Synbiotic products combine both prebiotics and probiotics, which may provide a synergistic effect to promote gastrointestinal health and well-being in the dog and cat.
What are Probiotics and How do They Affect Dogs and Cats?
Probiotics are live micro-organisms, or bacteria, which confer a health benefit on the host when they are given orally in adequate quantities.
The normal microflora, or bacterial population, of the intestinal tract varies from species to species. As a result, the bacterial strains which are most beneficial as probiotics will vary from species to species as well. In the dog and cat, Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium are the most commonly used bacteria, but probiotics produced for these species should contain strains of these bacteria which are derived from the same species in order to be most beneficial.
In order to be an effective probiotic, a product must be able to survive passage through the intestinal tract, must be able to colonize and reproduce in the intestinal tract, must be safe and effective and must maintain its biological activity throughout the shelf-life of the product.
Unfortunately, JS Weese, in a study reported in the December, 2003 issue of the Canadian Veterinary Journal, demonstrated that many of the probiotic products available, particularly those marketed as part of a food product, did not retain their biological activity and did not contain viable micro-organisms in sufficient number to provide a beneficial effect to the dog or cat prior to expiration of the product. Contamination with organisms not listed on the label was also found to be a problem with some of these products.
When choosing a probiotic product, a pet owner is well advised to choose a product which has been well-researched, is manufactured by a reputable company and is produced specifically for either dogs or cats containing bacteria normally found in the canine and feline gastrointestinal tract, respectively. The products currently available with the most research available supporting them are Purina's Fortiflora®, Iams' Prostora®, and Nutramax's ProViable®.
What are Prebiotics and How do They Affect Dogs and Cats?
Prebiotics are nondigestible ingredients in the food, dietary fiber being the most commonly used, which selectively stimulate the growth and activity of the beneficial bacteria which colonize the colon. In other words, prebiotics have the ability to stimulate the growth and biological activity of probiotic bacteria. Probiotic bacteria, such as Lactobaccillus and Bifidobacterium can utilize prebiotic fiber sources as a source of nutrition. However, enteric pathogenic bacteria, such as Salmonella and E. coli are unable to utitlize these fiber sources.
The most commonly used prebiotic fibers are oligosaccharides (a specific type of starch) which are resistant to digestion by intestinal enzymes. Examples of compounds used as prebiotics include fructooligosaccharides (FOS), inulin, mannaoligosaccharides (MOS), beet pulp, psyllium, cellulose and gum arabic.
Potential Uses of Synbiotics for Dogs and Cats
Synbiotics, combinations of probiotics and prebiotics, can be used to treat a variety of conditions in the dog and cat.
- They are frequently recommended as an aid in resolving uncomplicated cases of diarrhea.
- They are used as an aid in the treatment of inflammatory diseases affecting the intestinal tract, such as inflammatory bowel disease.
- In addition, synbiotics are frequently recommended after a course of antibiotics as a means of restoring the microflora within the intestinal tract to its normal, healthy state.
Synbiotics are also being investigated as aids in treating some non-gastrointestinal diseases. There is some evidence that synbiotics may be useful in treating some skin ailments, such as atopy. Chronic kidney disease is another area where the use of synbiotics is being investigated.
Sources:
Weese, JS; "Evaluation of deficiencies in labeling of commercial probiotics"; Canadian Veterinary Journal, December 2003.
Sanderson, Sherry Lynn; "Why "Biotics"? Using Prebiotics and Probiotics in Your Practice"; Practical Applications for Achieving Gastintestinal Wellness Conference Proceeding 2010, Supplement to Compendium: Continuing Education for Veterinarians, December 2009.
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