Prebiotics, Probiotics & Postbiotics: Supporting Your Dog’s Gut Health

A huge portion of a dog’s immune system sits in the gut. A healthy gut microbiome is key for digestion, immunity, skin health, inflammation, and even behaviour. Supporting it with prebiotics, probiotics, and postbiotics can make a significant difference to your dog’s overall wellbeing.

Prebiotics – Feeding the Good Bacteria

Prebiotics are soluble, indigestible fibres that feed the beneficial bacteria in the gut. A healthy microbiome gives your dog:

• Stronger immunity

• Better digestion

• Reduced inflammation

• Improved skin & coat

• Enhanced mood and behaviour

Common Prebiotic Foods

• Mushrooms

• Chicory root

• Burdock root

• Garlic

• Dandelion greens

• Banana

• Apple (with skin)

• Raw fur-on treats (e.g., rabbit ears)

• MOS (Mannan-Oligosaccharides)

• GOS (Galacto-Oligosaccharides)

• FOS (Fructo-Oligosaccharides)

Prebiotic Mucilage's (Soothing Herbs)

Slippery Elm & Marshmallow Root are mucilage's that form a protective coating in the gut, reduce inflammation, and help restore the microbiome.

Recommended Supplements:

• Slippery Elm: Aniforte, Indigo Herbs

• Marshmallow Root: Indigo Herbs, Napiers the Herbalists, My Animal Matters

• Blends: Dorwest Tree Bark Powder, My Pet Nutritionist – Gut Guardian

Probiotics – Replenishing Beneficial Bacteria

Probiotics are live microorganisms that help balance the gut microbiome. Different strains have different effects, so it’s important to choose based on your dog’s needs.

Probiotics for General Health

• Kefir (goat, sheep, or coconut)

• FLR Bifido for Fido

• Adored Beast LoveBug

• Dr Mercola Complete Pet

• My Pet Nutritionist – Gut Guardian

Probiotics for Itchy / Allergy-Prone Dogs

• Kiki Body Biotics

• Four Leaf Rover – Protect

• My Pet Nutritionist – Gut Guardian

Probiotics for Yeasty Dogs

• FLR Saccharomyces boulardii (Yeast that acts like a probiotic)

Probiotics for Leaky Gut or Gut Imbalance

• FLR Gut Guard

• FidoSpore

• Adored Beast Healthy Gut

• My Pet Nutritionist – Gut Guardian

Postbiotics – The Healing Compounds

Postbiotics are the bioactive compounds produced when probiotics ferment prebiotics. They include short-chain fatty acids, enzymes, peptides, organic acids, and vitamins. These compounds emerge from the synergistic interactions between probiotics and prebiotics, highlighting the importance of these ingredients working together to promote health.

Unlike probiotics, postbiotics are not live organisms, making them safe for dogs who cannot tolerate live bacteria.

Benefits of Postbiotics

• Strengthen the intestinal lining

• Reduce inflammation

• Improve stool quality

• Support immune regulation

• Soothe IBS/IBD and digestive sensitivity

• Help heal after antibiotics or illness

• Support skin and allergy health

• Improve nutrient absorption

• Aid in leaky gut recovery

Fortunately, your dog's gut naturally produces postbiotics when it has the right ingredients. Providing a range of prebiotics and probiotics allows the microbiome to ferment these fibres and generate its own array of postbiotics. This proves that a balanced diet, fibre, and a healthy gut bacterial population result in continuous natural postbiotic production. This is why a combination of prebiotics and probiotics is essential, while supplements that help promote Postbiotics are optional.

For those who need to opt for a supplement, picking the right one is important because different compounds target specific gut issues, ensuring your dog receives the most effective support for digestion, immunity and overall gut health.

• For Itchy / Allergy-Prone Dogs: S. boulardii + butyrate

• For Yeasty Dogs: S. boulardii

• For Leaky Gut, IBS/IBD: Butyrate

• For Immune Support: Yeast fermentates

• For Dogs with SIBO/Probiotic Intolerances: Heat-killed/paraprobiotics

• For Dogs with Chronic Diarrhoea: S. boulardii

• For Dogs Coming off Antibiotics: S. boulardii + butyrate
  

Recommended Brands of Supplements to Help Promote Postbiotics:

Saccharomyces boulardii

• Four Leaf Rover S. boulardii

• Adored Beast Yeasty Beast Protocol (Part 1)

• Now Saccharomyces boulardii

Butyrate (SCFA)

• Time Health Gut Restore

Heat-Killed / Paraprobiotics

• Four Leaf Rover Pro-Biome

• Adored Beast Daily Defense

• Dorwest Herbs Probiotic Plus

• Borvo Nutrients Activated Yeast

Yeast Fermentates

• Mr Barnaby's Pre, Pro & Post Biotic powder

• Pawital Belly Champ

How Prebiotics, Probiotics and Postbiotics work together

Supporting your dog’s microbiome is a multifaceted approach that involves not only feeding the beneficial microorganisms but also replenishing them and promoting healing within the gut. This triad of prebiotics, probiotics, and postbiotics plays a crucial role in maintaining a balanced and thriving gut environment, which is essential for overall health and wellness.

1. Prebiotics feed the good bacteria

2. Probiotics replenish beneficial bacteria and may help in generating a more diverse microbiome

3. Postbiotics strengthen, heal, and regulate the gut
   

When used together, prebiotics, probiotics, and postbiotics can create a synergistic effect that enhances the resilience and health of your dog’s microbiome. In a healthy dog, this approach not only promotes better digestion and nutrient absorption, but also contributes to improved immune function, reduced inflammation, and overall well-being. However, it's also important to be looking at the dog in front of you, as they may have a complex and sensitive gut microbiome that needs professional support to help reshape it. Microbiome Testing Companies:

• Biome4Pets

• Animal Biome

• Legacy Biome

Professionals to Consult:

• My Pet Nutritionist

By prioritising the health of your dog's gut microbiome through these three components, you are investing in their long-term health and quality of life.

© Kayleigh Adams & Bethany Calhoum, written for NO BULL Just Natural Health for Dogs.