# Should I give my dog probiotics?



## DexterLover (Jan 10, 2011)

I was considering giving my dog probiotics b/c he has been having a diarrhea issue that can't be cured I thought that might balance out the good enzymes/bad enzymes in his tummy.

What do you think?
Pumpkin cures the diarrhea but I don't want to continues giving him pumpkin all the time.


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## Willowy (Dec 10, 2007)

Probiotics are never really a bad thing (except to people/dogs with extremely compromised immune systems). Definitely worth a try.


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## spotted nikes (Feb 7, 2008)

Should be ok, but what are you feeding? Have you had a vet check him out for things like Giardia?


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## DexterLover (Jan 10, 2011)

Yes, Dexter has been to the vet and everything was fine with exception to the diarrhea. But, his stool was tested for parasites and it was neg He is currently eating Blue Buffalo Chicken and Brown Rice formula mixed with water to soften it. We just stop giving him nutro max wet food mixed with the dry. Thinking that the wet food might be causing the diarrhea.


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## spotted nikes (Feb 7, 2008)

Allergies to chicken are pretty common. Have you ever tried him on a grain free alternative protein source food like Taste of the Wild?


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## DexterLover (Jan 10, 2011)

I hate not. That might be a possibility.


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## spotted nikes (Feb 7, 2008)

You might try it. I use the TOTW High Prairie formula, and occasionally the pacific stream. I'd avoid the Lamb and rice, as Lamb is common enough nowadays, that it can also be an allergy source. High Prairie is Bison and venison. 

If you switch foods, do it gradually over a 2 week period adding in a little new food to the old, so at the end of the 2 weeks, you are feeding just the new food. Otherwise your dog can get a stomach upset (more diarrhea/vomitting).


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## DexterLover (Jan 10, 2011)

I am nervous about trying another food b/c when we started the BB Chicken and Brown Rice Formula everything was fine and now two moths later he is having the diarrhea problem. So I think that I am going to switch him back to his other food and try the probiotics.

I am going to start giving him Science Diet Nature's Best Chicken and Brown Rice Formula.


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## spotted nikes (Feb 7, 2008)

Science Diet is NOT a good food.

Seriously...Consider a grain free alternative protein food. Switching from one chicken/grain food to another won't accomplish anything.


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## kafkabeetle (Dec 4, 2009)

Yeah, Science Diet is not a good food at all and extremely overpriced. I also recommend Taste of the Wild or another grain free food, since it is likely an allergy issue.


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## DexterLover (Jan 10, 2011)

Thanks, I looked at the http://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/ website and realized that. I have decided to feed TOTW Pacific Stream Formula and have already placed my order with petflow. I am hoping that between the new foods and probiotics his diarrhea issues will subside.


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## Celestevah (Jan 10, 2011)

I am having a problem with my puppy. He's about 6 1/2 months old (whatever my ticker says!) and we've had him for 2 1/2 weeks. Everything was fine and then the night of his rabies vaccine he had diarrhea. It would switch between straight up watery to just soft stool and between brown and yellow. His fecal test the day of the rabies shot was fine and he went back to the vet this past thursday and his fecal then was fine too. 

He is on antibiotics for a bacterial infection in his nose and diarrhea medicine ... they gave me some intestinal diet wet food but his diarrhea wasn't going away so now he's eating chicken and rice. He's still been having diarrhea and today it was yellow again. Should I wait until a few days after his medicine is done to see how it does because a rare side effect to the diarrhea medicine is diarrhea (wtf!!??) as well as to the antibiotics.

he's also been scooting across the floor and ground to rub his butt. could this be itchy butt from the diarrhea or should I take him to have has anal glands checked?? Is it ok to wait until Saturday when we go to petsmart?


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## cshellenberger (Dec 2, 2006)

DexterLover said:


> I am nervous about trying another food b/c when we started the BB Chicken and Brown Rice Formula everything was fine and now two moths later he is having the diarrhea problem. So I think that I am going to switch him back to his other food and try the probiotics.
> 
> I am going to start giving him Science Diet Nature's Best Chicken and Brown Rice Formula.


Blue Buffalo is a VERY rich food and I know alot of dogs (including my own) have problems with it. You could try going to their single source protien/carb formula that's made for sensitive stomachs and cutting out the canned food or go to anothe brand such as **** Van Patton's Natural balance which has several single source protien/carb (no grain) formulas. 

Science diet is HORRIBLE, stay away from it!



Celestevah said:


> I am having a problem with my puppy. He's about 6 1/2 months old (whatever my ticker says!) and we've had him for 2 1/2 weeks. Everything was fine and then the night of his rabies vaccine he had diarrhea. It would switch between straight up watery to just soft stool and between brown and yellow. His fecal test the day of the rabies shot was fine and he went back to the vet this past thursday and his fecal then was fine too.
> 
> He is on antibiotics for a bacterial infection in his nose and diarrhea medicine ... they gave me some intestinal diet wet food but his diarrhea wasn't going away so now he's eating chicken and rice. He's still been having diarrhea and today it was yellow again. Should I wait until a few days after his medicine is done to see how it does because a rare side effect to the diarrhea medicine is diarrhea (wtf!!??) as well as to the antibiotics.
> 
> he's also been scooting across the floor and ground to rub his butt. could this be itchy butt from the diarrhea or should I take him to have has anal glands checked?? Is it ok to wait until Saturday when we go to petsmart?


STAY on the chicken and BROWN rice, add canned Pumpkin (be sure it's the pure pumpkin nad not the pie mix) to his food, to help firm him up, once he's 'normal' on that SLOWLY go bac kto his regular food my mixing it into the chicken/rice mix.


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## Celestevah (Jan 10, 2011)

cshellenberger said:


> STAY on the chicken and BROWN rice, add canned Pumpkin (be sure it's the pure pumpkin nad not the pie mix) to his food, to help firm him up, once he's 'normal' on that SLOWLY go bac kto his regular food my mixing it into the chicken/rice mix.


Yeah, he's done with his medicine on Thursday morning so I'm going to monitor his poo for a few days after that and keeping him on the chicken and rice then mix in his food after. He eats orijen which is what the breeder fed him so he should be fine. It's just annoying that this all started with the darn rabies shot.


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## callmejackie (Aug 28, 2013)

Yes. My puppy was being plagued by diarrhea to the point he was messing in his kennel at night as he couldnt get out fast enough. I watched and waited to see if it would eventually subside. Managed his food etc...nothing worked. I gave him probiotics and he has been fine ever since. I highly recommend it.


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