Good nutrition is one of the most important factors in the health and well being of dogs. However, feeding your dog a quality food is only part of good nutrition. Nutrients are beneficial only as far as they can be properly digested and absorbed by the dog’s digestive system.
The benefits of probiotics in the diet have long been recognized but only in recent years have the benefits of prebiotics been discovered.
What are Probiotics?
The gastrointestinal tract contains various kinds of bacteria. Dr. Jorg M. Steiner with the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at Texas A&M University, describes probiotics as live bacteria that are part of the physiologic intestinal bacterial ecosystem that convey a health benefit. An example would be Lactobacillus acidophilus, or the active cultures found in some yogurts. In other words, not all bacteria are bad.
Health Benefits of Probiotics for Dogs
These beneficial or good bacteria aid in digestion by helping to break down food into nutrients that can be used by the dog’s body. They also enhance the ability of the digestive tract lining to absorb these nutrients which sends optimum nourishment to every cell.
Harmful bacteria, on the other hand, consume those nutrients themselves and rob the dog’s body of nutrition.
What are Prebiotics?
Prebiotics are nondigestible food components, or fiber, that nourish and support the growth of good bacteria, or probiotics, in the digestive tract. Examples in dog food would be chicory root or beet pulp.
Health Benefits of Prebiotics for Dogs
While prebiotics support the growth of good bacteria, they can not be used by bad bacteria. As the good bacteria are strengthened and the bad bacteria are weakened, more nutrition is absorbed by the dog’s body, promoting better health.
What is Synbiotic?
Prebiotics and probiotics are sometimes combined into a formula called a synbiotic. This combination appears to provide greater health benefits by healing and regulating microbial balance in the intestine. This may be particularly useful after antibiotic therapy which can destroy both good and bad bacteria.
Using Probiotics and Prebiotics in Medicine
Probiotics and prebiotics have the potential to benefit dogs with small intestinal bacterial overgrowth. Dogs treated with antibiotic therapy can sometimes relapse after treatment is finished but dogs may be treated long term with probiotics and have a smaller chance of relapse.
Prebiotics in Dog Food
Several dog food companies, such as Nestle Purina and Iams, now offer pet foods with prebiotics. Dog owners should consult their veterinarian for the best diet for their dog.
Sources:
Health Benefits of Probiotics and Prebiotics for Our Pets by Randy Kidd, DVM,PhD
Understanding the benefits of prebiotics by Jorg M. Stener, MED. VET., DR. MED.VET., PhD, DACVIM, DECVIM-CA
Joy Butler - Writer, retired lab tech, mom, and animal lover with over 20 years' experience rescuing, kenneling, training and showing dogs.
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