Does probiotics work?

So I asked this question on someones's thread sorry

I was wondering if anyone knew if probiotics really work. Years ago my black throat was given baytril and when I asked if I should give benebac the vet told me it does not work on reptiles becomes they don't hve some kind of enzyme. But I continue to hear people recommended it so just wondering if anybody has any insight.

Thanks for reposting this peach, I think everyone can benefit from this info.

First off probiotics isn't an enzyme, it is live bacteria. Beneficial bacteria, such as Lactobacillus acidophilus is called probiotic - A Friendly Bacteria. All creatures have these in their gi to properly digest foods, except maybe fish. I don't know enough about fish to say either way. With out proper gut flora, a balance of good and bad bactria naturally found in the gi, food in the gut will not be properly digested leading to rotting food in your animal's gut which can lead to bloating, regurge and a host of other issues all leading up to gi stasis, where the gut stops producing digestive enzymes and the intestines stop pushing food/waste products out. The result is usually a connstipated, eventually septic animal. Whenever we deworm or use a course of antibiotics, these good bacteria are killed off leading to the problems mentioned and the animal stops eating...more problems... by using a product like bene-bac or nutra-bac you can restore this gut flora to proper levels in a fraction of the time it would take your herp to rebuild these good bacteria on their own. You can gutload feeders with veggies high in probiotics such as cauliflower, artichoke, soy beans, and almonds (if your bugs will eat them) to help boost their nutritional values. There aren't a lot of studies involved in herps discussing the pros and cons of the use of probiotics, a lot of it is jut good old fashioned common sense. Probiotics aren't really something you can "overdose" on, the gut will simply baance itself out and excess bacteria either destroyed or flushed out of the system. I wrote an article some time back on the benefits of probiotics in our domesticated dogs (yes granted a dog is not a herp but...), started a course in my own pack around deworming time and any time one was on antibiotics and unlike previous treatments that didn't include probiotics, all the dogs maintained proper eating, no soft or runny stools and no lethargy. That was proof enough for me

Kermit wrote:
You can gutload feeders with veggies high in probiotics such as cauliflower, artichoke, soy beans, and almonds (if your bugs will eat them) to help boost their nutritional values.

thanks for the responce especially this part above I did not know. As I was waiting for your reponce I googled and found this. This part does not sound good, but to bad they did not state the name of which ones.
(Some products contained organisms with no reported probiotic effects; some of these organisms could be pathogens.)


http://avmajournals.avma.org/doi/abs/10.2460/javma.2002.220.794

Something to keep in mind with that article is they are discussing commercial (man made) probiotic supplements. Check your lables and as long as they are listing natural sources such ad dairy, soy, and veggie/fruit matter as the main components you should be good. It stated some organisms COULD be pathogens, which means no conclusive evidence one way or the other could be determined. One of the cited studies was on dogs, the other horses, and the third wasn't even an animal study it was a study on taurine and caraitine.

Kermit wrote:Something to keep in mind with that article is they are discussing commercial (man made) probiotic supplements. Check your lables and as long as they are listing natural sources such ad dairy, soy, and veggie/fruit matter as the main components you should be good. It stated some organisms COULD be pathogens, which means no conclusive evidence one way or the other could be determined. One of the cited studies was on dogs, the other horses, and the third wasn't even an animal study it was a study on taurine and caraitine.

but it says this

8 veterinary probiotics and 5 human probiotics.

Nevermind this is to technical,lol

Oh you said natural sources, I think I got it now

It is confusing but it is referring to probiotic supplements that are tablets not whole food products. Thats what it means when it said 8 veterinary (for animals) and 5 human (designed for people consumption). Their all pills or powdered supplements. If a bottle doesn't tell you the source of the probiotic then I wouldn't use it.