Probiotics for Dogs

What is CFU?

A probiotic’s CFU count represents the amount of viable (living) bacteria in a serving. CFU stands for Colony Forming Units. The total CFU in a probiotic formula will be the combined total of all bacterium included in the formula.

On the product label, each strain/ species of probiotic should be listed with its individual CFU. In some cases, the formula may combine all strains into one total CFU count per serving.

Related: Side Effects and Risks of Dog Probiotics

A human problem.

It is more common than not, for companies to take an existing human formula and market it for pets. For this reason, you will notice pet supplements all over the map when it comes to the amount of strains and CFU. If you see a supplement with billions of CFU and multiple species of bacteria, chances are it's a human formula, not specific to dogs.

Can I Give My Dog Human Probiotics?

Yes, but for best results you should not. The truth is, your dog's stomach and GI and digestive makeup is different than yours and certain species of bacteria will work better than others. Some may not be beneficial at all. Because of this, your dog requires a supplement made just for him.

How many CFU of probiotics does my dog need?

The amount of CFU needed depends on the problem that is being treated—every dog has different needs.

The research available for dogs is not as robust as it is in humans, and we find that the dog owner is the best at discerning how much is needed. Those who monitor their dog's health during probiotic therapy can judge by the reaction/improvement, or otherwise, if the dose should be increased or decreased.

That said, we do provide a "rule of thumb" for dosing probiotics for your dog.

Probiotic Dosage for Dogs

Our findings show, that for general health maintenance, 1-4 Billion CFU daily is very effective for dogs depending on the dog’s weight. Under 50 lbs, start off by giving your dog 1-3 billion CFU per day. Dogs over 50lbs should be given 2-5 billion CFU per day. Breaking the dose up to twice per day at mealtimes is also a good idea. For a pet with IBS, a much higher CFU count is more effective. For dogs with diarrhea, a standard or lower CFU of probiotics is in order. Higher counts of probiotics may be contraindicated for dogs with diarrhea.

Related: Starting Probiotics, What to Expect From Your Dog

When to Decrease Probiotic CFU Dosage

Dogs who are sensitive or immune-compromised may have a reaction after the initial dosage of probiotics during the adjustment phase. While reactions are rare, they can include gas or loose stool. In extremely rare cases, probiotics may cause diarrhea or vommiting. If any of these symptoms occur, it was not "caused" by probiotics, it is the result of your dog's body rebalancing and purging the toxins built up over time. Try decreasing the dosage by half, once per day for a week, then increase to twice per day until your dog seems to have adjusted. Once adjusted, you may increase probiotics to the regular dosage.

The important thing is not to stop probiotics—they are the natural answer to maintaining a healthy dog.

How much is too much?

While a high CFU may not be harmful to your dog, we do not advocate supplying every dog with large amounts of probiotics indiscriminately. At a certain point, you may be overdoing it, or just wasting money on high doses. Especially as it pertains to supplying multiple probiotic strains (above 6 individual probiotic strains), we believe that super-high doses may not be beneficial for dogs. Some strains have been known to compete for absorption and their use, even in humans, is somewhat controversial in health.

Nusentia's Probiotic Miracle® for dogs and Premo Pet Dog Probiotics. Both provide 1 Billion CFU of appropriate bacteria per tiny scoop, which makes modifying dosages, higher or lower, very simple.

As a chewable tablet alternative, we recommend MiracleZyme Combo Chews.

Why Probiotics for Dogs?

Most dogs are deficient in healthy flora. Here's why:

• Dogs on antibiotics will be deficient in healthy gut bacteria since antibiotics strip the gut of ALL bacteria.
• Senior dogs will naturally have a lower volume of healthy bacteria.
• Dogs fed processed dry kibble are susceptible to low healthy microflora.
• Drinking municpal water treated with chemicals
• Stress contributes to an imbalance in the microbiome (dog's gut).
• Puppies are born with probiotic deficiency as their guts sterile. Supplementing your puppy with probiotics early on may give them a "leg up" on fighting illness later on.

• Safe Probiotics for Puppies