Gut Health and Probiotics For Dogs: What You Need to Know
Dog Probiotics – My Interview With FullBucket Health Co-Founder
If you have ever pondered, “What are probiotics?” or “Should I feed my dog a probiotic with an antibiotic?” you will love this interview with Dr. Rob Franklin, DVM, DACVIM, co-Founder of FullBucket Health.
I had the unique pleasure of sitting down with Dr. Franklin to pick his brain about all things probiotics for dogs. To get answers to your top frequently asked questions – from treating dog diarrhea to optimizing your dog’s health!
Dr. Franklin is a board-certified veterinary internal medicine specialist by the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine and has practiced all over the world with a mission to help animals, large and small, in need.
He is the co-founder of FullBucket Health (and sister company, Rocket Animal Health), with his partner and best friend, Dr. Keith Latson, DVM, DAVCS, a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons.
In this post are affiliate links from which I may receive a small compensation. There is NO ADDED COST to you should you use these links.
Gut Health Quick Start Guide
Due to the length and complexity of the information shared in my interview with Dr. Franklin, I am going to spare you from having to read a transcript of the entire conversation in a 50,000-word blog post.
As is often the case, so much more can be gained (and retained) when you hear and see these discussions for yourself.
For that reason, you will find the entire video interview embedded below with timestamps both here on BigDogMom.com and on the YouTube video itself.
You will see a few links below some of the sections. Those are for your convenience and pertain to what is discussed in the video.
I highly encourage you to watch the entire video!
The breadth and depth of our conversation about gut health, probiotics for dogs, and how to best optimize your (large) dog’s health is outstanding, empowering, and unmatched by any other content on the internet!
Once you have finished watching this terrific interview, if you have additional questions about probiotics for dogs, FullBucket Health or Daily Dog, or anything else we discussed, let me know in the comments here or on YouTube.
Dr. Franklin has graciously agreed to come back on Big Dog Mom to answer your questions in the future. This is a terrific opportunity for all of us to learn and grow as big dog owners, so please don’t hold back on any questions you have!
VIDEO: Probiotics for Dogs | From Dog Diarrhea Treatment to Optimizing Gut Health | YOUR FAQ’s ANSWERED
Outline & Timestamps
Introduction
2:15 Dr. Franklin’s background and expertise.
3:40 FullBucket Health origin story.
6:00 How treating dog diarrhea led to innovation.
9:30 Why do I need to feed a probiotic? I feed my dog a “balanced” raw diet. Isn’t that good enough?
14:30 What about commercial dog foods that are “enhanced with probiotics?”
18:00 Can probiotics fill the GAPs in an insufficiently balanced diet for dogs?
21:00 What is the microbiome? Explain the role of enzymes in balancing gut flora and the maintenance of the dog digestive system.
24:20 Yogurt contains active live cultures of lactobacillus. Is a spoonful of yogurt a sufficient probiotic for dogs?
25:45 The BEST explanation of gut microbiome and how probiotics work!!
29:50 Rationale and benefits of a yeast-based probiotic. Introduction to saccharomyces boulardii.
33:30 What is a PREbiotic? What is the difference between a PREbiotic and a probiotic?
34:50 What if my dog is on an antifungal medication (like for Valley Fever)?
36:00 What other reasons would someone NOT want to feed a yeast-based probiotic like Daily Dog? What if my dog is prone to yeast infections?
38:30 How should I properly feed a probiotic? Should I feed probiotics to my dogs with food or on an empty stomach? Why? Introduction to Daily Dog supplement.
43:50 What if my dog is on an antibiotic? Should I give a probiotic with an antibiotic? What will happen if I give antibiotics and probiotics together? Is your recommendation different based on the type of probiotic? Why?
45:00 Why do you put the amino acid l-glutamine in Daily Dog?
48:10 Dr. Franklin’s thoughts on reactionary medical treatment versus health optimization.
52:20 What are the top 4 keys to optimizing the health of our large dogs?
55:30 What you need to know about mobility issues in large dogs and how to prevent them! What is Rocket Dog?
1:01 How FullBucket is giving back to animals in need with their One-4-One Giving Program. For every FullBucket you buy, they give one to animals in need. Here’s a video on how they do it.
Other Resources for Information on Probiotics for Dogs
Blog Posts
- Probiotics For Dogs: The Facts and Strains That Matter Most
- How to Protect Your Dog’s Gut Health While on Antibiotics [Easy!]
- Balance, Bones, & Barf, OH MY! Raw Diet for Dogs Made Simple [10 Tips]
- Natural Pain Relief for Dogs: 5 Simple Methods That May Help
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I loved this interview (including the sound effects which made me laugh) The time stamps are great. The discussion was engaging and clear and your questions were well thought out. I liked his comment about Napa as that is my stomping ground. No pun intended as I don’t drink wine! I loved what he had to say about saccromyces boulardii. So very interesting and I learned a lot there. I was wondering though, as he said that there is no fecal transplant commercially available for dogs. I was wondering if you have heard of a company here in CA called Animal Biome with Dr. Holly Ganz PHd ? It does fecal testing and has an oral transplant that I have used on my dogs and my clients’ dogs. I also loved his statement that the microbiome can come back if it is supported. That was wonderful news. Gives people hope.