Best Probiotic...is there one?

Since I am going through major infectious diarrhea here and have 7 cats on a Baytril/ Clavamox combo, I need a really good probiotic.

Everything I can find says just use a human one. I would thing that cats intestinal flora would differ due to being obligate carnivores but maybe not. I can't find anything to the contrary.

So I would like to know what probiotics TCSers use, do you have a favorite brand/type etc or just go with the one labeled as most billions of organisms.

Prozyme is a solid one and a HUGE container runs about 30$

I used to use Holistic Solutions, but I found this one, with good reviews, and also with microencapsulated probiotics, which ensure the great majority will reach the GI tract, so I switched...

One 200g bottle should be good for well over a year with two kitties...

I have used Prozyme many many times and it works like a charm. I should use it daily but don't. It cleared up diarrhea every single time withing 24 hours. Sharky's right, the large bottle is about 30 but there are smaller bottles if money is an issue. It was well worth the money though. Good luck!

OK, I know that Pro is supposed to stand for Probiotics and Zyme is for enzymes, but...how come I don't see any strains of probiotics listed in the ingredients list? Or maybe I overlooked it since I took a quick glance online only.

I can't vouch for it personally but I know Bene-Bac is a popular one.

my girl is one clavomox right now, and I'm using Benebac as a precaution. So far, so good. Also, it worked great with my boy when he had a bad tummy. I'm going to look into that Prozyme, though. Can you dose daily just as a proactive move, sort of like humans eating Activa? Thanks!

Originally Posted by darlili

my girl is one clavomox right now, and I'm using Benebac as a precaution. So far, so good. Also, it worked great with my boy when he had a bad tummy. I'm going to look into that Prozyme, though. Can you dose daily just as a proactive move, sort of like humans eating Activa? Thanks!

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I give Coco Holistic Solutions which is a combo probiotic, prebiotic and digestive enzymes, with every meal and have been for about 2 years. She has loose stools without it.

Originally Posted by mschauer

I give Coco Holistic Solutions which is a combo probiotic, prebiotic and digestive enzymes, with every meal and have been for about 2 years. She has loose stools without it.

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I use it as well because Kizzy gets loose stools with the feeding of any wet food. His stool has been normal since a day or two after starting it.

Info on it:

Ingredients:
Stabilized Rice Bran, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Natural Chicken Flavor, Inulin, Dried Aspergillus niger Extract, Dried Aspergillus oryzae Extract, L. acidophilus, L. casei, B. subtillus, B. licheniformis, B. coagulins, Aspergillus niger, Lactococcus lactis, Enterococcus faecium.

Guaranteed Analysis:

Crude Protein Min 10%
Crude Fat Min 10%
Crude Fiber Max 8%
Moisture Max 5%



*Total Lactic Acid Bacteria: 5 billion CFU/g
(L. acidophilus, L. casei, Enterococcus faecium)
*Total Bacillus Microorganisms: 150 million CFU/g
(B. Subtillus, B. licheniformis, B. Coagulins)
*Protease
(from Aspergillus oryzae & Aspergillus niger) (1)
*Cellulase
(from Aspergillus oryzae & Aspergillus niger) (2)
*Amylase
(from Aspergillus oryzae & Aspergillus niger) (3)

from http://www.eaglepack.com/SP_HolisticSolution.html

Cool - I'll look into Holistic Solutions - I think I read about this a bit ago on the boards, but when I went to the local Pet Supplies Plus, which carries Eagle Pack, they didn't have this, and my local Petsmart & Petco didn't either. Are there any retail stores that carry it, or preferred web sites that people have had good luck with?

Dante has had, since I got him, stools that are pretty firm, but sometimes a little mushy toward the end, if you can get that visual. His bloodwork is totally normal, as of Memorial Day, and he seems happy, energetic, and usually more than willing to eat! I do notice added wet food seems to get looser stools, as do too many greenies (he'll actually jump on the counter and gnaw on the bag, if I leave them there for a minute). Thanks for the suggestion.

The benebac seems great, but I'd like to get something a little easier to store. I've only been able to get the teeny tubes from Petsmart.

Originally Posted by darlili

Cool - I'll look into Holistic Solutions - I think I read about this a bit ago on the boards, but when I went to the local Pet Supplies Plus, which carries Eagle Pack, they didn't have this, and my local Petsmart & Petco didn't either. Are there any retail stores that carry it, or preferred web sites that people have had good luck with?

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I've only found it locally at small pet specialty stores. Not at any big box stores. You might call around to the smaller stores. It seems to be a fairly popular product for them to carry. If you find it at a small store be sure it's one that has decent stock turnover. This kind of product has a limited shelf life. You can always order it directly from Eagle Pack from their web site. I'm pretty sure PetFoodDirect carries it.

Good luck!

Edit: Oops! You can't order directly from Eagle Pack. Their web site just has a list of online retailers that carry their products. PetFoodDirect does carry it though.

I have been using holistic solutions for my GSD who has tummy issues. I buy it at Petsuppliesplus. I think it costs about $8.99 for a little 2.2 oz bottle.

bene bac is the tubes..also many feed stores have a much larger size ... I use bene bac in a pinch but do not like some of the inactive s in it

prozyme is actually clinically tested that and the few inactive s are the main reason aside from working I use it

The solutions by EP works for some I cant get past the inactive s and some of the species are under heavy scrutiny

Originally Posted by sharky

Prozyme is a solid one and a HUGE container runs about 30$

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Originally Posted by MNJULZ

I have used Prozyme many many times and it works like a charm. I should use it daily but don't. It cleared up diarrhea every single time withing 24 hours. Sharky's right, the large bottle is about 30 but there are smaller bottles if money is an issue. It was well worth the money though. Good luck!

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I had received a sample of Prozyme a few weeks ago that I completely forgot about having. I starting giving it with lunch today...wish everyone was actually eating! Good to know that people have had success with it.

Originally Posted by KatGoddess

OK, I know that Pro is supposed to stand for Probiotics and Zyme is for enzymes, but...how come I don't see any strains of probiotics listed in the ingredients list? Or maybe I overlooked it since I took a quick glance online only.

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I think it is only plant based digestive enzymes, Like you as far as I can see there are no specific beneficial bacteria in it. I think it is only plant based digestive enzymes, but they can't hurt and I have a sample on hand!

Originally Posted by carolinalima

I used to use Holistic Solutions, but I found this one, with good reviews, and also with microencapsulated probiotics, which ensure the great majority will reach the GI tract, so I switched...

One 200g bottle should be good for well over a year with two kitties...

Click to expand...

Thank you for this link! So far I really like this product. It has multiple different strains of beneficial bacteria, including enterococcus, and the digestive enzymes all in one. I am going to the specialty pet store tomorrow to see if they carry it.

For all the Holistic Solutions users....that one looks really good too! Nice mix of probiotics along with the enzymes. I am going to have to look for this one too.


I had to take two of the girls in today and the vet recommended a product called Culturelle, this is made for people. It can be purchased at at Walgreens drugstores here. This has Lactobacillus GG in it. Another one that was mentioned to me in a PM was Natural Factors.

I was doing more research this afternoon and found this great link to a tufts article summarizing probiotic research. It talks about several different strains and what they have been proven to do...at least in people. Looks like Lactobacillus GG and Enterococcus facecium are the two that help the most with diarrhea and preventing antibiotic associated diarrhea.

http://www.ajcn.org/cgi/content/full/71/2/405

For now I at least have the Culturelle and Prozyme on had to get things started. I am going to look for the Nzyme and Holistic Solutions tomorrow.

I can't thank you all enough for your input and suggestions they have helped a bunch!

When Cleo has a rare flare up of her IBD, I add Kyo-Dophilus capsules (they're about #2 size) twice a day. Her stools firm up after about a day and a half. I also take it myself when I'm on antibiotics, and my father takes it for his bacterial overgrowth syndrome. Works like a charm! The nice thing is that it doesn't need to be kept refrigerated.

Here's the link, which lists the ingredients. It's free of milk, sodium, yeast, soy, gluten, and artificial flavors and colors, all of which is good for cats!

http://www.vitacost.com/Kyolic-Kyo-D...ngredientFacts

My first bottle was purchased off the internet, but my local health food store stocks it for me now.

Cleo is 13.5 pounds, and I give her 1/2 capsule, every 12 hours, as needed.

I use Probiotic Pearls: https://www.prohealth.com/shop/produ...www.nextag.com
They're very tiny and easy to get down a cat's throat. My cats won't eat wet food if I've mixed powder into it.

I had my cats on a Probiotic....

Purina FortiFlora
This was a feline supplement that had a patent pending.....This gave them worse runny pooh. So I stop giving it, come to find out, all the probiotic caused runny pooh in my cats. So we don't use it anymore.

I was just googling around, and Prozyme is still running a free sample opportunity - it's a $6 shipping charge, apparently refunded with your first order.

Thanks again for all the suggestions. My little girl is still doing ok on Clavomox, but her appetite is down, which I was told is not uncommon. But, she's eating some, and still bouncing around with her tail up, even though she's sleeping a bit more than normal. But,that's how I fee when I take antibiotics myself!