Re: RC: probiotics

[Lif Strand <fasterhorses@gilanet.com>]

There are hundreds of species of bacteria in the intestines which help with digestion, vitamin manufacture & immunity.  Probiotics are the "friendly" or beneficial bacteria (e.g. Lactobacillus acidpohilus, bifidobacteria - both of which are nowadays added to grocery store milk) , as opposed to the bad guys that are there in the guts at the same time.  The point of taking extra probiotics is to keep the disease-causing bacteria from overpopulating the intestines, as well as boosting the digestion, vitamin manufacture & immune system. 

Things that can reduce the number of good bacteria in the guts are:

-  Stress

-  Bad diet (low fiber, low carbo, in humans, eating lots of meat)

-  Illness (including high temperatures and diarrhea)

-  Medications including antibiotics, steroids, chemotherapy (and in humans, birth control pills)

You probably can't hurt a horse by giving it probiotics, and you can
definitely help if it's called for.  If you decide to give them, I'd
give several doses, maybe more.  Lif

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