Basset Hound probiotic not working? Try this instead

Liquid probiotic drops are one of the formats least likely to survive the journey through a dog's stomach intact — low colony counts, unstable strains, and no protective coating mean much of what's in the bottle never actually reaches the gut. So the fact that you saw zero change isn't really surprising, and it doesn't mean probiotics can't help your Basset Hound. It just means that particular product probably wasn't doing what it claimed. Before I point you somewhere better, can you tell me a bit more: how long has the stool consistency been an issue, is it loose stools or something more variable, and has your vet ruled out anything like EPI, food sensitivity, or a parasitic cause?

Good — that's actually a really useful starting point. A clean faecal and no underlying pathology means this is most likely a microbiome balance issue, which is exactly the territory where the right probiotic can make a real difference. Basset Hounds are prone to digestive sensitivity partly because of their deep chest and long gut anatomy, and four months of soft output suggests the good bacteria haven't re-established dominance on their own. Can I ask: has Monty's diet changed in the past six months, and is he on any medication — even something like Advocate or a seasonal antiparasitic? Both can be relevant.

Almost certainly yes. A course of antibiotics — even a short one — can significantly disrupt the gut microbiome, and four months is well within the window where dogs are still recovering from that disruption. A stable diet is actually a good sign here; it rules out food transition as a variable. What Monty needs isn't just any probiotic — he needs one with a clinically validated strain at a therapeutic dose, in a format that survives digestion. My clear recommendation is Purina Pro Plan FortiFlora. It uses the strain Enterococcus faecium SF68, which has more published clinical evidence behind it than virtually any other canine probiotic strain, and it comes in single-serve sachets that you mix into food — so dosing is exact and the palatability is excellent. It's not cheap, but it's the product vets actually reach for after antibiotic courses. One sachet per day for four to six weeks is the typical protocol.

FortiFlora on its own is often enough in a case like Monty's, but you can give it a better chance by pairing it with a modest amount of prebiotic fibre — something to feed the good bacteria you're reintroducing. A small spoonful of plain tinned pumpkin (not pie filling) or a teaspoon of cooked sweet potato stirred into his food daily works well and is unlikely to cause any issues with James Wellbeloved as his base. Keep his meals consistent, avoid treats with novel ingredients for the duration, and give it a full four weeks before judging the result. If stools are still soft after six weeks on FortiFlora, that's worth a follow-up vet conversation — occasionally there's an underlying sensitivity that only emerges once the obvious causes are ruled out. But honestly, antibiotic aftermath plus the right targeted probiotic is a very solvable problem.

Good luck with Monty — I'd expect to see gradual improvement from around week two, with consistently firmer stools by week four if FortiFlora is the right fit. It usually is in post-antibiotic cases. If you don't see any change at all by the three-week mark, it's worth going back to your vet rather than switching products blindly, just to make sure nothing's been missed. Hope he's back to normal soon.