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Taurine and Cat Supplements

Taurine and Cat Supplements

Many cat supplements and all commercial cat food contain the amino acid taurine as an ingredient. This is because cats cannot synthesize their own taurine, whereas dogs and humans can. Therefore, it is required to be provided in the cat’s diet. Taurine plays a number of important roles in cats that include a role in fat digestion, eyesight, cardiac function, reproduction and other roles. In cats, taurine is indispensable for the formation of biliary salts that are necessary for the good digestion of fats in the small intestine. Taurine is indispensable to maintain the completeness of the retina of the eye. Problems will occur when cats don’t get the required taurine from their diet. A chronic deficiency of taurine induces a progressive degeneration of the retina, leading to a total blindness within 2 years. A relationship has been established between taurine deficiency in the diet and the occurrence of specific cardiac troubles. Taurine deficiency has multiple consequences on the reproduction function including lack of fertility, foetal resorptions, abortions, abnormalities in newborn kittens, growth diseases in kitten. Because of these issues, Taurine is now a requirement of the Association of American Feed Control Officials(AAFCO) and any commercial dry or wet food product labeled approved by the AAFCO should have a minimum of 0.1% taurine in dry food and 0.2% in wet food. It is widely agreed upon that cats should consume 1000mg (1 gm) or taurine per 2.2 lbs of food. This means a typical cat should get 75-100 mg taurine a day in their diet.

But cats may not be getting enough taurine if they are on homemade diets. Taurine is supplied mostly by meat and seafood although eggs and dairy products are good sources of taurine. Vegetables contain little to no measurable taurine. However, taurine is broken down by heat and cooking of meats. This is a situation where supplements containing taurine should be used. There are many supplements containing taurine available. Most cat vitamin and health products such as Pets Prefer Adult Maintenance for Cats and Pets Prefer Urinary Health for Cats contain taurine at a maintenance level. Taurine is not stored by cats and would be very difficult to overdose even if giving these supplements with maintenance levels of taurine and a commercial cat food. However, giving therapeutic levels of taurine found in specific high concentrate taurine supplements on the order of 500mgs/dose or more should be done in consultation with a veterinarian.

Probios Powder

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Dr. Dan DuBourdieu
ProbioticSmart.com

Livestock Producers, Hobby Farmers, and Show Animal Enthusiasts’ Save Time and Money Buying Online Through New Interactive Website

Livestock Producers, Hobby Farmers, and Show Animal Enthusiasts’ Save Time and Money Buying Online Through New Interactive Website

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PSCFarm.com

ProbioticSmart.com launches a new website for livestock owners, caregivers, handlers, and hobby farm enthusiasts. Visit PSCFarm.com

When to use probiotics in pets

When to use probiotics in pets

Probiotics, the friendly beneficial gut microflora, for pets can have many uses, especially in times of stress. A primary use of probiotics in pets is to restore the normal balance of gut microflora in the intestines that often occurs because of the stresses of infections, diarrhea, the use of antibiotics, changes in diet, or even seemingly simple things such as traveling or kenneling. Bacteria, viral or fungal infections can result in an imbalance of beneficial microflora and even diarrhea when the infections get out of control and start growing faster than the beneficial gut microflora. When antibiotics are used to fight these infections, not only are the pathogens killed, but the beneficial microflora can be killed as well. This situation requires the use of probiotics to replace the beneficial gut microflora that was killed by the antibiotics. Changes in diet sometimes leads to diarrhea and can also change the balance of gut microflora as different nutrients in the food might be utilized by different microflora, thus leading to imbalances. This is a situation where adding probiotics to the diet can help restore the normal balance. Simpler stresses in pets from various sources such as traveling or kenneling can also result in imbalances of beneficial gut microflora. Adding probiotics to the diet can help restore the balance in these simpler stress situations.

There are many reputable probiotics than can be used to replace the missing beneficial gut microflora in pets. They come in a variety of formats including powders, tablets, pastes and gels. Choose a high profile brand such as Probios^®, Horses Prefer or Bene-Bac that can back up their label claims of viable organisms count. For dogs, Probios Dispersible Powder , Probios Daily Digestive Dogs Tabs and Probios Probiocin Oral Pet Gel are excellent examples of probiotics for dogs. For cats, Bene-Bac Cat Gel is a great source of probiotics. For horses, Horses Prefer DFM-Eq Powder is another excellent source of probiotics. All of these products are outstanding examples of probiotics that help restore the normal balance of gut microflora in pets in times of stress.

Dr. Dan DuBourdieu
BVPI

http://www.ProbioticSmart.com

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Dog Arthritis and treatment

Dog Arthritis and treatment

Older dogs are very prone to developing arthritis but younger dogs can have these joint problems as well. Overweight or inactive dogs are also going to be prone to these joint problems. While there are different types of arthritis, the most common one is osteoarthritis. Healthy joints have cartilage at their ends and synovial fluid in between them that help lubricate the joints. Age, injuries, etc. leads to loss of articular cartilage and reduced synovial fluid, leading to bone on bone rubbing. This causes severe pain and stiff joints found in osteoarthritis.

Healthy diet and exercise to help maintain proper weight are a first approach in preventing arthritis in dogs. Losing even 5 to 10 percent weight will put less stress on the joints and help restore mobility. But when arthritic symptoms occur, consult your veterinarian about approaches to relieve the pain. The vet may prescribe Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) as they are the most common form of pharmaceutical treatment for arthritis in dogs although other options include steroid injection and surgery. However, over-the-counter pet treatments, such as supplements that contain either glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate or omega fatty acids may be a preferred approach. These approaches have been shown to reduce arthritis in dogs. Joint supplements work by helping restore articular cartilage and synovial fluid. NSAIDs only relieve pain. Your veterinarian may prescribe a NSAID and an over-the-counter treatment that together may help decrease pain and disease progression in arthritic dogs.

There are a number of effective over the counter joint supplement that contain glucosamine, chondroitin sulfate, msm and other components of building blocks of cartilage. Pets Prefer Pets Prefer Joint Plus for Dogs is an excellent example a formulation that contains these components for these desired building blocks of cartilage but with additional benefits as well. This includes using perna muscle extract in the formulation for its desired omega fatty acid content and glycosaminoglycans (which are also building blocks of cartilage). This over the counter supplement is very effective in treating arthritis. In addition, most dogs can safely stay on a joint supplement such as Pets Prefer Pets Prefer Joint Plus for Dogs the rest of their life. Once the product has been provided for 6-8 weeks and the symptoms of arthritis have been reduced, the dose also can be reduced. But as with any supplement, please consult with your veterinarian about your dog’s particular needs.

Dr. Dan DuBourdieu
BVPI
www.ProbioticSmart.com

Prebiotics: Food for Probiotics

Prebiotics: Food for Probiotics

Prebiotics and probiotics go hand in hand to help animals achieve optimal health. The best simple way to understand the difference between prebiotics and probiotics is to simply think of probiotics as beneficial bacteria for the health of the animal and the prebiotics simply as food ingredients for the probiotics. Prebiotics typically are made from various categories of long sugar chains. Examples of prebiotics categories include fructooliosaccharides (FOS) and galactooligosaccharides (GOS). A commonly used prebiotic member of the FOS category is an ingredient called inulin that commonly comes from chicory roots. While the animal can’t digest these long sugar chain prebiotics, the probiotics can easily digest them and turn them into energy. That helps the probiotics grow even better in the gut of the animal. Prebiotics can also discourage the growth of certain pathogens in the gut of animals, such as E coli. By having dual roles, prebiotics help the probiotics grow better and that provides even more health benefits to the animal while concurrently, both the prebiotics and probiotics help limit pathogens.

Three criteria are required by prebiotics in order to be effective.

1. The prebiotic has to be resistant to degradation by stomach acid, mammalian enzymes or hydrolysis
2. The prebiotic actually has to be able to be used as food by the probiotics and
3. The prebiotic should also be selective to stimulating the growth and/or activity only of beneficial microorganisms in the gut.

Good prebiotics are stable under heat and when dried, and can be stored at room temperature for months or years. The prebiotic inulin is particularly good at meeting these criteria. This is why it is found in many excellent probiotic products including Pets Prefer Digestion Support for Dogs, Horses Prefer DFM Eq-Paste, Probios Max Oral Gel, and others. By including a prebiotic such as inulin in these formulations, the probiotics will be kept around a lot longer in the gut of the animal and that will, in turn, provide continued health benefits to the animal.

Dr. Dan DuBourdieu
BVPI

Free Shipping Day on December 17, 2009

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Probiotics and Puppies

Newborn animals including puppies are born with a sterile gut and undeveloped immune system. It is believed that beneficial intestinal flora is established at birth by acquisition from the mother and the surrounding environment. These beneficial microflora produce natural antibiotics, which can fight harmful bacteria, regulate and increase hormone levels, manufacture B group vitamins, particularly cyanocobalamine (B12), biotin (B7) and folic acid (B9), stimulate the immune system, reduce food intolerance, increase energy levels, inhibit the growth of some yeast, absorb nutrients, antioxidants and iron from food that is eaten, reduce inflammation, and increase digestibility of food. However, puppies that do not acquire beneficial microflora from the mother for various reasons, such as being orphans, or placed on milk replacers are then quite susceptible to picking up pathogenic organisms from their environment. This means that these puppies are particularly susceptible to diseases at birth and for the next couple of months.
It makes sense that probiotic supplements are especially beneficial for newborn puppies to increase the number of desirable organisms in their digestive tract, especially in puppies that did not receive beneficial microflora at birth or may be at risk of picking up pathogenic organisms from their environment or food. Recent research indicates that the addition of probiotics in puppies’ food helps maintain good digestion, stimulate immunity, improve utilization of feed, reduce intestinal upsets, improve health and prevent the proliferation of some potential disease-causing pathogens. Puppy Sure Start probiotic supplement is one of the best ways to provide probiotics to any newborn puppies to help establish beneficial microflora, especially to orphans or puppies on milk replacer. Puppy Sure Start contains known strains of beneficial probiotics and other ingredients designed to help with efficient energy absorption. These all help the puppy establish beneficial microflora and get the puppy off to a good start in life.

Dr. Dan DuBourdieu
Director, Research and Development,
BVPI

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