Welcome to Four Paws Up!, the newsletter of The Happy Dog Spot.

In this Issue:

The Benefits of Probiotics

Are you supplementing your canine companion’s diet with probiotics? If not, you should seriously consider it. Here’s why:

The “good” bacteria (also know as “friendly flora”) in your dog’s intestinal tract are vital to his health. Probiotics are live cultures of beneficial bacteria ingested in supplement form. Supplementing your pet’s diet with probiotics can be helpful to promoting health and balance within the digestive tract. This will have far-reaching effects on the health of the rest of his body, as well.

Scientific research shows that 80% of your immune system actually lives in your digestive tract and, according to Dr. Joseph Mercola , the best way to look after your digestive tract is by supplementing with probiotics. The same holds true for your furry friend. Supplementing your dog with a high quality probiotic will provide his digestive tract with the friendly bacteria he needs to remain healthy.

Probiotics play a number of key roles, including:

• Aid in proper digestion
• Increase nutrient absorption
• Support bowel health
• Help control irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), colitis, occasional diarrhea and flatulence
• Improve urinary tract health (prevent or reduce occurrence of yeast infections, urinary tract infections and cystitis)
• Boost immune function
• Replenish friendly intestinal flora that are destroyed by antibiotics
• Suppress growth of disease-causing bacteria
• Promote general health and well-being

Many factors can contribute to the reduction of good bacteria in the digestive tract. Stress and a poor diet are two contributing factors. As mentioned above, antibiotics are another, since they kill the beneficial as well as the bad bacteria. This can lead to chronic health issues such as yeast infections.

In addition to the friendly bacteria contained in dog probiotics, there are supplements called prebiotics. Probiotics are the actual live cultures of the good bacteria (such as those contained in yogurt), whereas prebiotics are non-digestible ingredients contained in foods that stimulate the growth and/or activity of good bacteria in the digestive tract. Both probiotics and prebiotics promote healthy bacteria in the digestive tract.

Maintaining a healthy digestive system and promoting better nutrient absorption with the help of the good bacteria contained in dog probiotics can boost your furry friend’s immune system. This means better overall health and an increased ability to resist disease-causing agents.

If you are interested in probiotics or prebiotics for your canine companion, try Animal Essentials Plant Enzymes & Probiotics from Only Natural Pet.com.

Does your dog make you smile?

Then capture it on camera and send it to us!

Each month, we will pick the Funniest Fur-Kid of the month and post his or her photo and story on our home page. The winner will even get a very special prize picked out exclusively for them from Only Natural Pet.com!

And... your canine comedian will get his or her own Web page just for entering.

Click Here to Enter our November Dog Photo Contest!

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