Are probiotics for dogs worth the money?
We get it. You work hard for your money. And you want to make sure it’s buying the best it can for your furry family member. So you go for that big name or that big price tag and think, “Surely this is the best dog probiotic there is.”
But you may be wrong. Because the truth of the matter is that not all dog probiotics are created equally. In fact, too often, you may be wasting your money because if you are not giving your dog probiotics that can survive the digestive tract, you’re literally putting money in one end of your dog’s body and he’s pooping it out the other. More, if the probiotics you’re giving your dog don’t get fed properly (yes, probiotics NEED to be fed too), again, you’re likely throwing your money away. Are dog probiotics worth the money? They sure are as long as the ones you choose are surviving the digestive tract, are the correct strains to make a difference in your dog’s gut health (and brain health!) and are being fed appropriately.
There’s a reason probiotics are one of the fastest-growing dog supplements out there. In fact, they’re one of the fastest-growing for humans too. That’s because dog probiotics have a HUGE impact on your dog’s immune system and overall health. We continue to learn more and more about gut bacteria and it’s role in your dog’s digestion, metabolism, and immunity (oh, and helping to achieve the perfect poop!). All signs point to probiotics building healthy guts.
What are dog probiotics?
Dog probiotics are probiotics that you give to dogs. Okay, we know…that’s a simplified answer, but that’s really the gist of it. Do people give human probiotics to dogs? Sure they do, but we don’t advise you do because the key to good dog probiotics is ensuring they do their job.
Whether it’s a human or a dog probiotic, probiotics are living organisms that offer tons of health benefits. They’re bacteria—the good guys, if you will—and they’re found in our guts, in fermented foods and supplements mostly.
The job of a good dog probiotic is to survive the helter-skelter system that is your dog’s digestive system and contribute to a thriving and flourishing microbiome in your dog’s gut.
Think about the last time your doctor gave you an antibiotic. Know what that antibiotic’s job was? To kill bacteria. In the case of infection, it’s great to kill the bad bacteria. The thing is, an ANTI-biotic is just that—anti- anything biotic, or bacterial—like the good bacteria in your gut. That’s why you may have had stomach aches with the antibiotic and that’s why many doctors now will encourage you to take a probiotic as well if you’re taking an antibiotic—they don’t want your good gut bacteria to all leave.
Should I give my dog probiotics every day?
Yes, you want to give your dog probiotics every day. But you want to give them the right ones. Why do you want to give your dog probiotics every day? That’s easy. They make a HUGE difference in your dog not only having good dog gut health, but in keeping your dog’s immune system happy and healthy. Isn’t that what we want for our furry best friends? Longer, healthier lives? Just like for humans, daily probiotics for dogs can make a difference.
Additionally, dog probiotics help the following:
- Help prevent leaky gut by keeping the cells of your dog’s gut lining closer together
- Feed and grow friendly bacteria and discourage and eliminate the growth of harmful bacteria
- Help reduce chronic inflammation by helping to build important T-Cells
- Protect against symptoms associated with food and skin allergies
- Help the body absorb maximum nutrients, including calcium, magnesium, iron and others
- Help stabilize glucose levels, which can protect against obesity and metabolic diseases
The good bacteria in your dog’s gut also help produce key vitamins like K and B. They produce serotonin and influence dog mood and brain function. It’s true! The gut is often referred to as the ‘second brain’ and there’s growing evidence that suggests the brain and overall health of your dog is tied to his gut health. This is called the gut-brain axis.
Probiotics also crowd out the BAD bacteria that get inside your dog’s gut. C’mon, you know what we’re talking about…Fido finds your feline’s poops as delicious as a Tootsie Roll. Or gets into that fish wrapping in the trash from dinner two days ago. Or even if he needs to take medicine for another condition–that’s prime opportunity for a dog’s gut to go rogue really quickly because bad bacteria take it over.
So how can you stop that? You can make sure you keep your dog’s gut bacteria healthy by feeding them. Some parents also ask what time of the day should I give my dog probiotics. Well, consistency is the key when it comes to feeding dogs probiotics for gut health.
Why are the probiotics in Bernie’s Perfect Poop the best for your dog?
We know probiotics are important for good dog gut health and we know that good health begins in the gut. But as we’ve said, the dog probiotic industry has grown tremendously in the last few years because dog probiotic supplements can help our dogs have happier healthier lives.
But many probiotics simply don’t make the cut. Most dog probiotic supplements use probiotic strains that die off from heat before they reach your house (think sitting on an Amazon Truck at 100 degrees for 3 days). Or, they’ll die off in the extra acid stomach of your dog (before reaching their guts to make a difference).
Bernie’s Perfect Poop is unique in the probiotic strains we use. We use two spore-forming Bacills species –Bacillus subtillis and Bacillus Coagulan. as well as a prebiotic, FOS.
These two hardy strains not only survive sitting on the delivery truck or the shelf in your local store, but all the way down to your dog’s gut where it matters. Additionally, they’re strong enough to survive your dog’s harsh stomach acid and still bring benefit to a flourishing gut. They are surrounded by a strong spore that protects them from the heat and acids that other probiotics are susceptible to.
Also, many dog probiotics aren’t sold with the right balance of soluble or insoluble fiber that help create the ideal fiber for probiotics to thrive. Soluble fiber will dissolve in water and help grow good probiotics in a dog’s gut as well as help their poop be perfect. Insoluble fiber won’t dissolve in water but will help bulk stool as well as help dog’s balance weight and blood sugar level while also helping good probiotics thrive in the gut.
In essence, fiber feeds probiotics in your dog’s gut, but even all fiber isn’t created equally. Bernie’s Perfect Poop uses Miscanthus grass as fiber because it is one of the few that can make it all the way through your dog’s small intestine and into his colon.
And though some dog probiotic supplements may also include high levels of fiber to help feed dog gut probiotics, Bernie’s includes the prebiotic Inulin for that specific purpose. Inulin is a soluble fiber that not only helps regulate your dog’s blood sugar and weight, but feeds the good probiotics in his gut.
Not to mention that every flake of Bernie’s Perfect Poop has just the yummy stuff that your dog’s gut bacteria are looking for and when they’re fed well?
They thrive.
And a thriving microbiome is literally just what the veterinarian ordered.
Why should I feed my dog Bernie’s Perfect Poop every day?
It’s likely that you came across Bernie’s Perfect Poop because your dog had less than perfect poop. Maybe your dog had dog diarrhea or canine constipation and you were looking for help for that.
Perfect Poop is totally designed to help with both of those very serious issues. Heck, it’s our namesake.
But Perfect Poop is just the end product (see what we did there?) of great gut health.
Giving your dog Bernie’s Perfect Poop every day means that you’re ensuring they’re regular and you have no messy poops to go scooping but it also means that you’re investing in their overall good dog gut health and immunity.
We’ve been saying good health begins in the gut and that’s because the research supports it.
Giving your dog Perfect Poop every day supports their gut, and with out-of-this world pre- and probiotic ingredients. Think of it like the “An apple a day keeps the doctor away,” adage…Bernie’s every day keeps the diarrhea away AND helps my dog’s immune system be strong and healthy too!
