Probiotics, prebiotics, synbiotics… there’s a lot of scientific words bouncing around in the world of doggy digestive health. How do you ensure everything is running smoothly in your dog’s tum when you’re not entirely sure what defines probiotics from prebiotics, or what they even do?
Probiotics and prebiotics for dogs are integral to promoting harmony in your pooch’s gut. Read on to learn about the important relationship between them both and how to incorporate their powerful gut-protecting attributes into your dog’s diet.
What are probiotics and prebiotics for dogs?
Probiotics and prebiotics for dogs are a nutritional power pairing. Separately, they perform quite different functions, but together they ensure a well-balanced, peaceful environment in the gut by promoting growth of the ‘friendly’ bacteria your dog needs to help digest food, absorb nutrients, prevent disease and maintain a healthy immune system. (1)
Probiotics for dogs
In short, probiotics are digestible, ‘good’ bacteria that help balance the flora of your dog’s gut. Dogs have plenty of probiotics already present in their body, but can often benefit from more. When fed to a dog, probiotics can come as a supplement, as high-quality wet or dry dog food, or as natural whole food. Live yoghurt is a prime example of a natural probiotics source, but vegetables such as carrots or asparagus are also packed with probiotic goodness.
Prebiotics for dogs
Prebiotics are carbohydrate compounds that, unlike probiotics, aren’t digestible by your dog’s body – but actually act as food sources for the good bacteria already present. By supporting the growth of good bacteria, prebiotics help suppress the harmful microbes that make your dog ill, boosting their immunity and overall digestive health. Again, prebiotics for dogs can either be fed in supplement form, as wet or dry dog food, or via prebiotic-rich natural foods such as chicory root, raw garlic or dandelion greens.
