# probiotics for cats



## agbowers832 (Oct 14, 2009)

Hey, does anyone know of a good probiotic for cats? I have been ready about SBOs and plant enzymes and animal enzymes, and I don't know what would be best.

thanks
Allison


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## Heidi n Q (Nov 22, 2006)

My vet gave me something called "Fortiflora" for my kitty with digestive problems.


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## doodlebug (May 13, 2006)

Lots of good pet supplements on this site:

www.onlynaturalpet.com


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## laurief (Jun 22, 2008)

I use acidophilus purchased from the health food store when my animals need a probiotic. Always seems to do the job for my crew.

Laurie


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## JillianSwift (Nov 3, 2009)

Does anyone have links/cites to peer-reviewed studies about this "pro-biotic" stuff? The only thing I can find on my own are people saying it has no basis in research or fact.

I find myself wary of feeding microfauna to my cats (or myself) without some level of certainty that it does more good than harm.


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## agbowers832 (Oct 14, 2009)

I found a review of some studies (it's for humans): http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/85642.php

this isn't a journal article, but it had some great info: http://www.medicinenet.com/probiotics/article.htm

If you really want articles, the american journal of gastroenterology has some you can buy : http://www.nature.com/ajg/archive/index.html

Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association has stuff on probiotics (must join or pay per article): http://avmajournals.avma.org/loi/javma

The Journal of Nutrition and Wellness has articles (At least some are free): http://www.ispub.com/journal/the_intern ... lness.html

I also recommend looking at the citations at the end of any articles you find or buy for leads to more articles/journals.

I didn't read through it all, but basically scientific study is a bit lacking as it is just becoming popular. However, the studies that they have done have shown some promise, but that only certain kinds of probiotics are useful for certain kinds of disorders. There also seems to be a large placebo effect some times. I think the research is heading toward which strains are most useful for which disorders, and obviously safety. It seems that any side effects are usually mild, but they caution that probiotics may cause illness in individuals with compromised immune systems etc. Again, I didn't really read, I mostly skimmed. I hope these sources are helpful!


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## JillianSwift (Nov 3, 2009)

Thanks for the links, but I've already gone over those sites.

The scariest article, for me, was the one in JAVMA which discovered that, of the 13 "probiotic" products for animals, only 2 had the microorganisms the packaging claimed.

Otherwise, the abstracts are calls for further research, and non conclusive studies.


> Microbiologic evaluation of commercial probiotics
> 
> *J. Scott Weese, DVM, DVSc, DACVIM
> Department of Clinical Studies, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON Canada N1G 2W1. (Weese)*
> ...


This abstract from AJG is also worrisome:



> Abstract of Helping Patients Make Informed Choices About Probiotics: A Need for Research _Am J Gastroenterol 2009; 104:809–813; doi:10.1038/ajg.2008.68_
> *By Richard R Sharp PhD, Jean-Paul Achkar MD, Margaret A Brinich BA and Ruth M Farrell MD*
> 
> Applications of probiotics in the treatment of gastrointestinal disorders are gaining acceptance among patients, despite evidence that probiotics can present substantial health risks, particularly for patients who are immunocompromised or seriously ill. Patients will likely formulate their attitudes and beliefs about probiotic therapies with reference to interpretive frameworks that compare probiotics with more familiar therapeutic modalities, including complementary and alternative medicines, pharmacological therapies, and gene-transfer technologies. Each of these frameworks highlights a different set of benefit-to-risk considerations regarding probiotic usage and reinforces extreme characterizations of both the therapeutic promise and peril of probiotics. Considerable effort may be required to help patients make informed choices about probiotic therapies.


Anyway, I'm still very much "on the fence" about probiotics, and am open to any evidence anyone might have. thanks =^_^=


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## hoofmaiden (Sep 28, 2009)

<shrug> I've used them for years in animals w/ GI tract issues -- usually following antibiotics, but also in Jonah, my rescued kitten. They DO help.


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## melysion (Mar 12, 2007)

hoofmaiden said:


> <shrug> I've used them for years in animals w/ GI tract issues -- usually following antibiotics, but also in Jonah, my rescued kitten. They DO help.


They have always helped my Tobe too.


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## agbowers832 (Oct 14, 2009)

Effects of Lactobacillus acidophilus DSM13241 as a probiotic in healthy adult cats.
Marshall-Jones ZV, Baillon ML, Croft JM, Butterwick RF.

Waltham Centre for Pet Nutrition, Waltham-on-the-Wolds, Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire, LE14 4RT, UK.
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of dietary supplementation with the probiotic strain Lactobacillus acidophilus DSM13241 in healthy adult cats. ANIMALS: 15 adult cats. PROCEDURES: Cats were fed a nutritionally complete dry food for 5 weeks. Fecal character was assessed daily, and a single fecal sample and 3-mL blood sample were collected for bacterial enumeration and hematologic analysis, respectively. Cats were then fed the same diet supplemented with L acidophilus DSM13241 (2 x 10(8) CFU/d) for 4.5 weeks. Repeat fecal and hematologic measurements were taken prior to the return to control diet for a 4-week period. RESULTS: The probiotic species was recovered from feces, demonstrating survival through the feline gastrointestinal tract. Probiotic supplementation was associated with increased numbers of beneficial Lactobacillus and L acidophilus groups in feces and decreased numbers of Clostridium spp and Enterococcus faecalis, indicating an altered bacterial balance in the gastrointestinal tract microflora. Fecal pH was also decreased suggesting a colonic environment selective for the beneficial lactic acid bacterial population. Systemic and immunomodulatory effects were associated with administration of L acidophilus DSM13241 including altered cell numbers within WBC subsets and enhanced phagocytic capacity in the peripheral granulocyte population. In addition, plasma endotoxin concentrations were decreased during probiotic feeding, and RBCs had a decreased susceptibility to osmotic pressure. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Probiotic strain L acidophilus DSM13241 fed at 2 x 10(8) CFU/d can alter the balance of gastrointestinal microflora in healthy cats. Furthermore, administration of this probiotic results in beneficial systemic and immunomodulatory effects in cats.


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## hoofmaiden (Sep 28, 2009)

I think that generally, healthy cats fed a species-appropriate (i.e., raw) diet won't need probiotics. The only reason to give them is when WE mess up the GI tract (with antibiotics, which kill ALL the gut bacteria, both "good" and "bad"; or with babies or sick critters).


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## JillianSwift (Nov 3, 2009)

agbowers832 said:


> Effects of Lactobacillus acidophilus DSM13241 as a probiotic in healthy adult cats.
> Marshall-Jones ZV, Baillon ML, Croft JM, Butterwick RF.
> 
> Waltham Centre for Pet Nutrition, Waltham-on-the-Wolds, Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire, LE14 4RT, UK.
> OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of dietary supplementation with the probiotic strain Lactobacillus acidophilus DSM13241 in healthy adult cats. ANIMALS: 15 adult cats. PROCEDURES: Cats were fed a nutritionally complete dry food for 5 weeks. Fecal character was assessed daily, and a single fecal sample and 3-mL blood sample were collected for bacterial enumeration and hematologic analysis, respectively. Cats were then fed the same diet supplemented with L acidophilus DSM13241 (2 x 10(8) CFU/d) for 4.5 weeks. Repeat fecal and hematologic measurements were taken prior to the return to control diet for a 4-week period. RESULTS: The probiotic species was recovered from feces, demonstrating survival through the feline gastrointestinal tract. Probiotic supplementation was associated with increased numbers of beneficial Lactobacillus and L acidophilus groups in feces and decreased numbers of Clostridium spp and Enterococcus faecalis, indicating an altered bacterial balance in the gastrointestinal tract microflora. Fecal pH was also decreased suggesting a colonic environment selective for the beneficial lactic acid bacterial population. Systemic and immunomodulatory effects were associated with administration of L acidophilus DSM13241 including altered cell numbers within WBC subsets and enhanced phagocytic capacity in the peripheral granulocyte population. In addition, plasma endotoxin concentrations were decreased during probiotic feeding, and RBCs had a decreased susceptibility to osmotic pressure. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Probiotic strain L acidophilus DSM13241 fed at 2 x 10(8) CFU/d can alter the balance of gastrointestinal microflora in healthy cats. Furthermore, administration of this probiotic results in beneficial systemic and immunomodulatory effects in cats.


Very small N, no control group, no peer review. Sorry.


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## hoofmaiden (Sep 28, 2009)

So don't use 'em! <shrug> Those of us who have used them have seen them work. I take them myself if I have to be on antibiotics for any reason.


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## JillianSwift (Nov 3, 2009)

hoofmaiden said:


> <shrug> I've used them for years in animals w/ GI tract issues -- usually following antibiotics, but also in Jonah, my rescued kitten. They DO help.





melysion said:


> They have always helped my Tobe too.


I'm not trying to say they don't, and I'm glad you seem to have found they were good for your cats.
I am trying to find real evidence that they _do_. Sadly, anecdotes aren't evidence.


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## JillianSwift (Nov 3, 2009)

hoofmaiden said:


> So don't use 'em! <shrug> Those of us who have used them have seen them work. I take them myself if I have to be on antibiotics for any reason.


I'm confused. Is your advice to stop looking into it?

I'm just science-minded. A thread full of advocates of probiotics seemed a good place to ask a friendly question about it. I mean, if you don't ask, you never learn, right?


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## hoofmaiden (Sep 28, 2009)

Oh, no. Didn't mean to suggest that. It just seemed as if you were asking others to DO your research.  I don't think that's really our job. Probios are one of those things that are harmless and do seem to help, so I see no reason not to use/recommend them. You seem to be asking for "proof" here, on a thread that was just started to ask about good brands, etc. ,and then discounting what people offer.

To get back to the original topic: My advice is to ONLY buy probios intended for humans (not animals), as the quality will be higher; to ONLY get them in a good natural foods store (Whole Foods, etc.); and to ONLY get the kind that are refrigerated in the store and must be refrigerated at home. The cheapo ones that don't require refrigeration aren't going to have any live bacteria at all.

I got a pediatric probio preparation for mixing into baby Jonah's goats milk formula.


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## JillianSwift (Nov 3, 2009)

hoofmaiden said:


> Oh, no. Didn't mean to suggest that. It just seemed as if you were asking others to DO your research.  I don't think that's really our job. Probios are one of those things that are harmless and do seem to help, so I see no reason not to use/recommend them. You seem to be asking for "proof" here, on a thread that was just started to ask about good brands, etc. ,and then discounting what people offer.


Nope nope, no one owes me anything, never mind proof.


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