Whether your dog is currently suffering from poor digestive function or if you are just trying to be prepared for the future, investing in probiotic supplements can help to keep your beloved pet in good health. Diarrhoea, flatulence, bad breath, bloating, and itchy skin are distressing problems that can all be alleviated with probiotic supplements. They can even help with allergies!
However, the world of probiotics can be confusing, so we've broken it down for you. Our buying guide discusses how to pick an effective treatment as well as all the symptoms which can be treated. From tablets to pastes to powders to even treat sized supplements, there are plenty of options. We've also included a list of the 10 best probiotics for dogs in the UK, from popular brands like Purina and Buddy & Lola, all available from Amazon and Pets at Home.
For those after a quick look, here is our Top 5:
For a more in-depth look at the comprehensive top 10 selection, make sure to read on to learn more about the different types of probiotics for dogs available and understand how our ranking was determined.
This article’s chosen EC site price listings are reflective of its publishing date.
Image | 1 ![]() Furever Friendz | 2 ![]() Pet Naturals of Vermont | 3 ![]() Buddy & Lola | 4 ![]() PURINA | 5 ![]() Avipro | 6 ![]() iKARMEL | 7 ![]() Pro-Kolin | 8 ![]() Canikur | 9 ![]() YuDIGEST | 10 ![]() Protexin |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Name | Canine Probiotics & Prebiotics for Digestive Health | Daily Probiotic Digestive Health Supplement | Probiotics For Dogs | Pro Plan Veterinary Supplements FortiFlora Probiotic | Plus Probiotic, Prebiotic and Electrolytes | Doggy Dailies Probiotics for Dogs | Probiotic Paste For Cats And Dogs | Dog Probiotic and Prebiotic Pro Paste Syringe | Probiotics with Sensitive Digestion All Ages and Breed Dogs | Veterinary Pro-Fibre for Dogs and Cats |
Features | Chicken-Flavoured Tablets With an Impressive 5 Strains of Probiotic Bacteria | Daily Probiotics Hidden in Duck-Flavoured Bite-Sized Chews | A Daily Prebiotic and Probiotic Powder to Support Digestive Health Long-Term | One Sachet Daily for Treating Diarrhoea in Dogs and Puppies | A Water-Soluble Probiotic Powder With Added Vitamins A, C and E | Organic Probiotic Daily Dog Chews Featuring Salmon Oil and Omega 3 | An Intensive Two Day Probiotic Treatment Paste in a Syringe With a Beef Flavour | A Meaty Flavoured Paste to Syringe Directly Into Your Dog’s Mouth | Daily Tablets Containing Prebiotics and Probiotics to Firm Stools and Reduce Wind | High-Fibre Probiotic Pellets for Dogs and Cats With Digestion Issues |
Price | £19.99 | £10.75 | £17.97 | £23.44 | £11.25 | £19.99 | £16.49 | £14.00 | £21.00 | £12.83 |
Type | Tablets | Snack-sized treats | Powder | Powder | Powder | Soft chews | Paste in syringe | Paste in syringe | Tablets | Pellets |
Best For | Topical/long-term treatment of diarrhoea, flatulence, bad breath, itchy skin | Topical/long-term treatment of diarrhoea, flatulence and stress. | Ongoing support of gut health | Topical treatment of diarrhoea and flatulence | Topical treatment of stress, on-going support of gut health | Ongoing support of gut health, treatment for itchy skin | Topical treatment of diarrhoea | Topical treatment of diarrhoea | Topical/long-term treatment of diarrhoea and flatulence | Topical/long-term treatment of anal gland issues |
Bacteria Strain(s) | Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus brevis, Bifidobacterium animalis lactis, Lactobacillus rhamnosus | Bacillus coagulans | Mannanolig-osaccharides | Enterococcus faecium | - | Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus brevis, Lactobacillus fermentum and Lactococcus lactis | - | Yeast-derived | Enterococcus faecium | Enterococcus faecium |
Beneficial Ingredients | Prebiotics, digestive enzymes | Probiotics and digestive enzymes: Amylase and Protease | Prebiotics | Antioxidants | Prebiotics, Vitamins A, C and E, electrolytes | Turmeric and omega 3 | Prebiotics, kaolin clay and pectin | Prebiotics: bioMos C, kaolin clay | Prebiotics: MOS, scFOS and Beta Glucans | Prebiotics: fructo-oligosaccharide (FOS) and acacia (gum arabic), dietary fibre: psyllium husk and sugar beet pulp |
Flavour | Chicken | Duck | No flavour | Beef | - | Salmon | Beef | Meaty | - | Beef |
Dosage | 1 to 4 tablets per day | 1 chew per 11 kg of weight per day | 1.5 g to 10 g per day | 1 sachet per day | 0.1 g per day per kilogram of weight | 1 to 3 soft chews per day | Twice per day, totalling between 6 ml - 20 ml | Twice per day, totalling 8 ml | 1 to 4 tablets per day | 5 g to 30 g per day |
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Like humans, dogs have millions of bacteria living in their gastrointestinal (GI) tract. This 'microbiome' of bacteria supports digestion and the immune system and, when working correctly, protects the gut from any harmful pathogens that are ingested - we all know that dogs will eat virtually anything they find on the floor!
If the gut bacteria become unbalanced or disrupted, it enters a state known as dysbiosis. This can be caused by antibiotics, stress (such as that caused by moving house or staying in kennels), diet changes, scavenging decaying matter or faeces or an underlying digestive health issue. Probiotics are a great way to fix this imbalance.
These supplements contain carefully selected strains of beneficial bacteria that can survive the strong acidic conditions of the stomach. They boost the natural microbiome of the gut, allowing it to regain balance in favour of the 'good' bacteria. Probiotics can help clear up diarrhoea, soothe anal gland itch, reduce allergy sensitivities, lessen flatulence and ease bloating, among a host of other things.
Probiotics come in various forms, so you'll want to choose the type that suits your dog's attitude towards taking medication. Some dogs will eat pretty much anything you give them, but others need their medication to be concealed in something delicious! It's worth thinking about if you're dog is particularly fussy.
Probiotics can be administered either as a preventative or reactive treatment. If you prefer to take preventative measures, look for probiotics labelled as 'one-a-day' that say they can be used indefinitely to 'support gut health'. These will ensure you've got a little long-term 'insurance'.
On the other hand, probiotics can be administered as a short-term, intensive solution for treating a bout of diarrhoea or anal gland itch, for example. Remember, though, that if your dog's diarrhoea does not cease within 24 hours, take them straight to a vet, as it doesn't take long for dogs to become dangerously dehydrated.
Make sure you're also keeping on top of your dog's other regular preventative measures like dog wormers!
Different strains of probiotics have different properties and outcomes. Some supplements contain multiple bacteria strains, and some just contain a single type. If you're looking to treat a specific symptom, check the label carefully to see which bacteria strains are included. Here's a list of the most common dog-friendly probiotic bacteria to look out for.
If your dog has problems with its joints, check out our recommendations for dog joint supplements.
When shopping for probiotics, it's worth keeping an eye out for products that contain any other beneficial ingredients. For example, prebiotics are substances that encourage healthy bacteria to thrive. These are usually in the form of indigestible plant fibres, which resist the acid in the gut and instead 'feed' the good bacteria strains, meaning they are more likely to outcompete harmful bacteria.
Vitamins such as A, C and E can also be added to probiotic supplements, as during (and after) bouts of diarrhoea, your dog needs to replenish nutrients at a higher rate than usual. A separate multi-vitamin supplement could also be used instead if you'd prefer.
Kaolin clay is often found in high-strength, topical diarrhoea treatments as it binds to and neutralises harmful bacteria and viruses in the intestinal tract. It also firms up faeces, resulting in a swift recovery from diarrhoea episodes.
This ranking has been compiled by the writing team at mybest UK via careful evaluation of the points made in the buying guide and thorough research of each product and comparing multiple verified customer reviews across the EC sites used.
120 tablets
£19.99
Type | Tablets |
---|---|
Best For | Topical/long-term treatment of diarrhoea, flatulence, bad breath, itchy skin |
Bacteria Strain(s) | Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus brevis, Bifidobacterium animalis lactis, Lactobacillus rhamnosus |
Beneficial Ingredients | Prebiotics, digestive enzymes |
Flavour | Chicken |
Dosage | 1 to 4 tablets per day |
60 chews
£10.75
Type | Snack-sized treats |
---|---|
Best For | Topical/long-term treatment of diarrhoea, flatulence and stress. |
Bacteria Strain(s) | Bacillus coagulans |
Beneficial Ingredients | Probiotics and digestive enzymes: Amylase and Protease |
Flavour | Duck |
Dosage | 1 chew per 11 kg of weight per day |
150 g
£17.97
Type | Powder |
---|---|
Best For | Ongoing support of gut health |
Bacteria Strain(s) | Mannanolig-osaccharides |
Beneficial Ingredients | Prebiotics |
Flavour | No flavour |
Dosage | 1.5 g to 10 g per day |
30 sachets
£23.44
Type | Powder |
---|---|
Best For | Topical treatment of diarrhoea and flatulence |
Bacteria Strain(s) | Enterococcus faecium |
Beneficial Ingredients | Antioxidants |
Flavour | Beef |
Dosage | 1 sachet per day |
100 g
£11.25
Type | Powder |
---|---|
Best For | Topical treatment of stress, on-going support of gut health |
Bacteria Strain(s) | - |
Beneficial Ingredients | Prebiotics, Vitamins A, C and E, electrolytes |
Flavour | - |
Dosage | 0.1 g per day per kilogram of weight |
180 chews
£19.99
Type | Soft chews |
---|---|
Best For | Ongoing support of gut health, treatment for itchy skin |
Bacteria Strain(s) | Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus brevis, Lactobacillus fermentum and Lactococcus lactis |
Beneficial Ingredients | Turmeric and omega 3 |
Flavour | Salmon |
Dosage | 1 to 3 soft chews per day |
30 ml
£16.49
Type | Paste in syringe |
---|---|
Best For | Topical treatment of diarrhoea |
Bacteria Strain(s) | - |
Beneficial Ingredients | Prebiotics, kaolin clay and pectin |
Flavour | Beef |
Dosage | Twice per day, totalling between 6 ml - 20 ml |
60 ml
£14.00
Type | Paste in syringe |
---|---|
Best For | Topical treatment of diarrhoea |
Bacteria Strain(s) | Yeast-derived |
Beneficial Ingredients | Prebiotics: bioMos C, kaolin clay |
Flavour | Meaty |
Dosage | Twice per day, totalling 8 ml |
120 tablets
£21.00
Type | Tablets |
---|---|
Best For | Topical/long-term treatment of diarrhoea and flatulence |
Bacteria Strain(s) | Enterococcus faecium |
Beneficial Ingredients | Prebiotics: MOS, scFOS and Beta Glucans |
Flavour | - |
Dosage | 1 to 4 tablets per day |
500 g
£12.83
Type | Pellets |
---|---|
Best For | Topical/long-term treatment of anal gland issues |
Bacteria Strain(s) | Enterococcus faecium |
Beneficial Ingredients | Prebiotics: fructo-oligosaccharide (FOS) and acacia (gum arabic), dietary fibre: psyllium husk and sugar beet pulp |
Flavour | Beef |
Dosage | 5 g to 30 g per day |
Written and researched by Lucy Smith
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