Do Labs Really Have Cast Iron Stomachs?
I've heard of some pretty strange things that labs have managed to eat - socks, rocks, even drywall. One man reported building a dog house for his lab and within a week, his dog had chewed through the roof and one of the walls!
If you have a lab, odds are you have heard the old saying that labs have cast-iron stomachs (especially if you have the drywall-eating type), but is it true?
The truth is, even the toughest lab doesn't have a bomb-proof stomach.
So even if some labs can miraculously survive eating things that they really shouldn't, the best way to give your lab a long, healthy life includes paying a little attention to stomach health.
The most obvious place to start is keeping your lab out of trouble. That means no eating shoes, drywall, or any other things that have no business being in a dog's stomach. If your lab tends to find trouble, work on dog-proofing your house and consider crating your dog when you're away if that's when they tend to find trouble.
And of course, keeping your lab on a good balanced diet is also important to give them the nutrients they need for optimal health. Look for something with ingredients you recognize and check with your vet to make sure they are getting the right amount of food since many labs are predisposed to gaining weight.
The other key piece to optimal health is using a good probiotic to keep everything running smoothly and to ensure your dog is able to properly absorb all the good nutrients from their diet (this probiotic is our favorite).
You may find from time to time your fur kid gets diarrhea, gas, or bad breath.
These are all signs that the bacteria in their intestines may be out of whack and the best way to fight an imbalance of bacteria in the gut is with a good probiotic.
A number of different things can cause the bacteria in your dog's gut to become imbalanced:
- Stress (boarding, moving, a change in routine, etc.)
- Old age
- Infection or a bacterial imbalance
- A change of diet (or eating something they shouldn't)
- Parasites
- Medications (especially antibiotics)
Virtually every lab is affected by at least one of these triggers in their lifetime, but the key is prevention and having a good probiotic regiment to keep your fur kid's guts in balance through it all.
In fact, one of the most common culprits for diarrhea, intestinal infections, and irregular stool is harmful bacteria in the intestines.
Harmful bacteria can cause:
- Bad breath
- Gas
- Bloating
- Constipation
- Yeast infection
- Malabsorption
- Vomiting
All things any concerned dog parent want to avoid. This bacteria can be triggered by a number of different things, but the treatment for bad bacteria in the intestines all goes back to probiotics.
So what exactly are probiotics?
According to Whole Dog Journal, "Probiotics are beneficial bacteria that live in the digestive tract. There are a variety of different species belonging to genera that include Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, Streptococcus, and Enterococcus (often abbreviated by first initial only in names). Some species, such as Lactobacillus, live primarily in the small intestine, while others, such as Bifidobactera, reside in the large intestine (colon)." Basically, they fight the bacteria that can cause diarrhea and other digestive issues.
Probiotics help support the immune system, keep the gut healthy, and guard the body against disease and infection.
Probiotics promote absorption of vital nutrients by providing natural digestive enzymes, bioavailable vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and phytonutrients. This makes them great for dogs experiencing allergy, skin and coat conditions, hot spots, or urinary tract infections as well.
All in all, they are a great support to just about any dog's immune system.
Great - but how do you know which probiotic to choose?
Organic & Natural Ingredients: There are a lot of probiotics on the market but the key to picking a good one is starting with organic and natural ingredients. With the gut, it’s always best to go natural and organic whenever possible to get the purest form of support.
Made In The USA: Make sure your probiotic is made in the USA. You have have heard in recent years about the dogs who have died as a result of food, treats, etc. made in China. When it comes to anything your dog is meant to ingest, it’s always best to play it safe and stick to only feeding things made in the USA so you have a better idea of how exactly it has been treated.
FDA Inspected Manufacturer: Make sure the probiotic is made with a FDA inspected manufacturer so again, you know there is regulation to ensure all the ingredients are treated properly and the ingredients listed are truly what’s inside.
The Right Mix: Make sure your probiotic has a balanced mix of Acidophilus, Plantarum, Casei, Lactis, Bifidum, and Fermentum for maximum benefit. This mix is what does the “heavy lifting” to help keep the intestines healthy and running smoothly.
Nucleotides With PSB Complex Enzymes: Look for probiotics that include nucleotides with PSB complex enzymes. According to psbcomplex.com, “Nucleotides play a critical role in the body in that they accelerate the cell proliferation process (the reproduction of cells). The production of new cells allows an animal to recover much quicker from the type of stress it is under (performance, illness, disease, injury, etc.).” This makes PSB complex enzymes a vital addition to any probiotic.
Hawaiian Kona Berry: Last but not least, look for a probiotic with kona berry included as kona helps provide the highest levels of free radical and inflammation prevention so this will allow all the other ingredients to work to their maximum benefit.
It can be tricky to find a probiotic that has the right balance of all these ingredients, but this one from Feed A Shelter Dog knocks it out of the park. It checks all the boxes. It’s made with natural and organic ingredients in the USA, uses a FDA inspected manufacturer, and has the right balance of all the right ingredients resulting in a powerful probiotic.
Plus, each purchase also provides 30 days of food for a shelter dog.
That makes it a win for your dog’s gut, and a win for a shelter dog waiting for their forever home.
Order these probiotics now to start supporting your lab's immune system right away!
Quality Ingredients
Made In The USA
With Your Dog In Mind
REVIEWS
I love this stuff. I have been giving it to my dogs for 3 months now and I have noticed such a difference! Great especially in times of stress, it has definitely helped keep things running more smoothly for my girls. and I love that it helps feed shelter dogs too.Thank you!
Kari B.
The dog loves it. I add it to his breakfast every morning - really easy and it seems to have helped him get back in balance after the antibiotics he was on. Great product.
William N.
My HEIDI gives 2 paws up!! I add this to her breakfast every morning and it's really made a difference in her gut. She seems like she feels better too - more pep in her step now and her poo is much healthier.
Tricia R.
My yellow lab used to have loose bowels . Now she has firm bowel movements every day!
Marianne B.
This has helped my dog. I didn't realize how "off" he was until I started the probiotics and noticed how much things have changed for him. Definitely a must for aging dogs.
Betty T.
really good product. my dogs breath had been real bad but this helped a lot and i noticed their stool seems healthier too. their vet actually asked what i was doing different - they were so impressed!
