Actim£l (probiotics) and dogs

Molly41

Hi x
The breeder of my two dogs (westies) has suggested that probiotic yogurt might be helpful for their tummies. One of my dogs periodically suffers from a gurgling tummy which causes her distress. There is no sickness or diarrhoea but she will not eat or drink for 24 hours. She has been tested for pancreatitis and other issues and all is negative. Sometimes they are both sick bringing up yellow bile but then are starving hungry.

Has anyone used probiotics or wondered if anyone had any thoughts?

Sagz_2

In the first kennels I worked in the dogs were only fed 6 days a week (it was the done thing then!) and on the day after the starve day it was not unusual to find yellow sick in the kennels. I've seen it in my own dogs too if they have missed a meal for any reason.

I used to have a Great Dane with a delicate stomach and found that a couple of teaspoons of live yoghurt in each meal helped keep him 'solid'. I used to make it myself using UHT milk and a Thermos flask, just needed a little shop bought yoghurt to get it started.

I think it's worth a try - might not suit your dog but if you introduce it gradually it you can find out.

krlyr

I find one of mine brings up bile if she's been too long without a meal, or if her evening meal was too small. I have to make sure that they're fed twice a day, there's occasionally times they may have a large breakfast (mine are raw fed so their meals really can vary, so if they were to have half a rabbit for breakfast that's a pretty big meal for the day) but I do have to give something as an evening meal, even if it's just an egg or a small amount of mince.

If she's only had a small dinner, I have to make sure I am up early to give them breakfast - so having a lie in at the weekend is a no-no, if it's been too long then despite being hungry, if she's reached the stage where she's about to bring up bile, that seems to put her off eating (I don't blame her!). If I catch it early enough, I can tempt her to have a mouthful or two of food, and within 5 or 10 minutes it settles her tummy enough that she'll then eat a normal breakfast.

It may be worth looking at your feeding regime to see if that could be adjusted. I have read of dogs with similar issues that are OK if they're fed just before 'bedtime', e.g. a couple of biscuit type treats seems to tide them over.

Kiki had a whole multitude of tests last year and other than her hypothyroidism, nothing flagged up so I think some dogs just need to eat a bit more regularly. She had the same issue when fed commercial dog food too, so it's not related to her raw feeding..just a Kiki thing I suppose!

con1888

I give both my cat and dog natural yoghurt. Mainly as I have started worming with diatamaceous earth and I find that's the easiest thing to mix with for them to take it.

Molly41

Thanks for response - I will give them some live yogurt. My dogs are fed twice a day with treats in-between. Often Molly does not eat her evening meal and it has to be taken up as Poppy will happily scoff the lot!

Battybird

My dog often used to get a noisy tummy, and for him, adding a couple of desert spoons of tinned Chappie to his dried food has worked wonders. I've found the chicken and rice flavour is better for his noisy tummy.

Mrs_pbradley936

Never given them to pets but I take them regularly because if I don't my insides play up. I use bio-kult capsules and yakult drink.