Dog Surgery Recovery Supplements: Probiotics, Omega-3, and Enzymes

Surgery creates predictable disruptions: antibiotic-associated gut dysbiosis, post-operative inflammation, anesthesia-related motility changes, and wound healing demands. Targeted supplementation during the recovery window addresses each of these.

Probiotics: the most important recovery supplement

Perioperative antibiotics reduce gut microbiome diversity for 4–6 weeks. Begin multi-strain probiotics the day after surgery and continue for 8–12 weeks. Give probiotics 2+ hours apart from any remaining antibiotic doses. L. acidophilus, B. animalis, and E. faecium SF68 are the target strains at 1 billion CFU or higher.

Omega-3 for continued anti-inflammatory support

NSAIDs are typically prescribed for 3–5 days post-operatively. After the NSAID course ends, omega-3 provides continued anti-inflammatory support relevant to both surgical site healing and any underlying conditions. If already supplementing, continue through recovery.