# digestive enzymes...



## Lego&Jacub (Jul 18, 2006)

Just wondering, for those of you who feed digestive enzymes what brand do you use, and how much (in grams if you can) do you give each day, and about how much does it cost you per month?

I found this one... does it look good?
Pets 4 Life - Home Made 4 Life, Ground Meaty Bones, Cool Licks 4 Life, Essentials 4 Life, Treats 4 Life, Liver Loaves - all natural pet food, supplements and treats.
It says it contains: "fiber, probiotics, prebiotics, digestive enzymes, essential fatty acids, vitamins, minerals, trace minerals and more… "

According to what I can find I would need to feed 15 g per day and that means I'd be giving one of the large sized cans each month (minimum)... which would run about $30.00 CDN per month.


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## FlyingQuizini (Oct 24, 2006)

I use the Natures Farmacy West product:

Nature's Farmacy West / A Better Way Pet Care DZ Digestive Enhancer Powder #2

It only takes 1/4 tsp per 25 lbs of body weight.

I also know people who use and like:

Prozyme
Forco
Acetylator

-Stephanie


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## Maggies mom (Jan 6, 2006)

I use Nupro........30 pounds of it is like $100.00


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## Lego&Jacub (Jul 18, 2006)

Thank you both SOO very much for your input!!!


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## sharlin (Feb 26, 2007)

What exactely are they for???


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## monomer (Apr 21, 2005)

The pitch usually goes something like this...
Your dog cannot get all the nutrition out of his rations because: its commercial kibble, the dog is older, existing medical conditions, etc. whatever... so, digestive enzymes provide the means of breaking down the food even further thus 'releasing' all the nutrients that's in your dog's diet.

Humans have used digestive enzymes for years... bromelain (pineapple) and papain (papaya) are a couple of examples of natural food enzymes, these mainly help breakdown proteins. The pancreas (also the liver and gall bladder contribute enzymes as well) is usually capable of producing all the enzymes necessary for proper and complete digestion (proteins, carbos, and fats) but it is sometimes suggested that it might not be enough and the resulting incomplete digestion is responsible for a myriad of health related problems all the way from simple gas and bloating to many immune system abnormalities such as allergies. I don't know what the truth is... I do know humans in every culture have eaten certain foods in combinations for eons... especially fermented foods. These have always been touted as 'helping' with digestion... I personally believe there is much wisdom in eating certain food combinations for that very reason. However, my personal experience with over-the-counter digestive enzymes in the past has not been a pleasant one... the stuff over time actually ate away the mucous lining in my stomach leading to pain and ulcers that took quite a long time to heal. I fed Prozyme to Kimo for several months and even tried K-zyme for awhile... bottomline: I could see no discernible effects one way or the other and so after a while it began to feel like a waste of money.



Here is a little excerpt from a *human* health site:

"What do they do? Digestive enzymes—which include pancreatic enzymes, plant-derived enzymes, and fungal-derived enzymes—include three classes of enzymes: proteolytic enzymes needed to digest protein, lipases needed to digest fat, and amylases needed to digest carbohydrates. In several conditions that cause malabsorption, such as pancreatic insufficiency and cystic fibrosis, doctors sometimes prescribe digestive enzymes to improve absorption of food."


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## sharlin (Feb 26, 2007)

Thank you for such a detailed post.


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## MissNikkisMom (Apr 10, 2007)

I use Nupro too.

Julie


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## monomer (Apr 21, 2005)

NuPro doesn't seem to contain any digestive enzymes (at least I didn't recognize any from the ingredients list I saw in a catalog last night)... it is advertised as "aids digestion". Missing Link, Barley Dog, and a few other products that are 'hodge-podge' mixes of dietary supplements claim your dog will get more from his/her rations but do not actually contain any digestive enzymes... I believe NuPro falls into this category of supplements.

Just in one catalog alone I found all these products...Optagest, Fresh Digest, Bio Case V, Suprazyme, Gentle Digest, Enzyme Pro, Enzymes, Acetylator, N 'zymes Pro+, Digestive Supplement, and Vitalize (formerly K-zyme)... these all actually contain digestive enzymes. And this was just in ONE CATALOG!!!! How many are on the market, I wonder? Must be quite profitable.


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## Sunshine Goldens (Oct 31, 2005)

I use WHolistic Pet's Digest All Plus - it's pre and probiotics in a powder form.


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## Sunshine Goldens (Oct 31, 2005)

monomer said:


> The pitch usually goes something like this...
> Your dog cannot get all the nutrition out of his rations because: its commercial kibble, the dog is older, existing medical conditions, etc. whatever... so, digestive enzymes provide the means of breaking down the food even further thus 'releasing' all the nutrients that's in your dog's diet.
> 
> Humans have used digestive enzymes for years... bromelain (pineapple) and papain (papaya) are a couple of examples of natural food enzymes, these mainly help breakdown proteins. The pancreas (also the liver and gall bladder contribute enzymes as well) is usually capable of producing all the enzymes necessary for proper and complete digestion (proteins, carbos, and fats) but it is sometimes suggested that it might not be enough and the resulting incomplete digestion is responsible for a myriad of health related problems all the way from simple gas and bloating to many immune system abnormalities such as allergies. I don't know what the truth is... I do know humans in every culture have eaten certain foods in combinations for eons... especially fermented foods. These have always been touted as 'helping' with digestion... I personally believe there is much wisdom in eating certain food combinations for that very reason. However, my personal experience with over-the-counter digestive enzymes in the past has not been a pleasant one... the stuff over time actually ate away the mucous lining in my stomach leading to pain and ulcers that took quite a long time to heal. I fed Prozyme to Kimo for several months and even tried K-zyme for awhile... bottomline: I could see no discernible effects one way or the other and so after a while it began to feel like a waste of money.
> ...


 
I think the more useful additive is a combo of probiotics. They help balance the natural gut flora. I am less of a believer in the benefits of digestive enzymes unless you are dealing with a person or pet whose body is unable to produce them adequately without supplementation.


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## monomer (Apr 21, 2005)

Sunshine Goldens said:


> I think the more useful additive is a combo of probiotics. They help balance the natural gut flora. I am less of a believer in the benefits of digestive enzymes unless you are dealing with a person or pet whose body is unable to produce them adequately without supplementation.


And I agree with you...
That's why I've been making and consuming Kefir for years now. I make my own pickles and sauerkraut from brine and lactobacillius and have made cheese and I also brew my own beer. Microbes can be our friends


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## Pointgold (Jun 6, 2007)

I use Fastrack probiotic.


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