Vita Animal Health has shared the results of a survey it commissioned which has found that 68% of dog owners either ‘don’t know’ or are ‘not sure’ about how pre and probiotics can support gastrointestinal upset.

In the online survey of 392 dog owners, which was conducted Companion Consultancy, 64.5% of owners said their dog has suffered from gastrointestinal upset.

51.8% said they used home cooked chicken and rice to manage their dog's digestive upset.

28.6% sought veterinary advice.

18.8% used a pre and probiotic, despite half of the respondents thinking they would be useful.

Veterinary nurse and sales manager at Vita, Tara Evans, said: “We know that digestive upset is very common in dogs, and almost two thirds of the survey respondents identified that scavenging was the primary cause of upset.

"We want to help support pet owners in knowing how they can best look after their pet in these situations, and provide them with both educational resources and an effective product.

“Education is key in helping owners make the best choices for their dogs.

"Changing their diet in a time of digestive upset isn’t always the best option, so it’s important that we provide owners with up-to-date information."

www.vitaanimalhealth.com

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