PRO PLAN VETERINARY DIETS Fortiflora Feline Supplement 30x1g

Product Information

Probiotics may be recommended for only a short period if a cat has a short, mild case of soft stool or diarrhea, or diarrhea associated with antibiotic use. Some folks may recognize Enterococcus as a bacteria that has the potential to cause disease, sometimes cultured from some infections. Other zootechnical additives (improvement of gut conditions): Enterococcus faecium SF 68 NCIMB 10415 (4b1705): Kefir is a cultured, fermented liquid that’s made from dairy milk, goat’s milk, coconut milk or water. It’s full of healthy bacteria and protein. If you buy kefir, make sure it’s unsweetened. This product is highly palatable so can act as a palatability enhancer for dogs with poor appetite - it can be easily sprinkled on top of any dog foods. One sachet is given daily, for nutritional support FORTIFLORA® should be fed for 30 days.

Fermented foods like kefir, veggies and tripe aren’t always probiotic. Not unless they list the bacteria strains and guarantee a certain viable CFU. Shehata AA et al. The effect of glyphosate on potential pathogens and beneficial members of poultry microbiota in vitro. Curr Microbiol. 2012 Nov 15.However, there may be other health conditions where a probiotic may be recommended for long-term use. Whether FortiFlora is used for a short-term or long-term period depends on your vet’s assessment of your cat’s condition and discussions you’ve had. Enterococcus bacteria have some specific characteristics that can make them a useful bacterial type to include in a probiotic. It’s true that some amount of cell death may still occur during a product’s shelf life, but this is one reason why such high levels of colony forming units (CFUs) are found in probiotics. FortiFlora contains 100 million colony forming units of Entercoccus faecium, which is a moderate amount. Some probiotics may contain billions of CFUs in different combinations.

And the wording is intentionally vague. We’re not told what type of animal is in this component of the supplement. Probiotic foods or supplements can work wonders for your dog’s gut health. And because nearly 90% of your dog’s immune system is in her gut, probiotics boost her overall health too. So skip the FortiFlora and go natural. Probiotics, in general, do not produce nasty side effects when administered correctly. However, giving your dog too much of a probiotic can lead to adverse reactions. If your dog starts to experience any of the following symptoms, you may want to talk to your vet about getting him or her off Fortiflora:Enterococcus bacteria are highly competitive and resistant to changes in temperature and pH. This means they can more easily survive environmental changes traveling in a probiotic powder form through the stomach and into the intestinal tract. Glyphosate is another problem. In fact, over 90% of the soy crop grown in the US is from genetically modified seed from Monsanto. Monsanto creates seeds that are resistant to glyphosate weed killers like Roundup.

Suchodolski JS et al. Analysis of bacterial diversity in the canine duodenum, jejunum, ileum, and colon by comparative 16S rRNA gene analysis. FEMS Microbiology Ecology. 2008 Nov 12. FortiFlora has a moderate CFU count of 100 million CFU per gram. In comparison, my probiotic supplement of choice has a CFU count of 30 billion per gram. A 2018 article in Frontiers of Microbiology entitled “The Genus Enterococcus: Between Probiotic Potential and Safety Concerns—An Update” describes some of these characteristics.

Tilly

There is research evidence that does support FortiFlora’s use in cats as a way of supporting kitties experiencing diarrhea from presumed bacterial imbalance.