Microbes in the Digestive System of a Dog

Dogs have a more acidic digestive system than humans. This acidic environment helps dogs digest bits of bone, and it also kills harmful microbes that might cause food poisoning or simple digestive upsets. Like humans, dogs also have good and bad bacteria in the gut, and the good bacteria, or microflora, play an important role in canine digestive health. Stress, inflammation, antibiotics or exposure to pollutants all reduce the amount of microflora in the gut, resulting in a range of health problems.

  1. Unhealthy Digestion

    • Foul smelling gas or diarrhea are just two symptoms of an unhealthy digestive system, and specifically unhealthy bacteria. It shows that the dog lacks friendly bacteria to combat the harmful bacteria. Typical causes of this imbalance are antibiotics, food intolerance, an allergy or simply a weak digestive system. Arthritis, asthma and skin conditions such as eczema may also arise from unhealthy gut bacteria. Probiotic supplements can strengthen the dog´s digestion and remove the harmful bacteria.

    Probiotics

    • Probiotics aid digestion and nutrition and help build up B vitamins, biotin and folic acid. They also stimulate the immune system and help maintain a dog´s general health. Starting a puppy on probiotics strengthens its digestion and helps it to absorb important nutrients such as iron and antioxidants. Probiotics also inhibit yeast growth in the digestive tract and can kill off the microorganisms from salmonella and E. coli. Probiotics are made from lactic acid bacteria, such as L. acidophilus and L. bulgaricus, both of which provide protection from micoorganisms. According to Natural Dog Health Remedies, the ratio of healthy to unhealthy bacteria in the gut should be 85 percent to 15 percent for optimal health.

    Prebiotics

    • Prebiotics are another treatment that strengthens the digestive system, and are added to some dog food brands. Unlike probiotics, these are made from fructo oligo saccharides (FOS) that are nondigestible and stimulate healthy bacteria growth. Marcel Roberfroid identified prebiotics in 1995 as fermented ingredients that changed gastrointestinal microflora in a way that improved health. According to Dr. Debra Primovic, prebiotics improve nutrient absorption and the immune system. She also says 70 percent of a dog´s immune system is in the digestive system; therefore prebiotics can play an important role in dog health.

    Treatment

    • Consult a veterinarian before starting any treatment with either probiotics or prebiotics. Although prebiotics don´t present a problem for most dogs, some may have an allergy to components of the supplement. Veterinarian Randy Kidd says that little is known about the correct dosage of prebiotics, but that about 0.3 percent of a dog´s diet appears to be an optimal level. For a more natural approach, burdock root, dandelion root and chicory are all natural prebiotics that you can add to a dog´s diet.