[rannmiller]

*Gag* a Purina rep came to our staff meeting at my veterinary clinic to talk about the wonders of Purina prescription food for GI health. She kept bringing up their FortiFlora and how it's so tasty because it's hydrolized and it has animal digest in it. I wanted to throw up! It's pretty much a probiotic with crap sprayed on to make it tasty, at least they aren't charging a huge amount for it ($28 for a 30 day supply).
Any experiences with or thoughts on the product?

 

[BoxerMommie]

*Gag* a Purina rep came to our staff meeting at my veterinary clinic to talk about the wonders of Purina prescription food for GI health. She kept bringing up their FortiFlora and how it's so tasty because it's hydrolized and it has animal digest in it. I wanted to throw up! It's pretty much a probiotic with crap sprayed on to make it tasty, at least they aren't charging a huge amount for it ($28 for a 30 day supply).
Any experiences with or thoughts on the product?

My vet (well a vet in the same practice) wanted me to put my PUPPY on Royal Canin's GI tract stuff because he had colitis. It supposedly had the same concept of the probiotic with nasty stuff to make it tasty in the food. That's what gave me the idea of feeding a healthy food with adding a healthy human probiotic to it and we've been fine ever since (as long as he stays out of the cat food the little bugger). IMO as long as you put your mind to it and try hard enough you can get a healthy food that works for dogs with those types of problems AND for a lot cheaper most of the time. And the sad part was the vet couldn't even tell me WHY to feed this to my dog or what made it so digestible, etc. And it wasn't to make money because they didn't sell that brand she just believed it would help, I don't know because it said for GI tract health on the bag? Very frustrating!

Yuck yuck wouldn't feed that, I'd cook for the dog first. Gross!

 

[foxtrdogma]

any side effects?

Did the purina rep mention any side effects? We tried one packet and immediately got rumbly tummy--bloody diaherra the next day. But that could be from my dog's on-going problem and vet recommended we continue it. (I didn't however.)

 

[sneakapoo]

Problem with Fortiflora

Did the purina rep mention any side effects? We tried one packet and immediately got rumbly tummy--bloody diaherra the next day. But that could be from my dog's on-going problem and vet recommended we continue it. (I didn't however.)

I am very suspicious that Fortiflora caused a major problem with my already sick little whippet. It was the 3rd treatment I had tried for severe diarrhea and weight loss, and after only 4 days (I was hearing rumbly tummy too), her anus started leaking (sorry I know that's gross) and after all the licking made the area totally raw and hairless, there was also fresh red blood around the opening (though NO blood in the actual poop). My vet thinks it possible that it was a reaction to the flavouring in Fortiflora, so of course I discontinued it. She's still very sore after about 8 days, but with her new medication (steroid, the 4th treatment) she is showing signs of improvement with the diarrhea, which is helping the other problem. She was also prescribed antibiotic and an anti-inflam/steroid cream for her sore bum! A lot of problems for a supposedly "side-effect free" product!

 

[wags]

Don't ya just get sick of these reps pushing crap!!!!!!!!!!!!! I do!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:frown:

 

[carolspets]

I am not a fan of anything Purina I don't even think their company is owned by a pet company anymore. I think Nestle owns them. Not sure but who's doing the research now?

Anyway, I agree...why feed a probiotic if it's covered in chemical crap?

When I look for a product for my dog, or for my family, I look for all natural, food type ingredients instead of things I can't pronounce or that are chemical in nature. I use dinovite as my probiotic source. I like that it is made out of all natural ingredients that are mostly human grade ingredients. I have also used carnoyum that has chicken in it. They have probiotics in them without any chemicals. Amd it has omega fatty acid and other nutritional things that are needed.

I wouldnt feed anything that had added chemicls if you can find better alternatives. And, like I said before, I am not a fan of purina. Have you read the beneful ingredients? It's purina and they are OK with you feeding your dog that stuff?????

 

[Guest]

I am not a fan of anything Purina I don't even think their company is owned by a pet company anymore. I think Nestle owns them. Not sure but who's doing the research now?

And Proctor & Gamble owns Iams, too. Wonder who does Iams' research?

 

[toriakd]

Hi All,

New here...in fact this is my first post. My name is Tori...my concerns are about Tedi my Service Animal who as been my constant companion for the last 8 years...he will be 10 in April of this year and I love him madly. Some say he is too old and should be retired but I believe it would be the end of him. A couple of years ago he almost died of Canine Bloat...he basically was sent home to die. I nursed him through it and have had to put him on antibiotics several times in the last year and a half because of flare ups. The many Vets I saw said he had a propensity for Pancreatitis and I have just found out he can not eat human food of any kind. This last flare up was in the middle of December 2011. He had diarrhea, vomitting, extremely bad breath and gas so bad it made him bow over and he could not raise his head. I gave him a baking soda and water mixture and massaged his tummy then bounced him up and down like he was a child with colic. I know I know it was not good for him but his gas was sooooo bad I was afraid he would have a seizure or stroke.

He was put on antibiotics put it did not get rid of the gas. I still had to give him the baking soda mixture. After going through several Vets offices one finally told me to give him pepcid. It helped but did not get rid of the gas and vomitting several hours after eating. While not being as severe as it originally was it still was pretty bad and he still had that persistent bad breath as if he was rotting inside. I was still beside myself with worry.

A week ago today Tedi had had 2 bouts of diarrhea two hours apart early in the morning and spit up three times after that. Major panic attack...lol...my Vet did not want to give him any antibiotics he mentioned treatment with probiotics and suggested I use them. Not knowing which ones to use he perscribed a box of FORTIFLORA by purina. While I too am not a Purina fan nor am I trying to be a spokes person for their product...BUT...it has worked wonders for me. No more bad breath...no more diarrhea...so far no more vomtting...no more bloated tummy...I am sure you all understand...what a relief...

I like that it is in powder form and I can sprinkle it on his ID canned ration at nite time with a little water to mix it in the wet food. I use half a packet at a time because he is so small.Yes his little tummy made all kinds of noises when first given FORTIFLORA...I took that as a good sign...at least it was doing something besides expanding...the first day after use he did have diarrhea twice in the morning and spit up once...I continued administering the product as per instructions by my Vet...the next morning healthy poo...but he did spit up...by the third day no diarrhea and no spit up...cross fingers and toes...his little tummy looks normal...he is more relaxed and at ease than I have seen him in a long time and is even wanting to play with his toys...I would think there are other probiotics out there that are more natural and possibly better for him...but I believe this one saved his life...I am eternally grateful that this Vet had the wisdom and experience to come up with such a positive plan of action in tedi's recovery.

 

[xellil]

OK I'm going to admit it - Snorkels is taking Purina Fortiflora right now.

When the vet put her on antibiotics for possibly aspirating her vomit and causing an infection in her lungs, I told him I was very worried because of her constipation and that the antibiotics would screw up her stomach. So I asked if he had a probiotic in the office I could give her. I know it was laziness on my part, but I really don't have time right now to run all over town looking for a good one.

It hasn't bothered her at all - she's been pretty constipated but had a great poop this morning. I'm not going to leave her on it long term, just until she finishes her 10 days of antibiotics.

 

[xellil]

A week ago today Tedi had had 2 bouts of diarrhea two hours apart early in the morning and spit up three times after that. Major panic attack...lol...my Vet did not want to give him any antibiotics he mentioned treatment with probiotics and suggested I use them. Not knowing which ones to use he perscribed a box of FORTIFLORA by purina. While I too am not a Purina fan nor am I trying to be a spokes person for their product...BUT...it has worked wonders for me. No more bad breath...no more diarrhea...so far no more vomtting...no more bloated tummy...I am sure you all understand...what a relief...

If it works for you, that's wonderful. But, it's the probiotic part of it that's doing the good, not the additives. Animal digest is not a good thing to feed dogs.

I have been shopping online for a good probiotic and am pretty confused about what to get, but I know anything made by Purina is suspect as far as ingredients.

I'd like to put my dachshund on probiotics for a period of time to see if it helps her constipation, but I don't want it to be Fortiflora (even though yes I am using it right now).

 

[BrownieM]

We love FortiFlora. Have been using it for quite some time.

 

[Kat]

Before switching Ruby to raw, she went through two months of pretty much diarrhea liquid poop. NOTHING was helping, my vet sold me a few packets of FortiFlora, opening the baggie, and seeing and smelling the product, I couldnt feed it to Ruby, it stunk. If anything, I would use human grade probiotics, since they have no taste you can add it to almost anything to get them to eat it. But I ended up switching to raw and it solved her tummy issues.

 

[toriakd]

Good to know others have used it and their dogs have not had any side effects.

 

[toriakd]

Before switching Ruby to raw, she went through two months of pretty much diarrhea liquid poop. NOTHING was helping, my vet sold me a few packets of FortiFlora, opening the baggie, and seeing and smelling the product, I couldnt feed it to Ruby, it stunk. If anything, I would use human grade probiotics, since they have no taste you can add it to almost anything to get them to eat it. But I ended up switching to raw and it solved her tummy issues.

lucky you...if I feed Tedi real food he gets pancreatitis...