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Natural Probiotic Food For Dogs
Natural Probiotic Food For Dogs is common food either commercially purchased or homemade that can provide multiple health benefits to your Boxer. The use of Probiotics in food has been practiced for several decades.
The recent increase in owners feeding their dogs a raw diet has also spotlighted the need or desire of boxer owners to feed their dogs natural foods containing probiotics to support good overall health.
Natural Probiotic Foods For Dogs – Choosing Probiotic Foods
Natural Probiotic Foods for Boxers are foods that are
- High in Fiber
- Fermented – the sugars in the food are broken down by bacteria
- Typically contain Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB) and Lactic Acid Producers (Bifidobacterium). These are usually listed on ingredient labeling as Lactobacillus or Bifidobacteria.
Table 1 below details the Natural Probiotic Food For Dogs, food type, the common probiotic bacteria found in each food type the mode of action for each type of bacteria.
Footnote: Additional high-fiber foods that have a pre-biotic effect & feed probiotic (“Good”) bacteria include
- Mushrooms
- Dandelion greens
- Chickory Root
- Jerusalem Artichoke
- Garlic
- Asparagus
- Bananas
Natural Probiotic Food For Dogs | Food Type - High Fiber or Fermented, Natural | Probiotic Bacteria | Mode of Action |
Yogurt | Fermented | Streptococcus thermophilus
| Lactobacillus converts sugars in the milk to lactic acid. |
Kefir (fermented milk product) | Fermented | Lactobacillis acidophilus
| Lactobacillus converts sugars in the milk to lactic acid. |
Buttermilk | Fermented | Lactobacillus acidophilus | Lactobacillus converts sugars in the milk to lactic acid. |
Goats Milk | Natural | Lactococcus lactis
| Lactobacillus converts sugars in the milk to lactic acid. |
Sauerkraut | Fermented | Leuconostoc mesenteroides | Inhibits the growth of pathogenic bacteria in the intestine. |
Chaga | Fermented | Contain disaccharides that help promote the growth of Probiotic bacteria | Disaccharides are 2 two sugars bound together (Sucrose, Lactose, Maltose) |
Kimchi (Korean Fermented Vegetables) | Fermented | Leuconostoc | Inhibits the growth of pathogenic bacteria in the intestine. |
Broccoli | Natural | Does not contain live culture bacteria | Soluble fibers in the food feed the good bacteria in your GI Tract like bifidobacterium |
Sweet Potatoes | Natural | Does not contain live culture bacteria | Soluble fibers in the food feed the good bacteria in your GI Tract like bifidobacterium |
Probiotic Food For Dogs – What are Probiotics?
In a journal article, Use of Probiotics in Diet of Dogs, Journal of Nutrition 1998, they define probiotics as
“Probiotics are microorganisms such as bacteria or yeast that can be added to food with the purpose of regulating the intestinal flora”.
Another journal article Microbiota and Probiotics in Canine and Feline Welfare, Anaerobe, 2015 defines a probiotic in terms of its health benefits. The authors describe a probiotic as
“Probiotic is defined a ‘live microorganism which when administered in adequate amounts confers a health benefit to the host”.
Natural Probiotic Food for Dogs – Mechanism of Action for Probiotics
So exactly how do probiotics work in your GI tract to provide health benefits for your boxer dog?
- Probiotic bacteria produce antimicrobial agents when they are breaking down food in your GI tract which inhibits or kills harmful bacteria.
- Probiotic bacteria crowd out the space in the GI tract from the harmful bacteria not allowing them to expand to quantities capable of causing disease or discomfort
- Probiotic bacteria can interact with your immune system to prevent harmful bacteria from growing and causing diseases.
A little-known fact is that 70% of your immune response comes from your GI tract, mainly your intestines. This is due to the quantities of beneficial bacteria in your GI tract.
Review our article on the 6 Foods that Lead to Allergies in Your Boxer Dog
This is why it’s important to feed your Boxer dog a healthy diet to help maintain a strong immune system.
Try Zesty Paws Probiotic Bites Pumpkin Flavored Soft Chews Digestive Supplement for Dogs to help your Boxer’s Digestive Health.
Natural Probiotic Foods for Dogs – Benefits of Probiotics Boxer Dogs
According to the article 10 Reasons Pets Visit Veterinarians published in the American Veterinary Medical Association, AVMA Journal, the top 3 reasons that dog owners take their loyal companions to the veterinarian are
- Skin Allergies
- Ear Infections
- Stomach upsets
So how can natural probiotic food for dogs provide a benefit for these top 3 conditions commonly seen in Boxer dogs?
Natural Probiotic Food For Dogs – Immune System and Control of Allergic Disorders
We mentioned earlier that probiotic bacteria interact with your dog’s immune system by preventing or inhibiting the growth of harmful bacteria in the GI tract where 70% of immune function is located.
An example of utilizing probiotic bacteria to provide a specific benefit to your boxer is the use of Lactobacillus rhamnosus, which is a Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB).
Lactic acid bacteria break down sugars (“ferment”) in foods. The Lactic acid prevents the bacteria from growing.
Dogs that showed a predisposition to common allergic skin disease in dogs, Canine Atopic Dermatitis (CAD), were given the Lactobacillus rhamnosus. The use of this bacteria appeared to eliminate or reduce the clinical sign of Canine Atopic Dermatitis.
For additional information on Canine Atopic Dermatitis, read our post on the 7 Most Common Boxer Dog Allergies Helping Your Boxer With Symptoms.
If your Boxer experiences allergies we recommend and use PetCareRx for our prescription and Over-the-Counter (OTC) products. They provide great service and fast delivery.
Enjoy 25% OFF Sitewide at PetCareRx.com! Use Code: CARE25
Natural Probiotic Foods For Dogs – Obesity Prevention
As in human populations, obesity in dogs has become increasingly prevalent in developed countries. Dogs are considered overweight when they weigh 10% -20% more than their “ideal” body weight.
For example, studies show that 38% (or a little more than one-third) of dogs are overweight. France reported that 39% of dogs in their country are overweight. An astonishing 50% (half of all dogs) in the UK are reported to be overweight.
Actinobacteria and “harmful” bacteria are found in higher numbers in the GI tracts of Obese dogs versus healthy weight dogs.
Obese dogs have an over-abundance of anaerobic (don’t need oxygen to survive) in the GI tract that breaks down fibers and saccharide sugars. Short-chain Chain Fatty Acids (SCFAs) production is decreased in the GI tract.
Short-chain Chain Fatty Acids are important in the GI tract and play a role in sugar and fat metabolism, inflammatory responses, and immune responses.
Lactic Acid Forming Probiotic Bacteria produce lactic acid which can help prevent the growth of anaerobic bacteria. Other probiotic bacteria can help crowd out harmful bacteria and help increase the levels of Short Chain Fatty Acids in the GI tract.
Read our post on Best Treats for Boxers How to Use Healthy Treats for Good Boxer Dog Behavior to learn more about how to reduce obesity in your Boxer Dog.
References: Comparison of Gut Microbiota of 96 Healthy Dogs, MDPI, 2021
Microbiome and Obesity – Purina Institute
Only Natural Pet Probiotic Blend Capsules have natural microorganisms to support a healthy digestive tract in your dog.
Natural Probiotic Food For Dogs – Reducing Infections In Your Boxer
Harmful bacteria, such as enteropathogens when unchecked and left to flourish in the GI tract can lead to infections.
Natural Probiotics Foods for dogs can keep these harmful pathogens in check. Lactic acid-producing bacteria produce an unsuitable “acidic” environment for this pathogen making it difficult for them to proliferate.
Other good probiotic bacteria such as bifidobacterium “crow out” the enteropathogens so that can grow and take over the flora in the Boxer dogs Gi tract.
Probiotic bacteria can keep your boxer healthy by reducing the level of enteropathogens and therefore reducing the risk of infection.
Table 2 below provides a comprehensive summary of the Probiotic Bacteria, their function, common foods they are found in, and the specific probiotic bacteria.
Probiotic Bacteria | Function | Natural Foods Containing these Bacteria | Specific Bacteria |
Bifidobacterium | Support Immune System | Yogurt | B. Animalis |
Lactobacillus | Produce Lactase which helps breakdown lactose | Miso | L. acidophilus L. casei L. plantarum |
Enterococcus | Produce Lactase which helps breakdown lactose | Pickles | E. Faecium |
Bacillus | Produce Lactase which helps breakdown lactose | Yogurts | B. coagulans |
Yeast | Treats acute and chronic diarrhea | Sourdough Breads | Saccharomyces boulardii |
Try the following natural probiotic dog foods to help with your dog’s digestive health
ONLY NATURAL PET POWER CHICKEN AND POULTRY FEAST GRAIN-FREE DOG FOOD – 4.5 LB
ONLY NATURAL PET POWER FOOD RED MEAT FEAST GRAIN-FREE DOG FOOD – 4.5 LB
Taste of the Wild High Prairie Grain-Free Dry Dog Food
Summary
Natural Probiotic Foods for dogs are
- High in Fiber
- Fermented – the sugars in the food are broken down by bacteria
- Typically contains Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB) and Lactic Acid Producers (Bifidobacterium).
Probiotics are effective in assisting your dog’s immune system by
- Producing by-products from the fermentation process that prevent or inhibit the growth of harmful bacteria.
- “Crowd out” space in the GI tract blocking room for harmful bacteria to grow and proliferate.
The benefits of natural probiotic foods are
- Immune System and Allergy control
- Obesity prevention
- Protection from Infections
Natural probiotic foods can help keep your boxers happy and healthy while helping them maintain a healthy weight so they can remain active.
Brain Training For Dogs – Teach Your Boxer to Be A Great Companion
Discoverboxerdogs.com are Mary and Chris Kustanbauter. We reside in Red Lion, PA with our two Boxers, Duke and Katie, who are both rescue dogs. We have been working with Adopt A Boxer Rescue for the past 17 years and have adopted 5 Boxers from this fine organization. To learn more visit our Home, Boxer Dog Family, and Blogs Pages Visit us on social media on Facebook – All About Boxers, Instagram, and Pinterest.