When you listen to doctors – whether they practice traditional medicine or alternative medicine – many tout the benefit of having a strong immune system. A strong immune system will help you resist infections and viruses to stay healthy. Your pets have the same opportunity and we wanted to tell you about how you can boost your pets immune system to keep them happy and healthy for a long time.
Probiotics
Probiotics are the kind of good bacteria that you find in yogurt. This kind of therapy introduces good bacteria to help fight any bad bacteria. The good news is that probiotics for dogs and cats are finally being studied for pet health and researchers are finding that the good bacteria that helps keep our immune systems strong helps your pets as well. “Use of probiotics clearly enhances immune function in a number of species, including dogs and cats, and appears to have a role in the treatment of animals with certain gastrointestinal conditions,”explained Dr. Susan G. Wynn, DVM of the University of Tennessee.
The Problem
The problem with giving your pets a probiotic is that it appears the ones commercially available do not have the high level of quality that the human version does.
What Bacteria Does to Your Pet’s Health
Believe it or not, the digestive tract in your pet is its largest organ for immunity. And, something that may surprise you, is that your dog or cat has even more bacteria in their intestinal tracts than you do.
Making sure your pet’s digestive system is running efficiently with good bacteria is key. Why? Because they could easily develop serious illnesses without a strong immune system.
If your dog or cat has been on a series of antibiotics or even steroids, you will want to replace the good bacteria in her gut as soon as possible because both of those destroy all of the good bacteria in her system.
How to Get Your Pet on Probiotics
Talk to your veterinarian because studies are coming out now that are trumpeting the goodness of probiotics being added to your pet’s diet. You can also go to a holistic veterinarian because they’ve been using probiotics for years.
Part of the reason you’re going to want to see a veterinarian, whether traditional or holistic, is because pets have bacteria that is unique to them and, therefore, they need a unique probiotic.
