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Reply To: Prebiotics, Probiotics, and Enzymes, oh my!

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Anonymous
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Seems like the people on here have done a great job covering things, but I also wanted to share that I have a blog specifically about enzymes for animals, and am always looking for additional topics that people would like covered. So- if there are things you would like clarified, topics like what specific enzymes help with specific issues, what levels of enzymes are necessary, etc., I would love to cover those things and help out.

http://enzymesolutionsforanimalhealth.wordpress.com/

One thing I would like to note, enzymes are measured by their ACTIVITY levels (whereas probiotics are measured in CFUs- colony-forming units). Enzyme activity tells you the enzyme’s ability to break down a substrate, or the material that it acts on. 1 gram of an enzyme could have 10,000 activity units or it could have 500 units, so not all enzyme products are equivalent. If they have activities listed on the label, definitely check them and compare! Also check which enzymes are in the product. For dogs, you are feeding primarily protein, so you want something with high levels of proteases to help break that protein down. You also may want some cellulase and xylanase, which will help break down plant material that they can’t otherwise digest. Amylase will help them digest starches. The blog also has links to Twitter and Facebook pages where I always try to share any interesting articles, new studies, etc for anyone interested!