Discovering Probiotics and Microbials for Your Pet
You have heard the commercials on T.V. stating that probiotics are good for you, but did you know that they can benefit your pets as well? First of all, you may not know what probiotics are, or what is good about them. It all has to do with the digestive system. The digestive system is an important part of the body that provides a door-way for the rest of the body to be nourished. When a body takes in beneficial bacteria, it coats the digestive tract which then aids in breaking down food and nutrients into the building blocks that are absorbed by the rest of the body. When the beneficial bacteria are in the proper numbers, the balance of microbials allows for the maximum absorption of nutrients. This helps efficient digestion and increases the body's ability to ward off pathogenic (or bad) bacteria. The correct balance of microbials can aid in boosting the immune system’s ability to ward off diseases. When the delicate balance of beneficial bacteria is altered, this can lead to the pathogenic bacteria to over populate which creates an open-door for disease and illness. If there are more pathogenic bacteria than good ones, the unequal balance can lead to problems in your cat or dog’s health, such as diarrhea. Your pet may not be absorbing the proper nutrients which may cause them to look unhealthy. They may have under developed muscles and skeletal systems. You may notice they have a lack of drive or energy, or they may just have the appearance of not being "with it". The concept of direct fed microbial supplements is not new. In 1908 a Russian scientist by the name of Metchnikoff discovered that a population of people living in Bulgaria lived exceptionally long lives. He attributed this to their diet. It was believed that the large amounts of fermented milk products in their diet (and subsequently large amounts of the bacteria Bacillus bulgaricus) kept these people healthy long after other populations had succumbed to age and disease. A microbiology Professor at Oregon Medical School first used the term “probiotic” (which means ‘for life’) in the early 1960’s. The use of antibiotics ('killing life') depletes populations of bacteria that cause illness. But, unfortunately, antibiotics also kill beneficial bacteria and the good bacteria needs to be replaced. That is what probiotics does—replenishes the beneficial bacteria. The beneficial bacteria need to be replenished after doses of medications (like antibiotics) or if they experience stress, illness, injury or have environmental upsets. Stress triggers for your pet could include a change in their diet or environment, or possibly even if they have another illness or have sustained an injury. Other stress influences for your pet could involve your pet being involved in performance events or pet shows, or even if you are moving and your pet needs to be transported somewhere. In all of these instances, supplementation with direct fed microbials will stabilize the pH of the intestinal tract, help restore the beneficial bacteria to the lining of the intestines and help in the increase of the absorption of nutrients. Better absorption of nutrients leads to less gas and bloat for your pet and better overall life enjoyment. Other benefits include consistent growth, improved hair coats, more resistance to disease and over all better health. Supplemental direct fed microbials have also been reported to aid in higher puppy and kitten weights. For more information on this subject, visit:
http://www.ontariomicrobials.com/index.html
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