A complete guide to the best probiotics for dogs

We all know probiotics are great for our gut. Nearly half of all people - 48%, consume probiotics daily or almost daily in foods or supplements⁽¹⁾.

But what about our dogs? Are we looking after their tummies?

Whether your dog has trouble with their tummy, stools or gas, or you just want to make sure they have a nice healthy gut, this guide will help you understand all there is to know so that you can choose the best probiotics for your dog.

In this article:

What are dog probiotics?
Health benefits of probiotics for dogs
How do I know if my dog needs a probiotic?
How do I know which probiotic is the best for my dog?
What probiotic strain is best for a dog’s gut health?
Bacillus subtilis
Enterococcus faecium
Para-probiotics
Should I give my dog a prebiotic as well as a probiotic?
What are all the other ingredients commonly found in a dog’s probiotic supplement and are they needed?
Ingredients you don’t want to see in your dog’s probiotic supplement
Should I give my dog probiotic pet food, treats or powder?
How long should I give my dog probiotics?
Are probiotics safe for dogs?
Should you give a dog probiotics?
Should I consult my vet before giving my dog probiotics?
Do probiotics help itchy dogs or dogs with allergies?
What time of day should I give my dog a probiotic?
How long does it take for a dog to adjust to probiotics?
Can you overdo probiotics in dogs?
Do probiotics help dogs with an upset stomach?
Do probiotics help firm up stools in dogs?
Is it okay to give my dog probiotics daily?

 

What are dog probiotics?

Probiotics are live microbial feed supplements that are similar to the beneficial microorganisms found in the gut. For the same reasons us humans take probiotics, probiotics can benefit your dog by helping to improve their gut (gastrointestinal) microbial population and therefore resulting in improved gut health.

They are often referred to as "good" or "helpful" bacteria, and they can help maintain a healthy balance of bacteria in the gut. This can be especially beneficial for dogs, as a balanced gut microbiome can lead to improved digestion, a stronger immune system and overall better health.

There are many different types of probiotics for dogs available in powders, capsules, tablets and chews, but only a handful have been fully authorised for use in the EU/UK. We cover which probiotics are authorised in the EU/UK further on.

 

Health benefits of probiotics for dogs

Dogs, just like humans, have a complex microbial ecosystem in their digestive system, and maintaining a healthy balance of gut bacteria is crucial for their overall well-being².

Incorporating probiotics into a dog's diet can offer numerous advantages, promoting digestive health, boosting the immune system, and supporting overall vitality.

Here are some of the improvements you might notice when adding probiotics into your dog’s feeding regime: 

• A happier tummy with less gurgling noises coming from your dog’s tummy
• Healthier poos – probiotics can help to normalise bowel movements and harden loose stools
• Reduced wind and smelly farts
• Healthier coat
• Boosted immune system
• Improved breath smell
• More alert and higher energy levels
• Allergy management
• Improved central nervous system
• Reduced anxiety

 

How do I know if my dog needs a probiotic? 

Probiotics can be beneficial for any dog whether they are exhibiting any signs of needing a probiotic or not. Many owners will feed a probiotic knowing they are helping to keep their dog’s gut healthy and in balance.

For a large proportion of dog’s though, incorporating a probiotic into their diet has come about because of one or more symptoms being displayed. 

Once you have ruled out any more serious potential illnesses, some of the most obvious signs that your dog may need a probiotic can include:

• Diarrhoea, soft or funny colour poos
• Excessive wind
• Bad wind odour
• Gurgling tummy
• Bad breath
• Lack of energy
• Unhealthy looking skin and coat
• Itching and scratching
• Anxiety or behavioural issues

Probiotics can be particularly helpful for dogs struggling with diarrhoea due to a course of antibiotics, stress, a sudden change in food, or for when they have eaten something they shouldn’t have.

  

How do I know which probiotic is the best for my dog?

There are a few things to look out for when you are choosing the best probiotics for your dog.  

Firstly, it’s important to look for a product that contains a high number of live cultures – this is the CFU value. This will ensure that your dog is getting the maximum benefit from the probiotic. As a guide for the CFU value you should be looking for, Professional’s Choice Multibiotics dog probiotic powder contains 3.75million CFU/kg.

Also check you can dose appropriately for your dog size. With dog’s varying so much in weight, there can be a big difference in the dosage for a ‘small’ dog compared to a mini dog. Look for a brand that has varying levels of dosing so you can dose as accurately as possible for your dog.

It is also advisable to start off at a lower dose and slowly build up the probiotic dosing. This can help your dog’s tummy to adjust to the bacteria.

Check that the probiotics are within their best before end. Probiotics contain live cultures so they may become ineffective over time. Storing the product as per the manufacturer’s guidelines will help to maintain the effectiveness of the probiotic.

Finally, read through the reviews of the different probiotics you are looking at to see how the probiotic has helped other dogs.

 

What probiotic strain is best for a dog’s gut health?

As with human probiotics, there are many different strains of probiotics that have unique characteristics and are known to do different things. However, only a select few have been tested and authorised for use with dogs in the EU/UK.

Probiotics are considered feed additives and like all other feed additives are listed on the EU Community Register of Feed Additives with restrictions governing their use. 

Feed additives may not be put on the market unless authorisation has been given following a scientific evaluation demonstrating that the additive has no harmful effects, on human and animal health and on the environment. In Europe, all feed additives must appear on the European Union Register of Feed Additives pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 1831/2003.

Currently only one microorganism is registered for use in dog foods (Bacillus subtilis), with a second approved for use in both dog and cat foods (Enterococcus faecium).

Probiotic cocktails containing multiple Lactobacillus species are not currently registered for use in dog or cat foods in Europe. 

It's important to note that not all probiotics are created equal, and different strains have different effects. More strains or different forms of bacteria are not necessarily better in probiotics. In some cases, they may work against each other.

The two probiotic strains authorised for use with dogs in the EU/UK are specifically for dogs struggling with gut health and the issues that come from that, such as diarrhoea, bad wind, gassy tummy, etc. However, these probiotic strains can benefit the dog’s immunity and so may contribute towards some allergy relief.

There are probiotic supplements on the market specifically for dogs with allergies – these tend to include other supplemental ingredients such as colostrum, salmon oil and astragalus root.

 

Bacillus subtilis

Bacillus subtilis DSM 15544 is an EU registered additive – EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) and the European Commission have agreed and confirmed the gut flora stabilising effect of Bacillus subtilis in dogs based on the trials⁽²⁾.

Both EFSA and European Commission agreed and confirmed the gut flora stabilising effect of Calsporin in dogs based on the trials in the registration dossier.

Trials tested and concluded that Bacillus subtilis:

• Improves stool quality and faecal consistency in dogs
• Reduces faecal odour in dogs
• Supports digestibility
• Beneficial for coat condition
• Supports mother in better health condition (Better able to maintain her body condition during lactation and lower incidence birth related infections (mastitis, metritis, agalactia)
• Supports puppy growth and development, and improves faecal consistency 

ScienceDirect⁽³⁾ also feature a study aimed to evaluate the effects of Bacillus subtilis on diet digestibility, fecal characteristics, and fecal microbiota of dogs. The study concluded that:

“Coating an extruded dog diet with 1 × 106 CFU of B. subtilis C-3102/g did not alter digestibility, but increased fecal propionic acid concentration, reduced fecal ammonia concentration, and improved fecal consistency and fecal odor. It also altered the gut microbiota of dogs by increasing bacterial diversity and making proportional changes in major bacterial phyla and genera. The changes observed in fecal characteristics and microbiota are considered as beneficial for gut health.”

 

Enterococcus faecium

Enterococcus faecium is an EU registered additive – EFSA (European Food Safety Authority).

Three studies⁽⁴⁾ carried out in dogs demonstrated that the additive has the potential to produce a beneficial effect in dogs. 

A study featured on the National Library of Medicine in the United States concluded that:

“This study investigated metabolic and faecal microbial effects of a commercially available diet containing the probiotic E. faecium NCIMB 10415 109 CFU/kg for adult dogs by comparing baseline at study start and nutritionally similar diets manufactured with or without incorporation of the probiotic. Results suggest that in some dogs, E. faecium NCIMB 10415 can possibly survive in the canine gut microbiome for 19 days after withdrawal of oral supplementation. Analyses of the microbial diversity and changes in relative abundance of some specific microbes indicate that E. faecium NCIMB 10415 has a mild positive effect on the microbiome and owners also reported mildly improved faecal quality when comparing the diet with or without E. faecium NCIMB 10415. In addition, the probiotic exerted a mild cholesterol lowering effect, which might be favourable in conditions associated with hypercholesterolemia.” 

 

Para-Probiotics

Para-probiotics are an innovation in probiotics. Also called tyndallised bacteria, they are inactivated bacteria obtained through a fine-tuned heat treatment process that maintains the bacteria cell integrity.

The inactivated bacteria paraprobiotics have been demonstrated to positively affect human and animal health, with the noticeable advantage over probiotics of allowing for the generation of safer and more stable products.

A study carried out by Pique 2019 into the health benefits of heat-killed (Tyndallized) Probiotics⁽⁵⁾, concluded:

“In conclusion, the preparations included in the new paraprobiotic definition, namely, non-viable material of microbial origin, have been demonstrated to positively affect human/animal health, and they have the noticeable advantage over probiotics of allowing for the generation of safer and more stable products. Consequently, paraprobiotics are gaining in popularity and will be widely used in food, supplements, medicine and feed in the future.

Tyndallised bacteria have been shown to support natural defences, as well as assisting immunity support and digestive care.

 

Should I give my dog a prebiotic as well as a probiotic?

It is highly recommended to feed your dog a prebiotic at the same time as a probiotic to help improve the effectiveness of the probiotic. The probiotic is the live bacteria that provides a health benefit when consumed, whilst prebiotics are a type of dietary fibre that serve as food for the beneficial bacteria in the gut, helping them to thrive and multiply.

Combining prebiotics with probiotics can enhance the effectiveness of the probiotics by creating a more favourable environment for their growth and colonisation in the gut.

By including a prebiotic alongside a probiotic in your dog’s diet, you can potentially improve the survival and colonisation of the probiotic bacteria, as well as enhance their overall beneficial effects on gut health. This combination may also help rebalance the gut microbiota and promote a healthy digestive system.

Prebiotics can naturally occur in certain foods such as onions, garlic, bananas, chicory root, and whole grains. The most common natural prebiotics found in canine probiotic supplements are chicory root, beet pulp, pumpkin and psyllium husk.

 

What are all the other ingredients commonly found in a dog’s probiotic supplement and are they needed?

A lot of dog probiotic supplements on the market will contain other ingredients. Some are genuine ingredients that enhance the effectiveness of the supplement. Others are included as they are needed in the production of the supplement. 

For example, tablets or chews will need substances to bind the chew together. Some products will have bulkers or fillers to bulk out the formula.

If you are not keen on feeding your dog anything artificial or unnecessary, look for a product that contains natural ingredients. If any of the ingredients look like they’ve come from a laboratory, they are most likely artificial or a binder or bulker of some description.

  

Ingredients you don’t want to see in your dog’s probiotic supplement

As touched on above, some ingredients are needed in the production of a supplement. It is unlikely these are going to cause an issue unless you have a highly sensitive dog, but if you are keen to keep your dog’s diet as natural as possible, here are some of the hidden ingredients in dog supplements to look out for:

Fillers

• Cornstarch
• Lactose
• Cellulose
• Sorbitol
• Calcium phosphate

Binders

• Lecithin
• Honey
• Sorbitol
• Gum Arabic
• Cellulose

Disintegration Aids

• Sodium carboxy-methylcellulose
• Croscaramellose sodium
• Sodium starch glycolate
• Crosspovidone
• Alginic acid

Lubricants and Flow Agents

• Magnesium stearate
• Calcium stearate
• Stearic acid
• Polyethylene glycol
• Vegetable stearate
• Silica 

Artificial Flavouring and Sweeteners

• Sucrose
• Fructose
• Maltodextrin
• Sorbitol
• Maltrin

Other synthetic additives

• Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose
• Cellulose Starch
• Croscarmellose sodium
• Sodium starch glycolate
• Silicon Dioxide
• Hydroxyl cellulose
• Red 40
• Polyethylene glycol 3350
• Magnesium stearate
• Resins
• Dicalcium phosphate
• Polysorbate 80
• Titanium dioxide
• Povidone (PVP)
• Gluten
• Genetically Modified Organisms
• Parabens
• MSG
• Tartrazine
• Carrageenan

 

Should I give my dog probiotic pet food, treats or powder?

The main difficulty in applying probiotic strains into pet foods main meals and snacks/treats, is that most pet food today is in kibble or moist form.

Probiotics added to your dog’s diet in a powder can increase the efficiency of the probiotic. Ideally the probiotic should be eaten by the dog as soon as possible so that they make their way to the gut quickly. Probiotics left on wet food may lose their effectiveness.

 

How long should I give my dog probiotics? 

As with humans, incorporating probiotic intake into your dog’s daily routine will help to maintain gut health.

If your dog struggles with occasional problems, maybe due to a course of antibiotics, stress or eating something unsavoury, it can be good to have the consistency of a probiotic maintaining the dog’s microbiome. 

Alternatively, choose a probiotic with psyllium husk. Psyllium husk is a dietary fibre that absorbs water in the intestine to quickly help dogs with diarrhoea.

 

Are probiotics safe for dogs?

Probiotics are perfectly safe for dogs, however, it's important to use high-quality pet-specific probiotics for your dog to ensure their efficiency and safety. 

It is important to make sure you are following the dosing instructions and if your dog has any health complications or is on medication, it is advisable to check with your vet before giving them probiotics.

 

Should you give a dog probiotics?

Whether you should give your dog probiotics will depend on what you are hoping the probiotic will achieve, as effectiveness is specific to the strain and the condition. 

The most common probiotics available for dogs have been developed to support a healthy gut, helping with diarrhoea, rumbly tummies, and bad wind odours. 

However, probiotics can also benefit healthy dogs by helping to promote healthy bacteria, maintain a healthy gut and strengthen their immune system.

 

Should I consult my vet before giving my dog probiotics?

For a fit and healthy dog, there should be no need to consult your vet before giving your dog probiotics. However, if you are concerned about your dog’s health, they have a medical history or they are on other medication, it is advised to consult with your vet before starting your dog on a probiotic. They can help you determine the best probiotic for your dog and ensure that it will not interact with any previous health issues or other medication they are taking.

 

Do probiotics help itchy dogs or dogs with allergies?

According to a study on Microbiota and probiotics in canine and feline welfare published in 2015⁽⁶⁾, the skin microbiota plays an important role in skin function. The article talks about a study that demonstrated that canine skin is inhabited by rich and diverse microbial communities.

However, unlike human research, there is limited research into the best probiotics for dogs with allergies.

 

What time of day should I give my dog a probiotic?

It doesn’t really matter what time of day you give your dog a probiotic. To make it easier on your dog’s stomach whilst they are getting used to the introduction of the probiotics, we recommend starting with a smaller dose, and splitting this am/pm.

 

How long does it take for a dog to adjust to probiotics?

How long it takes for a dog to adjust to probiotics really depends on the state of the dog’s gut flora and any other health issues. Each dog is different, however, in general, most owners see improvements in the first 4-6 weeks.

 

Can you overdo probiotics in dogs? 

Dog probiotics can have side effects. The most common side effects I see of dogs and probiotics is an upset stomach and sickness. We recommend not to exceed the feeding amount, and as stated above, to start slowly and introduce the supplement gradually.

Also look for a probiotic that has accurate dosing levels for the size of your dog, so you know you are feeding the right dosage.

 

Do probiotics help dogs with an upset stomach?

Yes probiotics can help dogs with an upset stomach. However, the effect may not be quick as probiotics take a while to start working. Look for a supplement that contains Psyllium husk; a dietary fibre that can help settle an upset stomach quickly. Or use an instant paste and then introduce probiotics for longer-term gut maintenance.

 

Do probiotics help firm up stools in dogs?

Yes probiotics should help firm up your dog’s stools if you are giving your dog a probiotic that has been tested and approved to improve faecal consistency in dogs.

 

Is it okay to give my dog probiotics daily?

Yes, it is okay to give your dog probiotics daily. To be at their most effective, the dog’s intake must be in sufficiently large enough quantities and administered on a daily basis. 

Probiotics work best when used in conjunction with other healthy habits, such as a balanced diet and regular exercise. 

 

Summary

In general, probiotics can be a great addition to your dog's healthcare routine. They can help improve digestion, boost the immune system, and promote overall health and well-being. However, it's important to choose the right probiotic for your dog and to consider whether you need to consult with your veterinarian before starting them on any new supplement.

 

References 

1. According to a survey of 16,000 consumers in 16 countries by Danish ingredients supplier Chr. Hansen: https://www.chr-hansen.com/en/media/press-releases/2022/2/new-study-of-consumer-understanding-of-probiotics-points-to-significant-opportunities-for-the-food
2. Safety and efficacy of Calsporin® (Bacillus subtilis DSM 15544) as a feed additive for dogs: https://efsa.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.2903/j.efsa.2017.4760
3. Dietary supplementation with Bacillus subtilisC-3102 improves gut health indicators and fecal microbiota of dogs: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0377840120305769
4. Scientific Opinion on the safety and efficacy of Cylactin® (Enterococcus faecium) as a feed additive for cats and dogs: https://efsa.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.2903/j.efsa.2013.3098
5. Health Benefits of Heat-Killed (Tyndallized) Probiotics: An Overview: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6566317/
6. Microbiota and probiotics in canine and feline welfare: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7111060/