Probiotics to tackle pet anxiety: Nestlé launches probiotic supplement for calmer dogs

28 Feb 2019 --- Nestlé Purina has launched a new line of supplements aimed at improving anxious behaviors in dogs by ameliorating their digestive issues. The Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Supplements Calming Care range contains the bifidobacterium longum (BL999) probiotic strain, which Nestlé Purina researchers found to be beneficial for canine gut health. “While anxious behaviors are often thought of as psychological, their effect on a dog’s physiologic state is real,” notes Nestlé Purina Research Scientist Dr. McGowan. 

Nestlé claims to have pioneered research into how probiotics can be beneficial to health, leading to many products that help humans achieve a healthy digestion, such as nutritional drinks and yogurts. Nestlé Purina scientists leveraged this research expertise to determine if probiotics can also have beneficial effects on pet health.

By addressing this anxious behavior at a gut level, veterinarians can offer clients new hope for helping anxious dogs achieve peace of mind, McGowan says. The past few years, Nestlé Purina scientists have explored the connection between anxious behaviors and gut issues in dogs and how they can be combated with the use of pet-friendly probiotics.

“In searching for a new way to address dogs with anxious behaviors, we focused on the bi-directional communication known as the gut-brain axis – a connection believed to be influenced by the gut microbiota,” says McGowan. “Scientific evidence has shown that controlling gut bacteria through probiotic administration can have a positive influence on anxious behavior.”

Anxious behaviors are demonstrated in a variety of “bad” behaviors, such as hypervigilance, excessive barking, pacing, panting, compulsive licking, trembling, house soiling and fear aggression. These can negatively affect the pets’ quality of life, as well as that of their owners. A Nestlé Purina survey has found that as many as 62 percent of dog owners reported that their dogs regularly exhibited one or more anxious behaviors.

Genetics, early life negative experiences and environmental stimuli or stressors are possible causes of anxious behaviors in dogs. However, scientific research further backs up the link between bacterial imbalances in the gut microbiota and anxiety.

In 2006, Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diets introduced FortiFlora probiotic supplements – containing a safe and effective strain of beneficial bacteria proven to promote intestinal health and balance. The supplements also promote immunity and are the number one probiotic brand prescribed by veterinarians as a nutritional supplement for dietary management of dogs and cats with diarrhea, the company says. 

Continuously emerging research is uncovering the potential that probiotics hold in several areas of health and wellness. From gut health and the importance of the gut-brain axis for mood and cognition, to now pet health and even beauty, potential applications are moving far beyond the classic little bottles. 

Most recently, Symrise reported collaboration plans with  Probi (in which Symrise is a majority shareholder) to deliver probiotic-based cosmetic ingredients. The companies are seeking to develop cosmetic products with the Lactobacillus strain which could hold particular potential for the sensitive and dry skin market. The partnership is hoped to bear fruition with a finished product within the coming year, a Symrise spokesperson tells NutritionInsight. 

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