How Probiotics Can Help Your Pet

You may have heard about the benefits of probiotics for digestion in people. Promising medical research has found that
the health of the gut microbiome plays an incredibly important part in both the prevention or development of many
chronic illnesses, diseases, and discomforts. The same can be said for our beloved pets. The diet and health of your pet
can be strongly affected by both their diet, food intake, and of course, the health of their digestive system.

What are Probiotics?

Bacteria are often considered a “bad thing” but probiotics are what we call beneficial bacteria. These bacteria live in our
digestive tract all throughout the stomach to the small and large instestines. There are many different species of
probiotics that all tend to reside in different parts of the digestive system as well as belong to their own genera or
classification.

Signs Your Pet May Need Probiotic Supplementation

Many dogs and cats can stand to benefit from supplementation with probiotics—even those that are not overtly experiencing
digestive issues or discomfort. Probiotics, generally speaking, assist the digestion process as well as promotes the overall
health of the immune system—which has a close relationship with digestion in both animals and humans.
For example, Pet Flora is a soil based probiotic which can help regulate the flora in your dog or cat’s GI tract. Unlike many
probiotics which are cultured in dairy, Pet Flora is cultivated in the earth as opposed to dairy—which is great as it avoids
any complications for pets that may be lactose intolerant or sensitive to lactose products.
Some common signs your pet may benefit from probiotics:
 Diarrhea
 Vomiting
 Digestive issues induced by stress
 Inadequate diet or sudden changes in diet
 Medications, specifically antibiotics
 Foul breath or body odor
 Excessive gas or burping

A quality probiotic can help restore the balance of the digestive system by supplementing with good bacteria. Diarrhea or
vomiting is often a sign that your pet is eating something that is not being digested properly or irritating the system and
being expelled.
Antibiotics are sometimes necessary to help our pets overcome an illness, but the drawback to these medications is that
it wipes out the good bacteria with the bad, leaving your pet with a significantly weakened ability to breakdown and
absorb nutrients properly from food.

Benefits of Probiotics for Your Pet

Conversely, a good probiotic supplement can assist in keeping your pet healthy and happy. One of the easiest ways to tell if
your pet’s digestive health is well is by examining their stools. This Study by Kelley et. al examined the fecal quality
between two groups of pets—one which was administered a probiotic solution and one which was not. Both groups were
subjected to relocation (a stressor for pets) and the results show that fecal scores were higher than the non-probiotic
group. The probiotic group also had a lower number of unacceptable stools.

The gist of the study points to a growing body of research on probiotics which points to the fact that probiotic
supplementation has its place in pet nutrition. Circumstances where there are dietary inadequacies or situations such as
pet relocation or boarding may occur are ideal scenarios to give your pet a quality probiotic.

Best Probiotic Supplement for Dogs

Pet Flora “the ultimate probiotic” is available for both dogs and cats.
Our probiotic goes above and beyond with the addition of Humic and Fulvic acids. These acids are extracted
from ancient plant deposits. Fulvic acid is said to boost immunity and reduce inflammation in the body. Humic acid has
potent anti-viral properties which makes it an excellent addition to a probiotic.
Call Vitality Science today at (575)-758-3985 for any questions about your order or information regarding our products. We love hearing from our customers!