by Dr Ethan Romas-Hill, Small animal vet, DVM

Ever come across the term CFU (Colony Forming Units) while scanning labels of your pup's dog food and supplements? Wondering what the fuss is all about? Well, let's ditch the science jargon and dig into why it's a big deal for your canine friend so you can make informed choices about what dog nutrition products to buy.

So what’s this 'CFU' all about?

CFU is like the headcount of the number of viable microorganisms in a supplement, indicating the potency of the ingredients that have been included to promote the growth of beneficial microorganisms in the dog's intestines - viable probiotics, prebiotics, para-probiotics and postbiotics. (You can learn more about the difference between these here.)

CFU is basically a measure of the number of friendly soldiers gearing up to boost your dog's gut health.

How do you find out the CFU count?

Easy. Just check the packaging; the CFU count is often displayed front and center on the packaging. This number reflects the quantity of live, active helpful bacteria (prebiotics, para-probiotics and postbiotics) per serving. The higher the CFU count, the more potent the canine supplement.

Think of this like the % of active ingredient in a product, or how strong the product is. The more CFUs, the more firepower!

Why does this really matter?

In your dog's gut, a robust and diverse community of good bacteria is key to staying healthy. They help with digestion, support the immune system, and maintain the delicate balance of the gut microbiome. A higher CFU count ensures that a substantial army of these beneficial bacteria reaches your dog's digestive system, upping the changes of a happy, healthy gut.

Bang for your buck!

Think of this as a good deal. Supplements with higher CFU counts offer a greater concentration of the right microbes, potentially providing increased benefits for your dog's gut health. They pack a punch - more microbe population for money. It's like choosing a supplement that not only shows up but also brings back-up to strengthen the team.

Picture this:

Your dog’s gut as a massive parking lot. There’s only so much space available. Boost the good microbe population with a high CFU gut health supplement like Digestive K9, and you are limiting the ability the space available for non-beneficial, or even pathogenic (bad) gut microbes to live in the dog’s gut.

Canine supplement CFU in a nutshell

In summary, CFU is a vital aspect of understanding the potency of viable prebiotics, para-probiotics and postbiotics in your dog's gut health supplement.

A higher CFU count translates to a more potent canine supplement, potentially offering increased benefits for your dog's digestive well-being. So, when you're on the hunt for the perfect gut health supplement, let the CFU count guide you toward a healthier, happier gut for your furry companion.