Probiotics are highly beneficial to your dog's overall health and immune system. Choosing a probiotic chew for your dog can help you leverage all the available benefits and boost your pup's health when they need it most. 

What Does a Probiotic Do for Dogs?

Probiotics help strengthen the gut lining, preventing toxins from entering the body, promoting nutrient absorption and supporting the immune system.

What Are the Best Probiotics for Dogs?

Probiotics need prebiotics to be effective. Prebiotics feed probiotics so that your dog gets all the benefits. Always check product labels to ensure both are present. Additionally, there are three proven dog probiotic types that offer numerous benefits:

1. Lactic Acid Probiotics

Most dog probiotics are made from fermented milk. Lactic acid probiotics help treat dogs for diarrhea, and you'll commonly see these strains on the labels:

• Lactobacillus acidophilus: This tried-and-true strain benefits gut health by reducing harmful bacteria and boosting immune cells.
• Lactobacillus casei: This type plays a vital role in your dog's mood and emotions.
• Lactobacillus plantarum and Lactobacillus rhamnosus: These robust strains are ideal for treating irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and promoting healthy colon walls. They can minimize antibiotic-related diarrhea.
• Bifidobacterium animalis: This type is beneficial for acute diarrhea.
• Bifidobacterium longum: This probiotic supports dogs with stress- and anxiety-related disorders.
• Enterococcus faecium: The strain inhibits the growth of harmful bacteria.
• Pediococcus acidilactici: This type has shown promise in treating leaky gut and skin conditions.
• Lactobacillus reuteri: This probiotic is native to your dog's intestinal tract and best treats digestive disorders like acute diarrhea or IBS.

2. Probiotic Yeast

Healthy yeast treats chronic and acute diarrhea, reduces digestive issues due to chronic inflammation and cannot be killed by antibiotics, making it ideal for use during regular antibiotic treatment.

3. Spore-Forming Probiotics

Unlike the other types of probiotics, these bacilli from spores. Bacilli or soil-based probiotics crowd out unfriendly bacteria, help dogs needing a boost in digestive enzymes and support the gut lining. Bacilli are not made from dairy and are ideal for dogs with dairy allergies.

You can get probiotics for dogs online or in-store. It's best to get dog-specific supplements because they contain no fillers, and the label will give clear instructions on how to administer the chews to your dog.

The probiotic brand you use should list the number of colony-forming units (CFU) or bacterial cells in the supplements, which informs you of the amount of viable bacterial cells. You can buy probiotics in liquid, paste, powder and chew forms for the easiest consumption for your dog.

Purchase LuckyTail's Probiotic Supplements for Your Dog

Probiotics have many benefits for your dog, including boosting their overall health and improving their mood, skin, coat and allergies. It is vital to choose the right supplements for your pup's needs and ask for professional guidance where necessary. Feel free to reach out to us at LuckyTail for more information on our Probiotic Chews.