Diarrhea. Throwing up. YUCK! No one likes dealing with this mess, but more than that, it makes you feel bad when your dog doesn’t feel well. Not to mention your dog probably doesn’t look or act his best when he’s not getting nutrition. And, you’re wasting money. But what do you do?
More than ever, it seems like our dogs have sensitive stomachs. Not to mention skin problems, itchy feet, inflamed ears, poor coat, bad breath, gas, and more symptoms of “just not doing well.” Did you know that most of these issues are signs of malabsorption and a poor gut biome? The gut biome is the totality of microorganisms, bacteria, protozoa, etc, in the intestinal tract. Since the digestive system is the biggest organ in the body, scientists are becoming increasingly convinced that gut health impacts overall health. This applies to our dogs as well. Poor gut health can contribute to cancer, diabetes, weight problems, autoimmune disease, cognitive loss, and more.
What can you do to increase your dog’s digestive health?
Especially if your dog is sensitive or having issues such as those outlined above, you can feed a higher quality food and avoid “junk” foods either canine or human. If you have identified specific sensitivities such as corn (we don’t use corn or any GMO grains at Muenster) or chicken, you can avoid those ingredients. For instance, many dogs with sensitive systems have great luck with our Ocean Fish Ancient Grains formula. However, a probiotic can be extremely beneficial in resetting your dog’s GI tract and healing his gut. This allows better reactions and absorption of nutrients in his food. Sometimes an “allergy” or sensitivity isn’t forever.
Top 8 Pros of Probiotics
Probiotics are live bacteria and yeasts that are good for your dog and can re-colonize the good and helpful bacteria in your dog’s digestive tract. Here are the top 8 reasons for adding a probiotic to your dog’s food:
- Adding additional “good” bacteria helps change the dynamic of the entire gut, allowing it to heal.
- Dogs fed a probiotic in numerous studies showed more antibodies….this protects against disease and boosts the immune system.
- Low lactobacillus and bifidobacterium numbers have been linked to anxiety. Stress isn’t good for anyone!
- Giving your dog probiotics after antibiotics (saccharomyces and soil-based strains) can help heal a gut disruption after medications.
- Probiotics, in conjunction with the proper high-protein diet (and numerous protein sources), can add diversity to the bacteria in your dog’s digestive system, allowing him to maximize the nutrition he receives and thrive.
- For puppies, feeding a probiotic helps set their gut up for their lifetime of health.
- For older dogs, probiotics help maximize cognitive function and muscle retention.
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When switching foods, probiotics can help ease a transition.
Muenster adds pre and probiotics to the high-quality kibble we make. But for dogs that are young, old, or have digestive concerns, we offer a customization option, where you can add additional probiotics to your bag of food, AFTER it is made and before we ship it. This allows even more healthy bacteria to get to the gut of your dog so it can work its magic. It is also helpful to add probiotics when switching foods and sometimes even when switching proteins on some dogs. If you have questions about probiotics, contact our customer support team for a FREE My Custom Dog Food consultation!