I give my lot the occasional dollop of live yoghurt, but I'm wondering if probiotic powders are beneficial?
I do! I add either kefir, plain yoghourt or Entrodex powder to the their dinner each evening. Sometimes when I can find it they also get a probiotic goat's cheese called Bryndiza which they love. I find giving them a probiotic helps keep them regular and protect them against nasty tummy bugs. ( I'm very proud of the beautiful poo my dogs produce .... blush blush!)
That's good to know! The reason I thought I might start to add it regularly is that last week Bogie had to have his anal glands emptied - it was the first time a dog of mine has ever needed to have it done, and I took it as a personal insult!
Well it always helps if they think something is a treat! I give mine the occasional Capstar tablet if I spot a flea on them, and little Witty is an absolute swine. Whether I try disguising it in food or pushing it to the back of his throat and getting him to swallow, somehow he manages to spit it out! The probiotics I've seen have come in powder form, which might be easier to get down him.
These tablets are little bone-shaped ones with natural chicken flavour. I can get the same thing in powder form but as she already has so many different things that have to be mixed in with her "wet" meal, and she sits patiently waiting for her Probiotic first then does her road-kill imitation while I get that meal ready, I give her the tablets.
I never gave Little One any probiotics - she just had kibble day after day after day, as did Pereg until she developed epilepsy and was started on medication that required various supplements to help support her liver, her medication being processed through the liver and which can cause liver damage. When I first joined Dogsey it was basically for help and advice about her epilepsy, but I learned about raw feeding and thought it would be better for her - at least I would know exactly what was in her food - so changed her from kibble to raw. Being new to raw feeding and wanting to make sure she had all the necessary vitamins and supplements I started her on various ones to see which she really needed and which she did not need. And that is when I started giving her the Probiotic/Enzyme tablets.
