Probiotic products for pet applications

Abstract

An exemplary embodiment providing one or more improvements includes feeding animals with probiotic microbes encapsulated in a mixture of xanthan gum and chitosan, or in gelatin, specifically Pediococcus acidilactici and Saccharomyces boulardii. Such encapsulation protects the viability of the probiotic microbes against unfavorable temperatures. An exemplary embodiment providing one or more improvements includes methods of using viable probiotics in therapy of birds and mammals infected with infectious diseases. Probiotics acted as adjuvants in stimulating antibody reaction and stimulated a cellular immunity response. In particular, probiotics were shown to reduce the number of viable oocytes from fecal samples, stimulate antibody production, and stimulate of proliferation of splenocytes in chickens infected with Elimeria. In addition, probiotics were shown to relieve symptoms of parvovirus infection in dogs.

1 . The probiotic microbe composition comprising: at least one probiotic microorganism comprising  Pediococcus acidilactici  encapsulated in a single gelatin capsule, wherein the probiotic microorganism comprise greater than 1×10 9  colony forming units of  Pediococcus acidilactici  bacteria viable for greater than two weeks. 
     
     
         2 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one probiotic microorganism is in the form of powder. 
     
     
         3 . The composition of  claim 1 , the at least one probiotic microorganism further comprising  Saccharomyces yeast viable for greater than two weeks. 
     
     
         4 . The composition of  claim 3 , wherein the  Saccharomyces  yeast are  Saccharomyces cerevisiae boulardii.