EPI * Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency

Why Give Antibiotics When This Natural Supplement Works Just as Well?

The standard treatment for stress colitis in adult shelter dogs includes anti-parasitic drugs and antibiotics.

In fact, many traditional veterinarians in private practice treat dogs with diarrhea and other GI issues with the antibiotic metronidazole.

Both these drugs put the GI tract under additional physiological stress, which can prevent full recovery and prolong symptoms and suffering.

In addition, over useof antibiotics in veterinary medicine has resulted in the widespread

problem of highly resistant strains of deadly bacteria like MRSA.

North Carolina Shelter Dog Study Researchers at North Carolina State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine conducted a study recently to compare the use of probiotics vs. metronidazole to treat acute diarrhea caused by stress colitis.

The dogs used in the study were from a Raleigh, NC animal shelter and were suffering from severe diarrhea. The researchers examined the dogs, recorded their weights and body scores, and ran blood, urine and fecal tests.

The dogs were randomly selected to receive either a probiotic or metronidazole to treat the diarrhea. All were fed either an adult maintenance or growth life stage diet. Food intakeand fecal characteristics were recorded daily.

There were 50 dogs total –25 received the probiotic and 25 received the antibiotic. At the end of thestudy, 11 of the dogs treated with metronidazole were unresponsive. They were then given the probiotic.

Study Results

The fecal scores of all three groups of dogs (including those that didn’t initially respond to the metronidazole) improved approximately 2-fold. Even the parasite-infected dogs showed the same level of improvement at the end of treatment.

The weight and body condition scores of the 50 dogs didn’t change significantly during the treatment period.

Based on the fecal score data, study researchers concluded the probiotic “… is an equally effective treatment to the traditional antibiotic regime for the treatment of acute diarrhea in shelter dogs.” The researchers further acknowledged that, “Antibiotic-treateddogs with limited improvement appeared to benefit significantly from subsequent probiotic treatment.”

http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2012/05/30/dog-probiotics-for-colitis-treatment.aspx

Hmmm... Makes you think.......

When Ted has diarrhea I up his probiotics and it has worked for him. Thought it was an interesting study . Something to think about before you reach for the antibiotic...

Absolutely fantastic information.  My Ruby was on soooo much antibiotics and was bad off.  Not until I tried probiotics without antibiotics has her problem changed to almost 100% better. I am so glad they are finding this out and helping sooooo many dogs.  Especially the poor ones given up to the shelters....with all the confusion that comes with it and the change in diets they have to endure.  

Great info.  thanks a hundred times over.

. It just keeps getting better "Unabsorbed tetracycline in the GI tract has potential for disruption of the gut flora and can therefore give rise to superinfections". That's somewhat, disturbing.

Kathy hope you dont mind me posting this here but this is from Sams thread she has embedded a link .

I am not a pick up the anibotic either if maddie gets a slight problem i pick up the pre-pro i must admit i only use one that is for animals its also my vets protcol.

Ann

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