neutered animal has a lower metabolic rate than an entire animal. Because of this, what tends to happen is that most owners, unaware of this fact, continue to feed their neutered male dogs the same amount of food after the surgery that they did prior to the surgery, with the result that their dogs become fat. Consequently, the myth of automatic obesity has become perpetuated through dog-owning circles and, as a result, many owners simply will not consider desexing their dogs because of the fear of them gaining weight.

Author's note: The fact of the matter is that most dogs will not become obese simply because they have been desexed. They will only become obese if the post-neutering drop in their metabolic rate is not taken into account and they are fed the same amount of food calories as an entire animal. Any weight gain that is experienced can be reversed through not feeding the pet as many calories and treats. 

Dog : Possible surgical and post-surgical complications of neutering

Possible surgical and post-surgical complications of neutering

There are some surgical and post surgical complications of desexing a dog that should be considered before you take the step of having your pet neutered. These are outlined below. The most important thing to remember about the complications listed below is that the vast majority of these complications are very rare and the small risk of them occurring should not outweigh the benefits of having your pet neutered. Of those complications that are more common (the common ones are indicated), the vast majority of these are not life-threatening and most can be prevented by good attention to after-care and wound care. 

Pain after surgery (common).

It is not uncommon for dogs to show some signs of mild to moderate discomfort and pain immediately after having a desexing surgery. It stands to reason: the vet has just performed a surgical procedure on a very delicate area of the male body. 

Dogs that are in discomfort after desexing will normally show signs suggestive of pain in the groin region. The animal may pant a lot; pace the room (not want to settle);adopt a stiff hind leg gait (these animals are reluctant to move their hind legs much when walking) and refuse to sit down in a normal sitting posture. Some dogs will be irritated by the sutures and/or by the fact that the delicate scrotal skin was shaved (and thus abraded a little) and keep licking the region obsessively (this licking needs to be discouraged by placing an Elizabethan Collar on the dog or a bitterant on the wound - see section 5 on aftercare). Some dogs will even go off their food for a few days after desexing because of the discomfort. 

Dog Neutering aftercare

Neutering aftercare - what you need to know about caring for your dog after neutering surgery.

When your dog goes home after neutering surgery, there are some basic exercise, feeding, bathing, pain relief and wound care considerations that should be followed to improve your pet's healing, health and comfort levels. 

1) Feeding your dog immediately after neutering:

After a dog has been desexed, it is not normally necessary for you to implement any special dietary changes. You can generally go on feeding your pet what it has always eaten. Some owners like to feed their pet on bland diets (e.g. boiled skinless chicken and rice diet or a commercial prescription intestinal diet such as Royal Canin Digestive or Hills i/d)for a few days after surgery in case the surgery and anaesthesia has upset their tummies. This is not normally required, but is perfectly fine to do.