The Top Dog Probiotic
Supplements in 2023
Learn about the essential factors to consider when providing probiotics to your dog and find out which ones are genuinely effective
by Grant Spilankupdated on 11/16/2023
Grant is a pet health expert with a 12 year career in veterinary clinics and teaching with a passion for research and consistently reviews new products.
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Unlocking the Potential of Probiotics for Your Canine Companion
Were you aware that a substantial 70% of your dog's immune system resides in their gut? Consequently, a myriad of complications and disorders can arise if your dog experiences subpar gut health. Issues ranging from inflammatory bowel disease to paw biting, scratching, and even tear stains may all stem from an imbalance of bacteria in your dog's system..
Nevertheless, the repercussions of poor gut health extend beyond the immediate. While it affects elements like immune response, it can also influence your dog's behavior, giving rise to problems such as anxiety and depression. In dogs, inadequate gut health can manifest in various ways, including:
- Allergies
- Skin Irritations and Itchy Skin
- Chronic or Intermittent Diarrhea
- Paw Biting & Licking
- Gassiness, Flatulence, and Bloating
- Behavioral Issues Linked to Anxiety
- Nutritional Imbalance and Deficiencies
- Yeast Infections
Advantages of Incorporating Probiotics
Numerous scientific studies underscore the positive effects of probiotics on dogs. Packed with beneficial bacteria, probiotics, when consumed, actively combat harmful bacteria in your dog's gut. The benefits of incorporating probiotics include:
Top-notch Dog Probiotics Can:
Deter Paw Biting
Mitigate Allergies
Dminish Itching & Scratching
Prevent Diarrhea
Help Anxiety & Boost Mood
Reduce Excessive Shedding
Increase Muscle Mass
Prevent Yeast Infections
Ingredients To Look For In Dog Probiotics
Probiotic Dog supplements are NOT all the same. Veterinarian approval/recommendations and scientifically proven ingredients are vital:
Lactobacillus
The most effective family of bacteria to prevent harmful bacteria growth & boost immunity. This powerful probiotic has been thoroughly researched and has proven effectiveness.
Turmeric
A powerful natural ingredient to aid digestion, reduce inflammation of the gut and is a strong antioxidant.
Yucca Schidigera
This all-important ingredient improves digestion, serves as prebiotic fiber and helps strengthen stool.
Black Pepper
To maximize absorption of the Probiotic, calm the gut and produce critical stomach acid to kill bad bacteria.
Checklist For Effective Probiotics
It is important that you make sure to buy a Probiotic with the following, so that you do not waste money on ineffective products. Ensure your Probiotic has:
High Volumes of CFUs
CFUs are colony-forming units – the number of living microbes in the probiotics. We recommend 2+ Billion CFU.
Money Back Guarantee
Brands with a money back guarantee are more likely to have higher quality products and lower risks if they don't work.
Vital Ingredients
Ensure the probiotic follows the above recommended list of ingredients, to ensure effectiveness and safety.
Additional Nutrients
Opt for a probiotic that supports overall health with a balance of vitamins such as A and C, as well as minerals such as Manganese. These are important minerals that can help the overall health of your dog.
Probiotics can be fragile. Look for storage instructions and check this probiotic is formulated to contain live bacteria for its full life.
Our Top 5 Probiotic Evaluation
Our rigorous product evaluations involve a meticulous review process, encompassing internal expertise and external research, including product reviews and professional opinions. We assign scores based on specific criteria to identify the top-performing products.
Effectiveness
Ingredients
Value for Money
Customer Service
Overall Ranking
Overall Ranking
A+Grade
A+
Overall Ranking
Pros
✓ Uses Lactobacillus Probiotic✓ Contains 2 Billion CFU
✓ Contains Turmeric & Yucca Schidigera
✓ Contains Black Pepper
✓ Made in USA
✓ Tasty Soft Chew Form
✓ 30 Day Moneyback Guarantee
✓ Recommended by Vets
Cons
✓ Only Available Online✓ Sometimes Out of Stock
The Bottom Line
Of all dog probiotic supplements we tested on the market, PetJoy's
vet-approved Probiotic Soft Chews is the clear
winner. By containing over 2 Billion CFU of proven
probiotic strains such as Lactobacillus, their product has shown
the highest efficacy for
pet owners looking to solve a range of symptoms.
When
compared to other brands in the market, Petjoy Probiotics contained the highest dose
of Probiotic and included recommended ingredients
which other products failed to.
It contains Turmeric and Black pepper which aid
in absorption to boost
digestion, immunity and combat stomach or bowel issues.
PetJoy has
also added Yucca Schidigera which serves as a prebiotic fiber and reduces
inflammation, which helps boost the effectiveness of their chew
supplement and reducing poor gut health symptoms.
PetJoy also
offers other benefits such as a 30 Day Money Back Guarantee, Local US
Manufacturing & Free Shipping
All in all,
PetJoy seems to
have the most
effective and
results focused
probiotic for dogs from all those that we tested.
Overall Ranking
Overall Ranking
B+Grade
B+
Overall Ranking
Pros
✓ Fast Shipping
✓ Made in US
✓ No Dairy
Cons
✓ Powder Form
✓ Low Amount of CFUs
✓ No Moneyback Guarantee
The Bottom Line
Nuscentia's probiotic supplement for dogs is second on our list,
falling
behind PetJoy
primarily due to two big reasons. Firstly, this one is a powder form, which
for many owners is a lot more inconvenient, worst yet, for the dogs themselves, it
is
not pleasant. Secondly, it has a very low count of CFU of just 1 billion, whereas
our
first choice has 2 billion.
What we did like about this product, was that it did not
contain dairy, which can be beneficial if your dog has a sensitive gut. They also
promise fast shipping and the product is made in the USA, which is always
recommended.
Overall Ranking
Overall Ranking
BGrade
B
Overall Ranking
Pros
✓ Made in USA
✓ Transparent Ingredients
✓ Chew Form
Cons
✓ Lacks Turmeric & Black Pepper
✓ Harder To Digest,
✓ Low Potency Per Chew
The Bottom Line
This probiotic is good quality, but does not contain all nutrients required for an all round gut health supplement. Namely, the absense of turmeric and black pepper, as well dried yucca, give it a lot to be desired. However it does have a good amount of CFU overall, but falls short on these highly beneficial added ingredients. Furthermore, the serving size of 2 chews means it has less potency per chew and is not as good value for money from first glance.
Overall Ranking
Overall Ranking
B-Grade
B-
Overall Ranking
Pros
✓ High CFU Count
✓ Made in USA
Cons
✓ Not Tailored For Dogs
✓ Expensive
✓ Unknown Brand
✓ No Moneyback Guarantee
The Bottom Line
While this product has a fairly high CFU count, it is not formulated with just dogs in minds. Instead, it is for both cats and dogs, which is not recommended as their digestive systems are not identical. This could cause potential upset stomachs or other issues if you have a somewhat sensitive pet. Furthermore, this is not a well known brand, although it is made locally in the USA which is a plug. On pricing, these are not good value for money, so it falls to our fourth spot.
Overall Ranking
Overall Ranking
CGrade
C
Overall Ranking
Pros
✓ Chew Form
✓ Transparent Ingredients
Cons
✓ Not Flavoured
✓ Poor Value For Money
✓ Low CFU Count
✓ No Turmeric
The Bottom Line
Last on our list are Only Natural Pet's probiotic product. This product fell short on quite a few reasons, firstly, they are not flavoured, which in our experience can lead to dogs not wanting to take them. Secondly and more importantly, there is no Turmeric nor a high CFU count, which generally results in poor results. Beyond that, there is no moneyback guarantee and so there is likely a lower chance of being refunded if no improvement is seen.
These vet recommended probiotic soft chews from PetJoy take our award for the highest quality dog probiotic on the market. With high potency, science backed ingredients and a money-back guarantee, they are the safest bet to start seeing big improvements in your dog's gut health.
Made
in U.S.A
Free
Shipping
Money-Back
Guarantee