People have been experiencing the health benefits of probiotics for some time, and now Red Dog Blue Kat, Western Canada’s leader in the production of raw food for pets, has added this key ingredient to their meal lines. Red Dog Blue Kat is the first pet food producer in Canada to add a species-relevant probiotic to its pet food products.
Said Red Dog Blue Kat Top Dog/CEO Inna Shekhtman: “We believe that probiotics are a key ingredient in promoting health and wellness in animals. We undertook extensive research in this area. We are committed to helping pets live longer and healthier lives, and scientific evidence shows that a canine-specific probiotic provides health benefits to dogs.”
The canine-specific probiotic strains were selected because they provide a range of benefits. They include: Bolstering the immune system; Helping to keep the gastrointestinal tract calm during times of stress; Improving availability of nutrients in the diet; and Improving production of neurotransmitters in the brain.
This probiotic naturally survives the acid in a canine stomach and the bile produced in the small intestine so that it can provide these important health benefits. Additionally, it is not affected by antibiotics that are often prescribed to treat intestinal upset in pets.
These probiotic strains produce metabolites that fight against bacteria – increasing food safety and minimizing the risk of illness due to pathogens like salmonella or E. coli. Red Dog Blue Kat has a microbiologist on staff who supported Shekhtman on this initiative.
To create the probiotic blend, they partnered with CanBiocin, an Edmonton-based R&D company that specializes in the development of lactic acid bacteria products for use in food and agriculture. For the prebiotic, which is used to support the probiotic culture, they worked with renowned animal health specialist Julie Anne Lee, DCH, RCSHom.
Red Dog Blue Kat will be using a patent-pending probiotic which contains two bacterial strains: K9-1 and K9-2. These strains were naturally sourced from healthy canines. They have been assessed for effectiveness in the canine and feline system and are deemed safe for consumption by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). The ingredients of the probiotic are: beetroot, chamomile powder, fennel powder, and freeze-dried whole K9-1 and K9-2 fermentation products.
Said Shekhtman: “This is an important development in pet health and in food safety. We are proud to be the first company in Canada to include canine-specific probiotics in our products, and we are excited about the future. Our mission is to help pets live longer and healthier lives, and this addition to our raw pet food does just that.”
