# Probiotics and Digestive Enzyme Supplements



## TuckersMom (Feb 9, 2016)

Been seeing a bunch of stuff on PF regarding dietary supplements. Question... Do you give your poos daily probiotics and/or digestive enzymes? Do you give them together? Tucker often has loose stool (no medical issues) and I want to prevent anal gland issues.

I have been looking into FortiFlora & Proviable (probiotics) and Prozyme (enzyme) & THK Pro Bloom (both) 

His current meal consists of....Acana, H2O, tablespoon of fresh pumpkin & applesauce.

Looking forward to hearing what you add to your poos diet.


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## Poodlebeguiled (May 27, 2013)

When my dogs were on commercial food, (a premium, grain free) Jose` had issues with horrendous breath, (probably caused by something in his stomach/digestion) not remedied by two vets. One attempt was by giving digestive enzymes in a jar that cost about $30.00. It did nothing. When I put the dogs on a raw food diet or fresh meat, bones, organs, I also got some raw green tripe. I feed a small portion of that in every meal. And guess what...no more problems with Jose's breath and their stools are almost always just right...some days not, if I give too much bone compared to the meat or something is a little off. But most days, they're great. So, you might consider, including some raw, green tripe (not the kind you find in grocery stores) because I swear by it and it's nutritional amazingness. It's loaded with good bacteria that out numbers the bad. Great digestive enzymes just naturally. I got mine online from Hare Today, Gone Tomorrow, a raw food supplier.


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## MiniPoo (Mar 6, 2014)

I admire those people who feed their dogs raw food. My DH and I are just not comfortable feeding raw. I have had 2 different dogs who had loose stools and another dog who has chronic pancreatitis but whose stools are extremely firm, to the point that I think she was constipated due to arthritis meds.

I fixed the hard stools by adding pumpkin to every meal and a little oil to one meal a day. So pumpkin may not help loose stools even though a lot of people recommend it. It did help constipation.

I feed 2 of my dogs Prozyme which I think helps them. Dakota does not need it.

Neeka, my 5 yo PWD, had loose stools inspite of all my efforts. What helped her was NO Fortiflora, half home cooked turkey and rice with some canned prescription ID and Prozyme. It was the ID canned that really helped. I cannot get her off that, but at least she does get some home cooking.


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

Here's the deal with enzymes. They are proteins. Once food reaches the stomach the first thing that happens to the food is that it is liquified by a proteolytic enzyme called pepsin. Additionally there is a very strongly acidic pH in the stomach (important to how pepsin works) that is denaturing to most proteins, so I don't really think adding enzymes to food is likely to do anything if it is just sprinkled on the food. If it is mixed into the food and given time (20-30 minutes) to work before giving it to the dog that is a different story.

As far as probiotics go, there are many microorganisms that are adapted to surviving passage through the upper GI track. That is part of how the gut becomes and then remains appropriately colonized with a healthy microbiome. I have used probiotics for Lily when she had a bad GI thing going on. We also eat lots of yogurt at our house (one of the best ways to get probiotic organisms).


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## kmart (Apr 28, 2015)

My pup gets fermented raw goats milk as well as fermented fish stock. Her little 12 week old self has never had diarrhea and LOVES that stuff. I am no expert to say the least, but that's what she gets, as well as plain yogurt in her kong sometimes.


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## antiseabearcircle (Mar 2, 2015)

Same as kmart! Wilson gets raw, fermented goats milk daily with both meals. He eats Orijen Puppy Large, so most days I pour it on top of the kibble like a bowl of cereal. He also has freeze-dried raw several times a week, so I use the goats milk to rehydrate it. I would recommend it for picky dogs as he laps it right up!


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