Yeast

Many pets have sensitivities to yeast of any kind. Brewer’s yeast, nutritional yeast, tortula yeast are a few of the types of yeast found in various pet supplements and pet foods. Yeast is becoming a growing concern for many pet owners.

The primary yeast used by the pet food industry is Saccharomyces cerevisiae. You will find that nutritional yeast, brewer’s yeast, tortula yeast are all derived from S. Cerevisiae. It is up to the manufacturer to name the yeast. Two manufacturers may produce brewer’s yeast using two different ingredients i.e. sugar beets or hops. Yeast is Yeast. Brewer’s yeast is the most abundant form and originated in pet food as a by-product of the brewing industry.

Yeast tends to overpopulate quickly within the digestive tract. If populations in the gut exceed normal growth then yeast will spill out into the bloodstream. Once this occurs pets will experience foot licking, heavy black and thick ear discharge, discomfort, urinary infections and perhaps diarrhea. If left untreated yeast can start to interfere with organs and body function. Yeast will thrive in a simple carbohydrate diet such as grains and sugars. Therefore, sometimes all it takes is a small amount of yeast given the correct conditions to overpopulate.

Prevention can occur by two methods. Firstly, you can make sure your pet doesn’t consume any products containing yeast. Secondly, the addition of probiotics into the digestive system will help to achieve balance in the gut. Probiotics are “good” bacteria such as lactobacillus acidophilus, bifidobacterium bifidus, Streptococcus faecium, or lactobacillus salivarius. FOS, Fructooligosacchrides, is a natural carbohydrate that increases the population of the “good” bacteria. Make sure you purchase a probiotic with FOS.

You can purchase probiotics at a health food store or live-culture yogurt will contain “good” bacteria. You may need to give more probiotics than the recommended amount to achieve results.

My thinking is why put a “contaminant” like yeast into the body just to cause havoc? Many dogs and cats health problems are contributed to yeast. However, it is undiagnosed or misdiagnosed frequently. The nutritional properties in yeast can be found in too many other ingredients. Yeast is a cheap ingredient and hence why it is used more often than the more expensive ingredients. At what price are you willing to pay for your pet’s health? Our priority should be health rather than money. You will find the pet foods and supplements containing NO YEAST are more expensive but the end result will be cheaper. Not only on your pocket book but your pet’s quality of life.

It is very important to read the label of each product you purchase. If you find an ingredient you are unsure of please ask the manufacturer or do not purchase the product. If you see any type of yeast on the label make sure you leave the product on the shelf. YEAST IS YEAST.

To read more about yeast:
C.J. Puotinen - “The Encyclopedia of Natural Pet Care”
Pat McKay - “Reigning Cats & Dogs”
Martin Goldstein, DVM - “The Nature of Animal Healing”