Probiotics Search - Human Grade and CFUs

[donnajean]

I was using Dr. Mercola's pet probiotic, no problems with my three cats.

Since I ran out I purchased Milk-free Power Dophilus 200 veg. capsules by Country Life.

It does have to be refrigerated and Adults (humans) dosage is three capsules a day so I give my cats one a day.

The ingredients are: lactobacillus rhamnosus, lactobacillus acidophilus, bifidobacterium lactis (bifidum) and bifidobacterium longum.

The total from 3 capsules of the proprietary probiotic blend is 1.2 g...

This probiotic does not have the prebiotics, I chose not to purchase one with only because of reading alot about how they may not be appropriate for my cat Boo who has probable IBD...

Country Life is an excellent brand, not that pricey if you are only giving to one cat or two.

I just open capsule and mix in with canned food.

My cats do not have any issues with diarrhea , only Boo has had an issue in the past when he developed Pancreatitis and also when he was on an antibiotic, so this probiotic works well for overall digestive health , no problems so far after using for 2 months.

 

[droogcat]

Thank you for your swift reply (still learning how to find them ! I did read that thread but when I checked the sources, I am not seeing evidence of use for Clostridrium Perfrengens (sp?). The other clostridriums, yes (mainly type "difficile"). I am considering contacting the french author of an article on the yeast sacc. boulardii to see if he might have any ideas for C.P. The Sacc. Boulardii on its own (French brand that tastes sweet, fortunately), combined with lactobacillus and bifidis (Jarrow brand) seems to be helping my normally exceptionally healthy male bengal. Hard to monitor him lately as he goes outside and has found a new toilet area that I cannot locate yet (probably in a neighbor's yard(!).

Merci bien for the sources for the other items. They will help my female mix who has a history of IBD/Crohn's flare ups. But after 1.5 months on prednisone (descending dose) after a serious flare-up, she is better than ever. Though, still wants to eat often, am still working out supplements to give her to help her gain weight (food tends to move thru quickly for her). Adding the probiotics and fiber (inulin and a little flax meal) seems to help as does feeding pure protein sources (turkey/chicken from my table, sometimes raw, as a supplement to canned and dry high protein food). 

Thanks again for your help! And hope your cat(s) are healthy and happy.

 

[natalie_ca]

Spencer has food allergies and we found out the hard way! He had really bad inflammation in his mouth that required a diet change to a single source protein food, and a 2 week antibiotic 3 or 4 times in a row.

After the antibiotic was finished, my vet recommended I put him on probiotics to help rebuild the flora in his gut.  Because of his allergies, she recommended a vegan based one but she said they didn't have any in stock.  She suggested I go to a health food store and buy a really good human vegan one.  I don't drive and didn't get around to going to the health store, and the Vet happened to have one in stock when I went to pick up food. I probably paid 3 times as much there as I would have in a health food store for a human one though.

So far as is it ok to give a human one to a cat, I would say so because my vet said I could. Plus most of the medications that we give our pets, are human medications.  When my RB kitty Chynna was on high blood pressure medication. I picked her prescription up at Safeway, along with my own.

 

[mema62]

Here is a thread in the Raw feeding forum that discusses probiotics.  I have raw for almost two years, and about six months ago I started giving Ritz probiotics every day because she throws up a lot.  She still throw up (being addressed holistically soon), but I figure it can't hurt her.  I may start reducing the frequency I give her the probiotics, and when she was on antibiotics, I was careful about the timing of the pro/anti biotic.
I don't believe a probiotic for pets is needed, just a good quality one for humans is fine.  (And there are much much better ones than FortiFlora.)
For Ritz, I use this one because it has 10 billion active cell units and the base is not milk (and cause other people on the raw forum recommended this brand).  It does not need refrigeration.
Every cat is different; some cats have diarrehea on probiotics.  Ritz doesn't and likes the taste.  But then she like the taste of (raw) eyeballs.

how much do i give my cat its a capsule 15 billion. 10 stains. i dont want to over do it. and do i o it 1x a day? just also changing him to grain free food for senitive stomach. he is having stomach gas

 

[ldg]

I give my adult cats 10 billion CFU split into two doses of 5 billion CFU fed am and pm by sprinkling the probiotic on food.

 

[kark]

In post number 6 LDG mentions 2 brands of probiotics carried by Vitacost (which I shop frequently). One is the NaturVet digestive enzymes and probiotics and the other Pet Dophilis by Jarrow Formulas. It was clear in the post that the NaturVet product was not an ideal supplement for probiotics, but is the Jarrow Formula's product an okay probiotic for my cats? One of my "babies" is almost 11 (Jasper) and the other is almost 12 (Shayla). I inquired about a probiotic from my vet after Shayla was given an antibiotic for pancreatitis and was given the Purina Fortiflora (which I discontinued using, especially after all the helpful information on this wonderful website).  Vitacost also sells a couple other probitotics for cats: Dr. Mercola's Complete Probiotics for Pets and Animal Essentials Plant Enzymes & Probiotics for Dogs and Cats. The latter doesn't appear to have acidophilus, bifidus, rhamnosus, E. faecium, S. boulardii, so I'm going to pass on that one. However the one by Dr. Mercola appears to have those strains. Thoughts on using either the Dr. Mercola brand or the Jarrow Formula brand?

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

 
In post number 6 LDG mentions 2 brands of probiotics carried by Vitacost (which I shop frequently). One is the NaturVet digestive enzymes and probiotics and the other Pet Dophilis by Jarrow Formulas. It was clear in the post that the NaturVet product was not an ideal supplement for probiotics, but is the Jarrow Formula's product an okay probiotic for my cats? One of my "babies" is almost 11 (Jasper) and the other is almost 12 (Shayla). I inquired about a probiotic from my vet after Shayla was given an antibiotic for pancreatitis and was given the Purina Fortiflora (which I discontinued using, especially after all the helpful information on this wonderful website).  Vitacost also sells a couple other probitotics for cats: Dr. Mercola's Complete Probiotics for Pets and Animal Essentials Plant Enzymes & Probiotics for Dogs and Cats. The latter doesn't appear to have acidophilus, bifidus, rhamnosus, E. faecium, S. boulardii, so I'm going to pass on that one. However the one by Dr. Mercola appears to have those strains. Thoughts on using either the Dr. Mercola brand or the Jarrow Formula brand?

All I can tell you on this is that I tried the Mercola's with my furkids, and they NEVER got used to it.  I called the Mercola Customer Service line, and they told me to try introducing it slowly, so i cut down on the amount I gave them (substantially), and STILL they wouldn't eat their food if it was in there, so i cut down on it further, and STILL they wouldn't it, so finally i ended up giving it away to friends who had dogs.  We've never tried the Jarrow here. 

 

[kark]

Thanks Mrsgreenjeans for the info!  From reading through the posts it looks like the most popular, effective and healthiest brands for probiotics are the Natural Factors Acidophilus and Bifidus Double Strength Capsules and Nexabiotic.  The dosing sounds complicated with measuring to give either a 1/4 or 1/2 capsule twice a day.  Since my cats eat multiple times daily (wet food only: a combo of raw and Wellness canned), can I mix this up each morning (and refrigerate the mixture) or will mixing the probiotic with the food diminish the effectiveness of the probiotic for use later in the day?

I also mix in a bit of organic canned pumpkin for one of my cats who has IBS (to add some fiber to help with constipation/diarrhea). Any thoughts on continuing the pumpkin once I start probiotics? I'm not sure how much the pumpkin is helping.

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

 
Thanks Mrsgreenjeans for the info!  From reading through the posts it looks like the most popular, effective and healthiest brands for probiotics are the Natural Factors Acidophilus and Bifidus Double Strength Capsules and Nexabiotic.  The dosing sounds complicated with measuring to give either a 1/4 or 1/2 capsule twice a day.  Since my cats eat multiple times daily (wet food only: a combo of raw and Wellness canned), can I mix this up each morning (and refrigerate the mixture) or will mixing the probiotic with the food diminish the effectiveness of the probiotic for use later in the day?

I also mix in a bit of organic canned pumpkin for one of my cats who has IBS (to add some fiber to help with constipation/diarrhea). Any thoughts on continuing the pumpkin once I start probiotics? I'm not sure how much the pumpkin is helping.

I don't find dosing complicated at all.  I feed three meals per day, all wet food. (each cat gets their own bowl BTW)   I simply open up a capsule, pour about half out into each bowl, then close the last capsule back up and set it on top of the bottle for the evening meal, since I only need 1 1/2 capsules total in the morning and 1 1/2 in the evening.  If that doesn't work for you, then you could always just set THAT capsule somewhere so you know where it is (IF you have an uneven number of cats like I do

)  If you have an even number, then you won't have any leftover half capsules after a meal.  I happen to also add in some egg yolk lecithin in their bowls too (1/2 capsule, so do the same thing).  Then I stir in a little bit of filtered water, about a teaspoon, and make sure it's mixed really well before I add in their food, then mix it all up really well.  This is just my own preference.  I've found that if I just sprinkle it on top,or even just stir it in, sometimes they don't seem to like their food as well, so that's how I do it.   Does that makes sense?  Easy peasy

If you're not sure if the pumpkin is helping, is that why you are going to try probiotics?  I guess I would probably start up the probiotics, see how they work, and THEN possibly stop the pumpkin.   That's just my thinking though.  I've never had a cat with IBS. 

 

[dozerbutt]

I've seen this a few times here and wonder what it means, "feeding raw" does that mean feeding the cat raw food, if so what kind of raw food? i have an older cat with thyroid disorder, and even though they have her on medication that has her levels pretty much normal, she has chronic dir rea ha, that I can't seem to get fixed, I'm thinking of trying probiotics. but I keep seeing feeding raw, on here and want to know what it means. My cat is 18 years old, and really skinny from this problem, she needs help

 

[LTS3]

 
I've seen this a few times here and wonder what it means, "feeding raw" does that mean feeding the cat raw food, if so what kind of raw food?

Yes, a raw food diet. There's a separate forum here on TCS for more info on raw diets: http://www.thecatsite.com/f/65/raw-amp-home-cooked-cat-food

Raw diets can be done several ways:

• There's commercial raw pet food that you can buy in pet stores. These can be frozen, freeze dried, air dried, or dehydrated. Some are complete diets, others are not. Popular brands include Nature's Variety Instinct, Primal Pet, Stella and Chewy's, and Rad Cat. Independent pet stores typically sell a variety of raw foods.
• You can follow a raw pet food recipe. A popular one can be found at http://catinfo.org/?link=makingcatfood Usually making your own food from a recipe involves grinding meat unless you buy ground meat from a reputable raw pet food supplier like Hare-Today.com (ground supermarket meat it not recommended) and adding in supplements to make the food a complete balanced diet.
• Even easier than following a recipe is to use raw meat of your choice and add in a pre-mix. The pre-mix contains all of the vitamins and minerals a cat needs. You basically just use X amount of meat, add in the right amount of pre-mix according to the package instructions, add in water, and mix everything up. Then you just portion the food out into serving sizes and freeze.
• Some people follow the frankenprey model which is feeding 80% muscle meat, 10% raw bone, 5% liver, and 5% other organs. I think prey model is similar.

Throwing some raw meat into a bowl is not a complete balanced diet. Read the articles at the top of the Raw forum to understand how to properly feed a raw diet and post questions in that forum for help.

Not all cats will eat a raw diet, especially senior cats who have eaten nothing but commercial dry and / or canned food their entire lives. Freeze dried raw is nearly similar to dry food (crunchy, stinky, etc) so some cats will eat that instead of frozen raw or homemade raw.

 

[mscatmom]

My 13 year old was suffering from regular diarrhea and vomiting, and has been diagnosed with IBD (has that been suggested by your vet?). Anyway, instead of starting her on meds right away I did a lot of reading and made some changes to her diet and it has helped a lot. I cut out the kibble (very slowly, as they were primarily dry food eaters) and introduced some healthier canned foods. Then I started making my own food and also gave her some raw. You can learn a LOT about it online, of course, as there are a lot of cat parents that will attest it has improved their kitties health. Also probiotics can be very helpful, there are many products out there so you may have to try different ones. Some people give their cats human grade, but my vet advises one formulated specifically for cats so best to check with your veterinarian. I believe the dietary changes may help your cat a lot, and it is worth the effort.  Just like with humans.....you are what you eat! Good luck to you with thisi

 

[catlady186]

Noticed someone said their cat was throwing up.

Throwing up (with no hairballs) their food on a regular basis might be something more serious like Hyperthyroid issues which is common in cats but very serious.

Probiotics are great, but please do not wait more than 2 days if there are obvious signs for a serious underlying problem.

 If your cat is throwing up and/or had the runs - it is important you take the cat to the doctor after 2 days.

If he/she is doing both you should be very concerned.  Maybe be a blockage due to an obstruction or twisted intestines.  Could be IBS, cancer or anything that should be researched.  Radiographs and/or ultrasounds may be needed.  From my experience with cats, if they throw up often, they may have hyperthyroid issues and should be looked at right away.  With any animal that is throwing up a lot and/or diarrhea it is important to get that to stop within the week so that he/she can keep nutrients in - please do not let it go on.  Depletion of nutrients can cause other problems.  Only review by a doctor can determine what it is.

Much luck to all.

 

[bugsybaby]

I got this brand for my baby boy cuz he has the runs. Does it look okay to use for him?

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• bugsybaby
• Jan 1, 2017

 

[bugsybaby]

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• bugsybaby
• Jan 1, 2017

 

[LTS3]

I think that one would be fine. Others would know. I use the Natural Factors Double Strength one. I don't think you need one specifically for (Human) colon health. Any general unflavored probiotic will do, especially one that contains the bacteria S. boulardii

 

[guiliana]

I give my cats (& dogs) steamed, pureed pumpkin on the rare occasion they get an upset stomach. (I buy a few pumpkins after Halloween; steam, puree and freeze into ice cubes; keep a container in the freezer till I need them: a cube defrosts fast). We are down to 10 cats (from 27 - we just lost one Xmas Day) & 3 dogs who eat raw, but I don't give (animal) probiotics unless there's IBS or a specific issue. I don't use human probiotics for my animals.

Why? Animals have a much shorter digestive system than we do; their food is processed more quickly than ours. We're more susceptible to getting sick from bacteria because our food takes so long to process. When animals eat something disagreeable, they eat grass. Our probiotics are designed to survive our stomach acid and make it into our intestines, where they're absorbed. If you give human probiotics to an animal, they're in, through and out again without much, if any, absorption. out the other end. I haven't used probiotics since my IBS cat crossed the Rainbow Bridge, but I remember that it had both pro AND prebiotIcs, and I got it from a holistic vet for about $50. It had a rainforesty looking label. That's all I remember, sorry.

 

[otto]

Good reading here in these links. Much useful information.


http://www.rawfeedingforibdcats.org/probiotics-for-cats---why-and-which-ones.html

http://www.foodfurlife.com/kefir-for-pets.html

 

[dorimon]

 
I think that one would be fine. Others would know. I use the Natural Factors Double Strength one. I don't think you need one specifically for (Human) colon health. Any general unflavored probiotic will do, especially one that contains the bacteria S. boulardii

Is this the one that you use?  I'm looking for a new probiotic since Proviable DC (recommended by our vet) is too expensive, and human-grade ones might be more effective.

 

[LTS3]

 
Is this the one that you use?  I'm looking for a new probiotic since Proviable DC (recommended by our vet) is too expensive, and human-grade ones might be more effective.

I was using that one. I just switched my cat to Renew Life Ultimate Flora Extra Care 30 billion which is helping to keep the poop odor down.