How Probiotics Effect On Animal Health

To understand whether or not probiotics such as bacillus clausii are safe for animal health, and whether they can effectively be used as animal health products, it is important to first understand what probiotics actually are, and how they are known to help with certain bodily functions - both in humans as well as in animals.

Most animals live in symbiosis - a mutually beneficial relationship - with what are called ‘good bacteria’ that reside in various parts of their digestive system. In several animals including mammals and fish, these good bacteria reside in the mouth and the gut - similar to humans. They basically feed off some of the nutrients that our bodies reject, and in turn provide us with helpful enzymes to effectively digest and absorb nutrients from the food we consume. This is a perfectly natural process that has been in our systems for most of our evolutionary history.

Due to harsh environmental conditions, improper food habits, an underlying infection or its treatment with anti-biotics this gut bacteria is flushed out or killed, leaving the animal digestive system inept to go on, and function as usual. Especially in animals and pets that depend on processed, unnatural forms of food for their everyday nutrition, it becomes increasingly usual for the gut to be rid of the good bacteria such as bacillus clausii, causing severe side effects such as loose stools, discomfort, pain or even constipation in some cases.

Probiotics are a natural way to replenish this gut bacteria and restore the natural balance of the florae in the digestive tract. Most probiotics that are categorized as animal health products, or animal health supplements, come as a wholesome combination of several types of helpful bacteria such as Lactobacillus, Bacillus clausii, Streptococcus, Pediococcus, Enterococcus, Bifidobacterium etc.

As the need to replenish the gut with good bacteria becomes more frequent, with complex dietary habits and rampant infections of today’s age - including probiotics as a regular form of food supplement or part of the regular course of animal health products will certainly help keep your animals and pets healthy, fit and active. Before you get started on a probiotic for your animals though, check with your veterinarian which combination of gut florae your animal might need - and get something that fits their exact requirement.

Happy gut to your animals and pets!