Last Hope Resources on Chronic Diarrhea in Kittens

Chronic Diarrhea - Kittens

One common problem encountered by animal rescue fosters of kittens and new kitten homes is chronic diarrhea. There are several reasons for kittens to develop diarrhea including stress, worms, parasites, changes in diet and more. Once the obvious have been ruled out or treated, diarrhea may persist.

To pursue a gentler more holistic treatment, you may want to consider probiotics. A simple definition of probiotic treatment is the introduction of healthy bacteria into the digestive tract. Often when kittens have medication particularly antibiotics, the healthy bacteria in their stomachs is destroyed. By introducing healthy bacteria, the balance is restored and the diarrhea stops, sometimes overnight!

You can introduce goat yogurt into the kittens diet or choose an OTC probiotic such as Culturelle. Culturelle is a product sold in most drug stores in the stomach remedy aisle. It is a product made for humans and totally safe for kittens. It has been used with tremendous success in numerous cases of diarrhea among Last Hope kitties. Here is a fact sheet on Culturelle which also addresses the issue of probiotics.

Culturelle

PROBIOTIC FACT SHEET

Probiotics

Probiotic is the term used to describe the "friendly" bacteria (micro-organisms) that may colonize in the intestinal tract and contribute to good health, but which can be destroyed or depleted by taking antibiotics, changes in one's diet, viruses, or foreign bacteria from travel.

Probiotic micro-organisms may help prevent overgrowth of potentially harmful bacteria and stimulate the intestinal immune defense system.

The life-sustaining properties of fermented milk products were discovered initially in 1905 by Dr. Elie Metchnikoff of the Pasteur Institute in France, whose research provided the original knowledge about Lactobacillus strains.

Lactobacillus GG

Lactobacillus

Lactobacillus GG is the common name for the bacterial strain Lactobacillus caseii subspecies rhamnosus. As this strain was discovered by Drs. Sherwood Gorbach and Barry Goldin in 1985, it is often referred to as Lactabacillus GG after the two discoverers' last names. Lactobacillus

Lactobacilluss

Lactobacillus GG, considered by researchers to be an "ideal" strain of Lactobacillus, is one of the most extensively researched and best documented probiotics in the world.

An ideal Lactobacillus strain is one that is resistant to stomach acid and bile, attaches to human intestinal epithelial cells, colonizes in the human intestine, produces an antimicrobial substance, shows good growth characteristics and produces beneficial effects on human health.

Other Lactobacillus strains, such as L. acidophilus contained in many yogurts, do not have the same scientific characteristics as Lactobacillus

Lactobacillus GG has been safely used for its health benefits by millions of people around the world and is available in the United States in Culturelle®.

Lactobacillus GG has been extensively studied worldwide in digestive disorders such as diarrhea caused by antibiotics, viruses, and travel. Additional clinical studies on the health benefits of Lactobacillus GG are ongoing in the United States and around the world.

To learn more about probiotics and Lactobacillus GG visit the web site "Living Well With Probiotics" at www.live-well.com.

Culturelle® Premier Probiotic

Culturelle® probiotic dietary supplement contains Lactobacillus GG, the "friendly" bacteria used to restore and maintain a healthy balance in the digestive system.

Culturelle® probiotic dietary supplement containing Lactobacillus GG is manufactured by ConAgra Functional Foods, a division of ConAgra Foods, Inc., a diversified international food company and the manufacturers of Healthy Choice foods and over 20 other well-known food brands.