Do you need probiotic everyday,

[linda giorgi]

My puppy took a probiotic, Proviable, when she took antibiotics. Her stools are normal should she take it everyday.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Dogs who have experienced serious or chronic digestive issues should be getting probiotics on a regular basis if possible. All too often, people stop giving the probiotics and the stool stops being "normal". :)

[Ann Kendig]

What do you give Jack?

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Jack takes a human probiotic called VSL#3 which is used in human patients with ulcerative colitis and other chronic digestive diseases.  Jane's Murphy takes it too. A $100,000 study at Iowa vet school showed it to be effective in reducing the amount of drugs required to keep dogs with IBD stable; it's pretty powerful stuff, with 225 billion live cultures per 2 capsule dose. It's also pretty expensive, but worth it to us. It enabled us to reduce Jack's prednisone dosage during the first few months after his IBD diagnosis. 

http://vetmed.iastate.edu/VetPulse-June2014/Probiotic

[Ann Kendig]

Do you think it would be OK to put Duke on this even though he hasn't been officially diagnosed with IBD?

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Sure. 

It must be kept refrigerated at all times, so ordering it on-line is risky. You can order from the manufacturer, but that's really expensive. Your best bet is to find it at a drugstore near you. I get it at CVS. I had to do a little calling around to find it. Be sure to ask for the capsules, they're sold in a bottle of 60. There's also a "sachet" form, lemon flavored packets, but you don't want that. 

[Ann Kendig]

Thanks for the info, Karen. I'm going to check into it. I thank you and so does Duke.
: ). Lately, the vomiting has started to come back. He has hunger but doesn't get too excited about food like he used to. He does eat but if I don't feed him on a fairly rigid schedule he refuses to eat. His stomach makes sounds that can be heard across the room. On top of this and his allergy issues his walking is getting worse. X-rays have been done and show nothing. I think it's a CCL. He goes back to vet, along with Pepper who has been losing her appetite and has a UTI (Sheba has a UTI also). I've been pulling out my hair! Lol

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

I agree, and so does my Vet.   Murph will always be on a probiotic due to his IBD, but my Vet kept Guinness on Proviable for almost a year after his GI issues.... just to be sure.  With his prior history that made total sense to me....and he has not had any recurring episodes.

[Susan and Bentley]

I don't know if they need it but I give Bentley probiotic every day because it does seem to keep his belly healthy, and he actually loves it so he eats his food because I sprinkle it on it.

[Susan and Bentley]

Bentley had a lot of stomach issues, we were always running to the vet.  We switched from bison to lamb - same brand, Earthborn Holistic and between that and the probiotic he's had NO stomach problems!  I use Purina Fortiflora which is what my vet had given me.  I just order it now from Amazaon....

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Susan, we do not recommend Fortiflora here, or any other Purina product. Fortiflora contains some very nasty ingredients, including a flavoring agent called "animal digest". Here's what this is, according to AAFCO:

"A cooked-down broth made from unspecified parts of unspecified animals. The animals used can be obtained from any source, so there is no control over quality or contamination. Any kind of animal can be included: "4-D animals" (dead, diseased, disabled, or dying prior to slaughter), goats, pigs, horses, rats, misc. roadkill, animals euthanized at shelters, restaurant and supermarket refuse and so on."

http://www.dogfoodproject.com/?page=badingredients

Obviously, not something we want to be giving or recommending here. There are much, much better probiotics available for less money. We recommend Proviable and iFlora. Some vets do carry those, otherwise, you can order on-line. 

[Susan and Bentley]

thank you Karen.  I had no idea.  I will try one of the others!  Thank you so much!

[Susan and Bentley]

Karen do you buy the proviable capsules and sprinkle that on their food?