Pet on antibiotics? Use probiotics!

   If your dog, cat, or horse is taking antibiotics for a stubborn infection, especially for prolonged periods of time, there is always the risk that the medication will cause an imbalance of gut flora. This can lead to diarrhea and worse. What to do?

 Animals, like people, can benefit from taking probiotics in conjunction with antibiotic use. Probiotics are beneficial organisms that are found in the healthy intestinal lining of people and animals. Antibiotics tend to destroy these friendly organisms along with invading pathogens.

   Mild diarrhea is not the only problem associated with antibiotic use. Pets (again, like their human owners) can get a condition called C.difficile, an anaerobic bacillus.  This is an extremely resistant bacteria that requires additional medication, usually Flagyl, followed by other protocols if this doesn’t work. C.difficile is also present in healthy bodies, but when it gets the upper hand, the symptoms are distressing, even fatal at times.

  This syndrome can often be avoided by administering the probiotics during and just after treatment with antibiotics. The typical dosage is the same as that for humans. There are also probiotics specifically designed for pets. You can use applesauce, baby food, or other soft foods as a delivery system for the powder.  Be sure to keep the bottle refrigerated; See the links below for suppliers.

www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27774614/ - 62k

www.wadsworth.org/eip/pdf/surveillanceclostridiumdifficle.pdf

www.flintriver.com/Probiotics-Overview.htm

www.thewholedog.org/id24.html www.healthyfoodforpets.com/probiotics.htm

search.onlynaturalpet.com/search.aspx?searchterms=probiotics-dogs – 1

onlynaturalpetblog.com/2008/01/25/probiotics-for-dogs-and-cats/ -

1800whiskers.com