Ten Signs Your Dog Needs Probiotics

Are you worried about your dog’s health? Is something wrong, but you just can’t quite put your finger on it?

Sometimes we just know when our furry friends need help, but we don’t always know why. As with humans, dogs can suffer from any number of ailments, and it’s best to assess the symptoms as soon as possible.

Now, it’s important to say that if you have any concerns, the first thing you should always do is take your dog to the vet. 

That being said, some symptoms don’t present as clearly as we’d hope, while others only show some of the time. If this is the case, then you may find yourself struggling to express the problem, even when you have an intuitive sense that something is wrong. When this happens, it’s important to keep a perspective on the situation and start looking for those small changes that can make big differences.

And this is where we come to probiotics.

Probiotics are a form of gut-friendly bacteria, the benefits of which have long been known by scientists. Put simply, if the gut is working properly, then it should be filled with all kinds of naturally occurring bacteria, helping the body to regulate and process food. 

Unfortunately, there are many things that can upset this natural balance, which can further lead to tummy ache, diarrhoea, and even IBS. This is as true in dogs as it is in humans, which is why, in recent years, it’s become more apparent than ever that a healthy dose of probiotics is a great way to keep that natural balance in check.

Furthermore, dog-friendly probiotics are also a great way to keep your vet’s bills down.

To be clear, we’re not saying don’t take your dog to the vet. After all, vets play a vital role in the health and well-being of your animals. What we are saying, however, is that vet bills can be expensive, especially when your dog is presenting mysterious or unexpected symptoms. Your vet may have to perform tests, and even prescribe medication if the problem has been ongoing for a while.

Making sure to include plenty of probiotics in your dog’s diet can cut down on the cost of these visits by acting as a preventative measure, solving the problem before it starts.

But how, we hear you ask, can I tell the difference between intuition and paranoia?

Let’s face it, this age-old question crosses all of our minds once in a while when thinking about our own health, but it can be twice as worrying with our dogs.

The important thing to do is not to panic. While your dog might not be able to tell you what the problem is, they have plenty of ways to show you. 

Of course, interpreting those signals isn’t always easy, which is why we’ve put together this handy list of the ten most common symptoms that could be caused by a lack of probiotics:

Now, as any dog owner can tell you, smells are sometimes just part and parcel of owning a pet. Lovable though they are, animals don’t always have the best sense of hygiene, and it won’t take long for your nose to become accustomed to a whole range of new scents.

That being said, not every smell is so innocuous. If your dog begins to produce some unpleasant, unfamiliar odours, then that could be a sign of tummy issues, which can often be caused by a deficiency in gut bacteria.

Some dogs are more regular than others, just as some people are, and this isn’t necessarily a bad thing. However, if your dog’s toilet habits begin to drastically change, or else you feel that your dog is particularly atypical in this regard, then probiotics could be the perfect solution.

Probiotics help to regulate bowel movements, alleviating discomfort and leading to healthier, happier, pup.

Pets all have personalities. They have different quirks and different habits. Some days they’re happy and others they can be bad tempered. One of the best parts of owning a pet is the experience of getting to know them, and the better you know them, the better you’ll be able to tell how they’re doing.

If your dog seems to be going through a bit of a slump, then that can be a clear sign that there’s some discomfort happening below the surface. Changing up their diet can be an easy and fast way to turn that doggy frown up-side-down.

Of course, not all dogs express their emotions in the same ways. Discomfort can manifest as all kinds of behaviour, and for some dogs, that frustration may come out in the form of acting out, or even temper tantrums.

This can be a really upsetting situation for owners because it can feel like their dog has changed overnight, but the problem might not be too severe. Remember, while their behaviour might seem like a mystery to us, to our dogs, it’s one of the few ways they can communicate that something is wrong.

Now, of all the smells to look out for, yeast is one of the most important. Too much yeast in your dog’s gut is one of the main offenders when it comes to tummy related illnesses. Fortunately, however, the symptoms are quite noticeable.

If you’re worried your dog might be experiencing yeast problems, then look out for patches of crusty or inflamed skin, repeated ear infections, and/or a pungent smell.

Does your dog experience allergies? If so, then this could be down to one of several reasons. Of course, sometimes allergies are just unavoidable, but on occasion, an allergic reaction can actually be stimulated by external factors and, sure enough, one of those factors is diet.

While probiotics certainly won’t cure your dog of long-term serious allergies, including them as part of a healthy, nutritious diet has the strong potential to cut back on more minor allergic reactions.

So you take your dog for regular walks, you feed them a well-regulated diet, and you make sure to see the vet at least once a year, but despite taking every precaution, they’re having issues with their weight.

Unexpected gains or losses in weight can be a response to a wide variety of illnesses, and - you guessed it - one of those illnesses is a deficiency in gut bacteria. A poorly regulated gut can skew calorie intake in both directions and make it harder for your dog to get the nutrition they need.

At the end of the day, good fitness is always a combination of diet and exercise. Probiotics won’t help your dog lose or gain weight overnight, but can nonetheless be an important part of that journey.

We usually think of tummy rumbles as a sign of hunger, but they can also be a sign of discomfort. Generally, these rumbles occur because of some form of gas getting trapped and released within the intestines. This isn’t necessarily a bad sign - some amount of gassiness is normal - but it can be a red flag if it’s happening all the time, especially if it starts up right after meals.

Dogs aren’t generally known for their picky eating, but we all know that there are exceptions to almost any rule. Now, it could just be that your dog has more discerning taste buds than most, but the more likely answer is that they’re trying to limit their own discomfort.

Just as, on some level, humans often sense what’s good or bad for them, so too can dogs. That’s not to say that you should ever put a dog in charge of their own diet, but that if your dog is being difficult about when and what they like to eat, then it’s a good idea to pay attention.

Last, but certainly not least, you should pay attention to any unexplained or mysterious symptoms that may occur.

Ultimately, while some effects are far more noticeable than others, a poorly regulated gut presents itself in all kinds of ways. If your dog has symptoms that worry you, but that don’t seem to have any clear explanation, then you should definitely give probiotics a go. Many owners find that once they adopt probiotics into their dog’s diet, all kinds of unexplained illnesses and mysterious maladies clear up, seemingly overnight.

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