9 Best Probiotics for Dogs in 2025, Recommended By Vets
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All products in this article have been reviewed by our trusted vets and experts. PetMD is owned by Chewy.
Probiotics for dogs are beneficial microorganisms that live in your dog’s gut and contribute to a healthy gastrointestinal system. Just like humans, dogs have a variety of beneficial microorganisms that live in their digestive tract. Your dog's microbiome is important in their health and using a probiotic can help contribute to a healthy gastrointestinal system.
About 95% of these microorganisms are bacteria, with the rest including a mix of protozoa, fungi, and even viruses. Probiotics supplements introduce high volumes of these beneficial bacteria, including Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, Enterococcus, to help support gut health.
Everything Our Vets Recommend
Probiotics are a great addition to your dog’s health plan and these products may also be helpful during the early stages of a puppy’s life (when their immune systems are developing), and dog probiotics may aid in helping a sick dog recover quicker.
For example, these may be helpful when searching for probiotics for dogs with diarrhea. Or you may be looking for a probiotic for dogs with allergies. As with any new addition to your dog’s care, always ask your veterinarian the best probiotic for your dog based on their health needs.
When you’re shopping for the best probiotic for your dog, consider the type of probiotic and number of microorganisms in the product, the cost, palatability (how tasty it is for your pup), how it’s administered, and the health function you’re trying to support. The quantity of microorganisms in a product is generally measured in billions of CFUs, or colony forming units.
The list of canine probiotics below has been reviewed by our panel of experts to provide you with a list of vet recommended probiotics for dogs. As always, if you have questions about your dog’s digestive health, contact your veterinarian or one of our veterinary professionals at Chewy’s Connect with a Vet.
Our Vet Pick: Best In Show
Purina’s Pro Plan FortiFlora Powder comes in single-use packets that are easy to use: just mix with food. It’s a dog probiotic favorite among many veterinarians thanks to its widespread availability, reputable veterinary specific company, a long track record of successful use, and ease of administration. Additionally, most dogs really enjoy the taste!
Our vets recommend this option for the dietary management of puppies and adult dogs with diarrhea, as well as general health support. It contains 100 million CFU of a single probiotic, Enterococcus faecium, along with added vitamins and brewer’s yeast. E. faecium is often recommended by veterinarians to help with occasional diarrhea. Introduced in 2006, this product has the time on the market to have multiple published studies supporting its benefit.
- Dogs with food sensitivities may benefit from the hydrolyzed ingredients
- Easy-to-administer powder
- Supports intestinal balance and a healthy immune system
- Highly palatable
- Also available as a chew
- Contains only one probiotic strain
Our Vet Pick: Best Budget
Brought to you by Chewy, Vibeful® Probiotics powder is formulated to support proper digestive and gut health, while providing immune system and digestive support. The chicken-flavored powder combines easily with wet dog food and is appropriate for daily usage. A dog probiotic that is easier on the wallet compared to other options that target dog gut health.
It has a comprehensive mix of probiotics, including three species of Lactobacillus and one species of Enterococcus. At 200 million CFUs per gram, the CFU count is on the lower side.
- Simple dosing and administration
- Combines four probiotics
- Supports intestinal balance and a healthy immune system
- Prebiotic fiber to help maintain proper gut flora
- Cost-effective
- Some dogs may have food sensitivities to chicken
- Lower CFUs
Our Vet Pick: Best For Cats and Dogs
Vetnique Lab’s pork-flavored probiotic powder offers 5 billion CFUs per dose and includes Lactobacillus (two species), Enterococcus faecium, Bifidobacterium bifidum, and Bacillus coagulans organisms. If you are a pet parent to both dogs and cats, this option serves both species so you don’t have to mix and match pet probiotics. However, this powder is not recommended for dogs with food sensitivities or allergies to pork, rice, or sweet potato.
The product also contains added fiber which helps to promote regular bowel movements. Regular bowel movements enhance the results of probiotics in their role during digestion.
- Can be given to cats and dogs
- Five probiotic strains
- Supports intestinal balance and a healthy immune system
- Includes FOS and sweet potato, for added fiber and nutrients
- Also available as a chew
- Scoop-based dosing may be less accurate
- Needs refrigeration after opening
- Pork may irritate some food allergies
Our Vet Pick: Best for Soothing
Zesty Paws Probiotic Bites offer a blend of 3 billion CFUs of six probiotics flavored with pumpkin and papaya, making these the best probiotic chews for dogs with food sensitivities or allergens to certain proteins. It’s also available in a senior dog formulation for those aging rockstars.
Some of our veterinarians also singled out the addition of flavorings like oregano, flaxseed, and plum, which may aggravate some dog’s digestive systems.
If your picky eater refuses the chews, try switching to a powder-based product that’s easier to mix with your dog’s food.
- Multiple flavors of tasty chews
- Supports intestinal balance and a healthy immune system
- Proprietary blend of six probiotics
- Good option for pets with allergies to animal proteins
- Available in senior dog formulation
- No supportive research available
- Only available in chews
Our Vet Pick: Best for Seasonal Allergy Support
Our vet experts like VetriScience Mega Probiotics Capsules for their blend of probiotics and lack of potential allergens. There are no additional flavorings and no added dairy, making it a good choice for dogs with food allergies or sensitive stomachs.
This product is only available in a capsule, which can be challenging for some dogs, but you can always break the capsule open and mix the powder with your dog’s food. This product offers a potent mix of 5 billion CFUs of eight probiotic strains.
- Good option for dogs with food allergies
- High CFU count
- Eight strains of probiotics
- Supports intestinal balance and a healthy immune system
- Only available in capsule form
- Lacks fiber or added vitamins
Our Vet Pick: Best for Stress Relief
Available through Purina Pro Plan, this probiotic has been formulated with a potent dose (10 billion CFUs) of Bifidobacterium longum, a probiotic strain that has been shown to help keep dogs calm during stressful situations like separation anxiety, trips to the vet, or thunderstorms.
Our veterinarians often suggest this product as part of a behavior modification program. Because of its high dose and formulation, it may interact with other calming or behavior modifying supplements and cause drowsiness, so it’s always good to consult with your vet before adding this to an existing medication or supplement regimen.
- Helps dogs cope with external stressors
- High potency (10 billion CFU)
- Easy-to-administer powder
- Supports intestinal balance and a healthy immune system
- Contains added flavorings that may aggravate allergies
- Takes at least 90 days to have effect
- More expensive than other options
Our Vet Pick: Best For Pre and Probiotics
Formulated with non-hydrolyzed chicken liver, VetOne’s Advita Probiotic is available in a powder that offers a blend of 200 million CFUs of five probiotics and the prebiotic inulin. Prebiotics are helpful because they help “feed” probiotics and can increase their number in the gut.
This product also contains added vitamins A, C, and E, which help provide antioxidant support for general health. Some veterinarians recommend this product to help support the immune system and maintain normal stool consistence in dogs.
- Easy-to-administer powder
- Offers four strains of probiotics
- Economical
- Supports intestinal balance and a healthy immune system
- May aggravate food allergies to poultry
- Relatively low CFU count (200 million)
Our Vet Pick: Best Chew
The Proviable probiotic is available in tasty chews or a capsule; both can be mixed with food for dogs that are hesitant to take pills. With five billion CFUs of seven probiotics, this offers a potent blend of varied microorganisms. It also contains a prebiotic as well as pectin and kaolin, helping to firm loose stool by coating and soothing the GI tract.
Our vet team suggested that, while this is a good product, it may not be appropriate for long-term use.
- Easy-to-administer chewable tablet or capsule form
- Multi-strain probiotic
- High CFU count
- Contains “natural flavorings” that may aggravate certain food allergies
Our Vet Pick: Best For Acute Diarrhea
Our veterinarians like Vetoquinol's probiotic for acute diarrhea (diarrhea that appears suddenly), but don’t generally recommend it for general gut health. Pro-Pectalin is administered via a gel syringe, which is helpful if administering to dogs who don’t like powder formulations, or are picky eaters. It contains 200 million CFU of a single probiotic, Enterococcus faecium, plus kaolin and pectin to help aid in reducing occasional loose stools due to environmental stress or changes in diet.
Reviewers consider it “excellent for occasional diarrhea” due to dietary and a good over-the-counter short-term choice to manage loose stools until you can get into a veterinary clinic.
- Good for all life stages
- Good for dogs and cats
- Targeted product to help balance microbial flora and promote intestinal health
- Supports intestinal balance and a healthy immune system
- Chicken ingredients may trigger poultry allergies
- Administered through an oral gel or gel caps (three times a day)
- More expensive than other options
