Wondering if pet probiotics are right for your furry friend and which one to try? Not all pet probiotics and supplements are created equal.
Take a look at these reviews of some of the most popular pet probiotics on the market as we explore common issues pets and pet parents face — and how Maya Pet is different.
1. Lack of Strain Diversity
For decades, research has shown that a diverse microbiome can help improve overall health and minimize common digestive issues. That said, some of the top probiotics on the market today don’t contain a very wide range of good bacteria.
Some of the most popular pet probiotic brands on the market contain just 2-6 different strains of bacteria or less. While the strains included are likely still beneficial, more variety and strain diversity may help your pet experience better and quicker results over time.
Maya Pet, on the other hand, includes 10 scientifically-chosen Smart Strains™ — each with a unique role in supporting your pet’s digestion and immune function. These Smart Strains are only found in Maya Pet and other products from Priority IAC, our parent company.
Our Smart Strains:
- Lactobacillus reuteri 1E-1™
- Bacillus subtilis B5000h™
- Bacillus subtilis B5005h™
- Bacillus subtilis B5150h™
- Lactococcus lactis A2020™
- Pediococcus pentosaceus A4000h™
- Lactobacillus plantarum LP100™
- Lactobacillus casei LC222™
- Propionibacterium freudenreichii Prop1-IAC™
- Bacillus pumilus 8G-134™
2. Digestive Upset
While pet probiotics are often used to help digestive issues, sometimes they can have the opposite effect. Some pet parents have noted their dog or cat experienced symptoms such as diarrhea, bloating, gas, or abdominal discomfort after taking a probiotic.
While every pet is a little different, some of these negative side-effects or increase in symptoms is likely due to the ingredients. Many top probiotic brands include additives to boost flavor, texture, and shelf-life — especially in probiotic chews. These ingredients may make digestive issues worse, especially when the pet is already sensitive or not feeling well.
In this Amazon review of a competitor’s pet probiotic brand, a customer notes that their dog’s digestive issues worsened after taking the supplement.
At Maya Pet, we try to keep our supplement as simple and natural as possible to minimize the risk of digestive issues or negative reactions due to added ingredients. Our supplement powder contains 10 Smart Strains of targeted good bacteria and organic sprouted whole wheat — that’s it! No additives, fillers, or artificial ingredients.
For best results, we also recommend that you start slowly to allow your pet’s system to adjust and increase to the recommended dose for their size over the course of a few days.
3. Quality Control
When it comes to pet probiotics and supplements, not all products are created equal. It's essential to choose a brand that has high-quality control standards and stands behind their products.
We’ve seen that poor-quality supplement products may contain fewer viable bacteria or may not even contain all the strains listed on the label, reducing effectiveness of the product. Other issues like expiration or damage can happen during retail and shipping, so a good return policy or warranty is a must.
Quality control can be a big issue with pet probiotics. This pet supplement review notes bugs and a strange film on the chews when they opened the container of a competitor’s supplement.
Maya Pet is manufactured in our Wisconsin facility. Our gut health supplement goes through a rigorous Bacteria Quality System (BQS) check to ensure the product is safe and that your dog or cat gets the most out of every dose. This process includes three quality checks, looking at bacteria population counts, purity of the bacteria strain, and consistency of product
Since Maya Pet is perishable, we do have to be a bit cautious about returns. We are unable to accept returns on open containers of Maya Pet. However, you can return unopened containers for up to 7 days after delivery.
That said, your satisfaction is important to us and our team is always willing to help. If the product arrived damaged, the quality isn’t as you expected, or you have questions throughout your pet’s wellness journey, be sure to contact us. We’re always happy to discuss the issue and come up with a solution that works for you and your pet.
4. Unappetizing
Some pets are notoriously picky. One of the most common complaints we hear from pet owners who come to us is about the taste and smell of supplements they’ve previously given their furry friend. Even if the probiotic is good for your pet, that won’t matter if they turn up their nose and refuse to eat it.
We’re all busy, so the last thing you want to do is wrestle with your pets on a daily basis to get them to take a supplement.
Common issues with pet supplements include taste and smell. As this Amazon review of a competitor’s popular dog probiotic supplement chew states, picky animals may refuse to take it.
And even if your pet enjoys it, you don’t want to give your pet something where the smell of it makes your stomach roll either.
Even if your pet can tolerate the smell, this Amazon review of a competitor’s pet probiotic shows that even humans can struggle with the smell.
Overall, it’s important to find something that your pet enjoys — or at least tolerates — and can easily be worked into the normal feeding routine.
At Maya Pet, our gut health supplement contains organic whole wheat and the helpful Smart Strains, helping to minimize smell and flavor issues that may cause your pet to turn up their nose. There’s no need to hide Maya Pet in cheese or peanut butter. Simply sprinkle the powder and a bit of water over your pet’s kibble or mix in with a bit of wet food for easy daily intake.
Experience the Maya Pet Difference
At Maya Pet, we’ve set out to change the game when it comes to pet gut health and supplements. If you’ve given your pet probiotics in the past without a lot of success, we’d love it if you put our gut health supplement to the test.
Learn more about how we go beyond a probiotic and how we can support a healthy gut for dogs and cats.
