[lil fu fu girl]

What a great topic.

I do indeed feed my pups and my family both pre- and probiotics.
Many studies, including the 2003 Nestle Pet Care study demonstrated that pups being fed healthy diets containing both elementary forms of these bacteria's through basic food products as well as through supplementation, increased their lga levels after one year: a critical measurement of the immune systems functionality. Not to mention longer lasting vaccination levels contributed by a higher functioning immune system.
I personally use raw food products as much as possible in exchange for supplements, as US produced probiotics and some prebiotics contain FOS; Fructooligosaccharides.
Found within foods these FOS are extremely beneficial to the lower colon. However, most pro-and prebiotics produced here in the US and Japan contain FOS that has been chemically manufactured, which I find unacceptable, as do many holistic nutritionists. FOS is naturally found in oatmeal as well as bananas, and many other easily found raw foods.
This chemically produced FOS is the main cause of GI distress when bacteria supplements are used, as the dosages are at times much to high for our little ones, producing cramps, gas, and pain.

........anywho.....prattling on.....