# Probiotics



## KatBudz (Jun 18, 2009)

I have recently been researching about probiotics for cats, and have learned that it does many good things inside their bodies. The main one for me is urinary health, since both of my cats have had urinary tract infections in the past. Does anyone here use probiotics for their cats? If so, which brand do you use? I live in Burlington, Ontario Canada so I need something that is available in my area, and not online. Thanks in advance!


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## Meezer_lover (Apr 19, 2011)

Some foods contain probiotics. What food do you feed?


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## KatBudz (Jun 18, 2009)

They are both on the vet diet royal canin urinary s/o. they were on the medical preventative for a while but i switched them back a few days ago. i have tried other foods in the past, and something always happens so Im sticking with the vet diet until i can figure out whats going on. so i was looking for a probiotic to sprinkle onto their canned food. does it have to be a pet brand or can human probiotics work too? I know Wysong makes one for cats and dogs, but i dont know of any other pet companies who do.


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## doodlebug (May 13, 2006)

This site has a bunch of probiotic options. I have no idea if any of them are available in your area so you'll have to research that yourself.


Natural Probiotics for Pets


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## Dave_ph (Jul 7, 2009)

Both of my girls are now on a prescription probiotic called Fortiflora.

When Mia had Giardia and was taking the antibiotic Flagyl my vet had me follow it with the probiotic. Another Vet explained that Flagyl kills almost all the bacteria in the GI tract but leaves 1 harmful one so a probioic is used to repopulate the good bacteria and crowd out the bad one. He said that if you look at the package insert for most human antibiotics they'll warn you about this.

Fay was also started on the probiotic to help her resistance against Mia's Giardi.

Vet #2 said you can actually get the acidopholous they sell for humans, break up a pill and put a little it in your cat's food.


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## doodlebug (May 13, 2006)

Hey Dave...Fortiflora is not a prescription. Bet you're paying through the nose for it from the vet...


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## Dave_ph (Jul 7, 2009)

You're right. That label's not a script it's just directions. I'll be looking for it at Petsmart now.

I love Fortiflora. It got my girls eating canned food. 

Fay would NEVER touch canned food before this. She went almopt 36 hours when I first brought her in refusing to eat any of the canned food, tuna, fish, raw meat, cooked meat, pate or baby food I offered. When I let her out she made a bee line up the street for Peg the 3 legged outdoor cat's bowl of dry. When I found Fay's owners they said she would never eat any type of canned food. When I became her servant I tried all the tricks listed on the forum to get her to try canned food. She wouldn't even eat her dry food if it was on a plate with some canned food.

When the Vet gave it to me she said the kitteys would love it. Fay did. I started by giving it to her in a syring with a tiny bit of food. While she didn't like the administration she did seem to be sucking it down so one night after forcing it on her I let her sniff the applicator, mixed a tiny bit more, put it on some food and offered it to ther right there and she became a canned food junkie.


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## KatBudz (Jun 18, 2009)

Fortiflora is from purina isnt it? Does it come in liquid or powder form? I was hoping for a probiotic that I could buy at a petstore, with a holistic brand. Another one I found is from holistic blend, but they do not list in their ingredients which probiotics they use so im not sure if I want to go with that one either. I guess I wil just have to look around more. Thanks for the link doodlebug


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## KatBudz (Jun 18, 2009)

this one looks promising http://www.onlynaturalpet.com/products/Pet-Naturals-Digestive-Support-Dog-Cat-Supplement/176024.aspx from the site doodlebug gave me, and it mentions urinary tract health. Looks like I would have to order it online though. Any input if this one sounds good or bad?


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## Husky42 (Sep 28, 2008)

We use probiotics with our horses, never really thought to use with my cat though.


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## furryfriends251 (Jan 1, 2009)

KatBudz said:


> Fortiflora is from purina isnt it? Does it come in liquid or powder form? I was hoping for a probiotic that I could buy at a petstore, with a holistic brand. Another one I found is from holistic blend, but they do not list in their ingredients which probiotics they use so im not sure if I want to go with that one either. I guess I wil just have to look around more. Thanks for the link doodlebug


I use the "Holistic Select Transition Solution" and mine love it. Holistic Select - Digestive Aid - Holistic Transition is a link to it, they have another kind, but my cats much prefer the transition stuff.

It looks like there are lots of stores near you that sell the Holistic Select brand, so you'd just need to call and make sure they have the probiotics.


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## KatBudz (Jun 18, 2009)

Oh wow, I never knew holistic select made a probiotic powder. But would that one be good for daily use? Because it looks like its just for a 1 week thing when switching diets. Im looking for a product that can be used long term mainly to keep both cats urinary tracts healthy.


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## furryfriends251 (Jan 1, 2009)

I don't use it for what it says - very few people do. It just seems cats prefer the green bottle (which is the transition stuff) over the pink bottle (which isn't labeled as anything specific). They are almost the exact same thing.

I also don't use NEARLY the amount they say to use on the bottle. Just a small sprinkle, I use it like I would use salt/pepper on my own food. It doesn't take much


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## KatBudz (Jun 18, 2009)

So I found only the pink bottle at the petstore by my house so I bought it. Havent opened it yet because I have a question, on the bottle it says "caution: If there is a fever or if symptoms persist, consult your veterenarian. Continue using holistic solution until symptoms stop" what does that mean? That this product can make my cats develop a fever?


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## furryfriends251 (Jan 1, 2009)

KatBudz said:


> So I found only the pink bottle at the petstore by my house so I bought it. Havent opened it yet because I have a question, on the bottle it says "caution: If there is a fever or if symptoms persist, consult your veterenarian. Continue using holistic solution until symptoms stop" what does that mean? That this product can make my cats develop a fever?


I think, it is more of a disclaimer, to avoid lawsuits. Someone could buy it, because their cat has a cold, for example. They don't go to the vet, figuring that the Holistic Select powder will get the cat over the cold. It doesn't help, cat dies, and the owner blaims the Holistic Select company for not having a disclaimer about it not being a substitute for veterinary treatment.


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## doodlebug (May 13, 2006)

Holistic Solution is for simple diarrhea, but sometimes diarrhea is accompanied by other symptoms and combined those symptoms are indicative of something more serious. So HS is warning that if the situation is more than just a digestive upset, then a vet is necessary. Basically a CYA statement.


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## KatBudz (Jun 18, 2009)

Oh I see. And would the holistic solution be a suitable probiotic supplement for cats on antibiotics? Also, my friend works at a health food store and has a lot of different probiotics. They are all refrigerated which I like because it obviously does a better job of keeping the bacterial culture alive. While the pet brand ones mostly say refrigerate after opening. Would a human grade probiotic be safe for cats? As long as I look for any unessessary fillers that some human companies put into their probiotics.


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## doodlebug (May 13, 2006)

Refrigerated probiotics are actually the best. Human probiotics are fine for pets. The difference between the human and pets products is often just that the pet ones have some sort of flavoring to make it palatable. If you're mixing it with wet food, the human version is fine.


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## KatBudz (Jun 18, 2009)

Awesome! Thanks so much for all your help


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## Dave_ph (Jul 7, 2009)

furryfriends251 said:


> I think, it is more of a disclaimer, to avoid lawsuits. Someone could buy it, because their cat has a cold, for example. They don't go to the vet, figuring that the Holistic Select powder will get the cat over the cold. It doesn't help, cat dies, and the owner blaims the Holistic Select company for not having a disclaimer about it not being a substitute for veterinary treatment.


 
I think you'll find that kind of warning on a bottle of asprin for humans.


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