ADVANCED CANINE DIGESTIVE HEALTH FORMULA

As human beings, we often underestimate the power of the gut. In fact, it is commonly referred to as the “second brain” with its level of importance and varying functions ranging from its most obvious one in the daily digestion of food and assimilation of vitamins and minerals and extends all the way to immune system maintenance.   The goal is to maintain a healthy balance of bacteria in the intestinal tract of both “good” and “bad” bacteria.  The problem is that the “bad” variety can gain control of our guts leading to many adverse health issues.  Think about the widespread use of antibiotics, which do not differentiate when it comes to ridding the body of both good and bad bacteria alike.  Thus, over usage of antibiotics is a major culprit in many gastrointestinal issues stemming from their removal of good bacteria along with the bad bacteria they are prescribed to eliminate.  

Probiotics, which we can call simply “beneficial bacteria strains,” have become more popular and recommended by medical professionals and nutritionists alike over the last decade.  Their goal is to assist in this balancing act of bacteria in the gut, and our furry friends are no different!   We have already touched on their role in digestion.  These effects can potentially aid in a pup with excessive gas, fecalirregularity or other issues.  Probiotics biggest immediate impact on the immune system is often found in aiding a dog’s ability to build a tolerance to environmental based allergies.  That is pretty staggering considering an estimated 25% of dogs suffer from allergies.  Certain probiotic strains have also been shown to have anti-inflammatory effects.  There are even animal studies showing probiotic bacteria to positively impact brain activity and mood.  

The main problem with probiotics is simply….. DELIVERY.  For starters, the majority of probiotics lose potency during manufacturing processes.  Studies show that CFUs, or colony forming units, are dwindled down after these processes.   Next, we compound that issue with shelf life.  Most probiotics lose potency rapidly over time, especially in higher temperatures.  If that isn’t enough, once we have purchased probiotics, many do not survive the low pH levels of our stomach acid.  

When developing HAPPY TUMMY, we wanted to ensure our probiotic formula was based around probiotics that could withstand the most stringent manufacturingprocesses, remain stable on shelf for a number of years as opposed to months and lastly, not be destroyed in our stomachs.  The two that we feel show the most promise here are bacillus subtilis and bacillus coagulans.  Finally, we chose to round out our formula with FOS (Fructooligosaccharides), which is a type of prebiotic fiber.  Canine studies have shown FOS to both improve gut health and enhance immune capacity with their ability to stimulate our pup’s ability to produce it’s own beneficial bacteria.  This offers a nice 1-2-punch with supplemental probiotics.