Lactobacillus acidophilus is a probiotic consisting of a family of bacteria known as lactobacilli. These bacteria exist in a dog’s system naturally. The supplement helps strengthen the pet’s immune system and improves its digestive health. It also improves the condition of his coat and helps solve any flatulence problems that your pet may suffer from including bad breath.
Lactobacillus Acidophilus Supplement
Lactobacillus acidophilus supplement contains naturally existing bacteria known as lactobacilli. Lactobacilli are depleted by illness, stress, trauma or ingestion of antibiotics and antifungal medications administered to fight infections. The antibiotic and antifungal medications kill not only disease causing bacteria but also the beneficial lactobacilli present in your pet’s intestine.
The supplement also contains yucca, papaya and antioxidants such as Vitamin C. Plain yogurt that has low fat and low sugar content is also a rich source of this bacteria and a teaspoonful of yogurt added to your pet’s food is a good way of naturally supplementing his diet.
Benefits of Lactobacillus Acidophilus
- Improves digestive health
- Prevents and treats diarrhea, yeast infections and urinary tract infections
- Boosts the immune system
- Counteracts the side effects of medications such as antibiotics and antifungals
- Resolves problems associated with flatulence such as bad breath, gas and smelly feces
- Improves the condition of the coat and prevents shedding
- Relieves pain caused by arthritis
Dosage of Lactobacillus Acidophilus
The supplement is available in multiple forms such as pills, powders or liquids and can be obtained from your local pet store or from the veterinarian. The dosage of lactobacillus acidophilus is measured in the number of live organisms it contains. A daily dosage of 20 million to 500 million organisms is recommended by veterinarians.
Puppies should be administered 2 teaspoons of the powdered supplement and adult dogs should be administered 4 teaspoons per meal. The dosage may vary if the supplement is in liquid form or available as pills. The supplement should be administered by mixing it with the pet’s food.
Safety Measure You Need to Take
Lactobacillus acidophilus for dogs is completely safe as it causes none of the side effects associated with other supplements. The supplement consists of natural products and can be safely administered to dogs that are lactose intolerant.
Side Effects Associated with Lactobacillus Acidophilus
A pet that has just been administered the supplement might initially exhibit a few signs of discomfort such as abdominal cramping and diarrhea. These symptoms disappear upon continued usage of the supplement.
Precautions You Must Keep in Mind
Many commercially available supplements have a short shelf life and may lack live bacteria at the time of purchase. Hence, you should check both the date of manufacture and also whether the product is viable at the time of purchase. This supplement should not be given over a long period of time but as prescribed by the vet.
Lactobacillus acidophilus should be administered as recommended by the vet and not used indiscriminately in order to ensure maximum advantage to your pet.