Probiotics for Dogs

Canine Specific Research

There are only about 8 species of probiotics that have researched health benefits for dogs. Further details are provided at the links below:

• L. acidophilus
• B. animalis lactis
• L. rhamnosus
• L. salivarius
• L. fermentum
• L. reuteri
• E. faecium
• Bacillus coagulans

Top 8 Species of Probiotics for Dogs

1. L. acidophilus 

Lactobacillus acidophilus is everywhere in human and dog probiotics alike and for good reason. It has the ability to actually cling to the intestinal wall without harming it. In fact, it is best known for its ability to move un-disrupted through the stomach and into the intestines where it eats away at disease causing bacteria.

Benefits:

• constipation
• diarrhea
• increasing nutrient uptake (especially calcium)
• preventing food poisoning,
• producing B vitamins,
• alleviating dermatitis and other skin and coat conditions.

L. acidophilus is a staple for any probiotic supplement, but alone is usually not enough for therapeutic use. [7]

2. B. animalis lactis 

Bifidobacterium animalis lactis (or B. lactis) is one of the most researched probiotic strains for domestic animals. It is a key species for any dog probiotic to improving gastrointestinal health, however, is lacking in most formulas. B. animalis lactis is found in the large intestine and aids in protecting and removing toxins from the colon. Because of its positive properties, many companies have attemtped to trademark strains of B. animalis as a marketing technique, however, the basic species is all you need to know. [6]

Benefits:

• removing toxins from the colon
• improving overall gastrointestinal health in dogs
• recovering from antibiotics

3. L. rhamnosus 

Lactobacillus rhamnosus is one of the more highly studied probiotic subspecies for dogs and a foundational species of probiotics in canine intestinal tracts. This species is primarily used in the treatment of gastrointestinal disorders as it is effective bullying out harmful or pathogenic bacteria.

Benefits:

• resisting yeast
• urinary tract infections
• allergies and immune support

L. rhamnosus is a a great species for female dogs, or dogs prone to yeast overgrowth. [8]

4. L. salivarius 

Lactobacillus salivarius has been shown through research to produce a high amount of lactic acid, which helps to inhibit the growth of H. pylori, thusly reducing the associated inflammation and risk for dogs with peptic ulcers (stomach and intestinal), and irritable bowel sydrome. [8]

Benefits:

• stomach and intestinal ulcers
• irritable bowel syndrome
• stomach and intestinal upset

5. L. fermentum 

Lactobacillus fermentum is highly researched to help prevent and aid in urogenital infections and effective in inhibiting the growth of harmful bacteria in the canine body. [8]

Benefits:

• urinary tract and bladder infections
• recovering from antibiotics
• immune support

6. L. reuteri 

Lactobacillus reuterii is widely researched for dogs and cats. L. reuteri works to inhibit the growth of harmful bacteria as well as support production of natural antibiotic-like substances. This subspecies of theLactobacillus genus is perfect for dogs fighting infections and recovering from antibiotics. [9]

Benefits:

• recovering from antibiotics
• general wellness
• immune support
• stomach and intestinal upset

7. E. faecium

Enterococcus faecium (formerly Streptococcus faecium) is part of the the normal gastrointestinal tract of dogs and humans. While it is found in many dog nutrition and dog supplement products, it should be noted that this species is somewhat controversial. E. faecium has been shown to both stimulate the immune systems in puppies [10], and become an opportunistic pathogen, taking on the characteristics of pathogenic bacteria and/or translocating in the body via the bloodstream [1, 2, 3, 11].

This probiotic is not an apparent health risk, however, humans handling this probiotic for their dog should be sure to wash their hands after handling. While we don't expressly recommend using a product including this species, it is the sole species used in Purina's Fortiflora, which is somewhat well reviewed.

Benefits:

• diarrhea
• stimulating immune system

8. Bacillus coagulans

Bacillus coagulans, while not a part of the natural digestive tract in dogs, is a common species found in probiotic supplements for dogs and shown to be effective in treating against the species C. difficile[12].

Manufacturer's love this species as it can survive higher than typical heat and processing. For this reason, it is often used in foods and treat applications. Further, it withstands stomach acid and multiplies rapidly in the right conditions making it effective for dogs with Small Intestine Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO), diarrhea, or irregular stools. While this species is recognized as a safe food ingredient, because it is a spore-forming bacteria, and some manufacturings plants consider it a pathogen, it should be handled with care [13].

Benefits:

• diarrhea
• stomach and intestinal upset

Which Products Have All Beneficial Species of Probiotics?

You're probably wondering where you can get your hands on one product that contains all 8 species referenced on this page. WE DO NOT RECOMMEND using a supplement with a combination of all 8 these species.

Why?

The reason is, probiotics are living organisms and must work together harmoniously in the body in order to bring benefit to the host (your dog). Only 6 of these species are considered good "work mates", and those are species 1-6.

"Kitchen Sink" Formulas

Have you noticed some dog probiotics have 15, 20 or more species of bacteria listed in the formula? We consider these "kitchen sink" formulas. These types of products are not suitable for dogs, in fact, they may likely be human formulas repackaged for dogs. We're not fans of paying for extra ingredients our dogs don't need. Neither do we want to experiment with our pet's health, so we steer clear of anything with more than these researched species of healthy bacteria.

One Formula With All Beneficial Species

After doing our research and reading the reviews, we decided that Nusentia Probiotics won us over. Their benchmark product, Probiotic Miracle®, offers a good value and isn't overloaded with speculative species, plus, it's been around for over 10 years and has excellent, consistent reviews.