FortiFlora vs Proviable: Everything Vets Wish You Knew

⚡ Quick Key Takeaways: What You Need to Know

❓ Question	✅ Quick Answer
Which has more CFUs?	Proviable wins: 5-10 billion vs FortiFlora’s ~100-758 million
Which has more strains?	Proviable wins: 7 strains vs FortiFlora’s 1 strain
Which is more palatable?	FortiFlora wins: Animal digest flavoring makes it irresistible to picky eaters 🐾
Which contains prebiotics?	Proviable wins: Contains FOS prebiotics; standard FortiFlora does not
Same product for dogs and cats?	Proviable wins: One formula works for both; FortiFlora requires separate products
Better for food-sensitive pets?	Proviable wins: No animal digest ingredient
More clinical research?	FortiFlora wins: Enterococcus faecium SF68 has decades of published studies
Best for acute diarrhea?	Tie: Both effective; FortiFlora faster palatability, Proviable more comprehensive
Best for chronic GI issues?	Proviable wins: Multi-strain approach better for long-term microbiome support

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🧬 1. FortiFlora Uses One Strain—And That’s Both Its Strength and Weakness

FortiFlora contains a single bacterial strain: Enterococcus faecium SF68. This isn’t a random choice—it’s one of the most studied probiotic strains in veterinary medicine.

Enterococcus faecium strain SF68 (SF68; Purina ProPlan Veterinary Diets; FortiFlora Probiotic Supplement) is a commercially available probiotic that has been shown to lessen diarrhea rates in cats housed in animal shelters.

What Research Shows About SF68:

The percentage of cats with diarrhea of two days or more was significantly lower in the probiotic group (7.4%) when compared with the placebo group (20.7%).

Dogs fed with E. faecium SF68 showed enhanced immune function and a strengthened specific immune function, with a significant increase in CDV virus specific IgG and IgA levels in response to vaccination.

🧫 FortiFlora’s SF68	✅ Proven Benefits	⚠️ Limitations
Immune modulation	Enhances vaccine response in puppies	Single strain can’t colonize entire GI tract
Stress diarrhea reduction	Dogs experienced significantly fewer days with severe diarrhoea	Lower CFU count than therapeutic recommendations
Microbiome diversity	Maintained diversity in stressed cats	Doesn’t address all bacterial populations

💡 Insider Insight: Having only one bacteria strain in a probiotic supplement is a problem. That’s because the digestive tract is home to hundreds of different types of bacteria. And each one thrives in different sections of the digestive system.

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🔬 2. Proviable’s 7-Strain Approach Targets the Entire Digestive Tract

While FortiFlora puts all its eggs in one bacterial basket, Proviable hedges its bets with seven distinct strains plus prebiotics.

The Proviable Strain Breakdown:

🧫 Strain	🎯 Primary Target Area	🔬 Key Function
Enterococcus faecium	Small intestine	Pathogen exclusion, immune support
Bifidobacterium bifidum	Large intestine	Anti-inflammatory, allergy reduction 🛡️
Streptococcus thermophilus	Upper GI tract	Lactose digestion, barrier support
Lactobacillus helveticus	Small intestine	Antimicrobial peptides production
Lactobacillus delbrueckii	Small intestine	Nutrient absorption enhancement
Lactobacillus casei	Throughout GI	Fights E. coli, Salmonella
Lactobacillus plantarum	Colon	Gut barrier integrity 🧱

Unlike FortiFlora’s single-strain approach, Proviable-DC contains seven different probiotic species, providing a broader spectrum of beneficial bacteria. The multi-strain approach may provide more comprehensive support for the gut microbiome.

🧠 What Vets Know But Rarely Explain: In a published study, at least one of the seven probiotic strains contained in Proviable was detected in 91% of dogs and 91% of cats. This high colonization rate suggests the multi-strain approach successfully delivers beneficial bacteria to pets’ digestive tracts.

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📊 3. The CFU Count Gap Is Enormous—And It Matters

Here’s where the numbers tell a story the marketing doesn’t:

The current recommendation for dogs is 1-10 billion CFUs a day.

📦 Product	🔢 CFU Count	📈 Meets Therapeutic Range?
FortiFlora Powder	~100 million CFU/gram	❌ Below minimum (needs 10x more)
FortiFlora Chewable	~100 million CFU	❌ Below minimum
Proviable-DC	5 billion CFU	✅ Within therapeutic range
Proviable-Forte	10 billion CFU	✅ High therapeutic range 💪

For general health maintenance, 1-4 billion CFU is very effective. For a pet with IBS and bowel disorders, a much higher CFU count is needed.

⚠️ Critical Reality Check: FortiFlora’s 100 million CFUs falls significantly below the minimum 1 billion CFU threshold that veterinary experts recommend. For reference, the minimum recommended number of CFUs for dogs is 1 billion, while some dogs can tolerate up to 10 billion CFUs.

So why does FortiFlora still work for many pets?

The answer lies in strain specificity. E. faecium SF68 is exceptionally well-studied and appears to punch above its weight class. But for chronic conditions or post-antibiotic recovery, the higher end of the range is recommended when pets are on antibiotics or have active gastrointestinal issues.

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🍖 4. The Animal Digest Controversy: Why Some Vets Quietly Prefer Proviable

FortiFlora’s first ingredient is “animal digest” (now labeled “liver flavor”). This is where things get uncomfortable.

The animal digest in FortiFlora comes from hydrolyzed pork liver and poultry. In 2020 this ingredient was renamed as “liver flavor.”

Why This Ingredient Is Controversial:

Animal Digest is a concentrated flavoring agent made up of hydrolyzed animal protein. The manufacturer hydrolyzed the protein with heat, enzymes and acids to break it down into amino acids. But this changes the chemical structure of a protein. And that can void or reduce its nutritional value.

🥩 Ingredient Comparison	🔵 FortiFlora	🟢 Proviable
First Ingredient	Animal digest/liver flavor	Fructooligosaccharide (prebiotic)
Contains Animal Proteins	Yes (hydrolyzed pork/poultry)	No
Food Sensitivity Friendly	⚠️ May trigger some allergies	✅ Safer for sensitive pets
Palatability	Extremely high 🏆	Neutral (may need mixing)

Proviable capsules are safer for a pet with food sensitivities—simply open the capsule and add only the powder to food.

💡 Practical Takeaway: If your pet has food allergies or sensitivities, Proviable’s cleaner ingredient profile may be the safer choice. But if you have an extremely picky eater who refuses other supplements, FortiFlora’s palatability could be the deciding factor.

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🧪 5. Prebiotics: Proviable Includes Them, Standard FortiFlora Doesn’t

This is a significant but often overlooked difference.

What Are Prebiotics? Think of them as fertilizer for probiotics—non-digestible fibers that feed beneficial bacteria and help them colonize your pet’s gut.

🌱 Prebiotic Comparison	🔵 FortiFlora Standard	🔵 FortiFlora SA	🟢 Proviable
Contains Prebiotics	❌ No	✅ Yes (psyllium)	✅ Yes (FOS)
Synbiotic Formula	❌ No	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
Supports Colonization	Limited	Enhanced	Enhanced

Proviable products can be given to both dogs and cats, whereas FortiFlora has different formulations for dogs and cats—because FortiFlora adds vitamins into their product whereas Proviable is primarily prebiotics and probiotics.

🧠 Expert Note: If you want FortiFlora with prebiotics, you’ll need to specifically purchase FortiFlora SA (Synbiotic Action)—the standard version doesn’t include them.

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📋 6. Clinical Research: FortiFlora Has More Studies, But Proviable’s Growing

Let’s be honest about the evidence base:

FortiFlora’s Published Research:

Fecal scores greater than 5 on a 7-point scale were detected in 9 of 13 cats (69.2%) fed SF68 compared to 12 of 14 cats fed the placebo (85.7%). When total diarrhea scores were compared between groups, the cats fed SF68 were statistically lower.

E. faecium SF68 supplementation was found to have an immunomodulating effect in healthy puppies and kittens following vaccination.

Proviable’s Published Research:

A randomized, double-blinded crossover trial using Proviable-Forte plus Mycequin demonstrated that synbiotic administration decreases food intake derangements in dogs receiving antibiotics.

One commercially-available multi-strain synbiotic (Proviable-DC; Nutramax Laboratories) resulted in significantly improved fecal scores for 72% of cats with idiopathic chronic diarrhea.

📚 Research Comparison	🔵 FortiFlora (SF68)	🟢 Proviable
Published Studies	Extensive (20+ years)	Growing (6 published studies)
Immune Function Studies	✅ Strong evidence	Limited data
Stress Diarrhea Studies	✅ Well-documented	✅ Documented
Antibiotic Support Studies	✅ Documented	✅ Strong evidence 💪
Chronic GI Studies	Limited	✅ 72% improvement in chronic diarrhea

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🏥 7. When Vets Choose FortiFlora Over Proviable (And Vice Versa)

Here’s the decision framework veterinary professionals actually use:

Choose FortiFlora When:

✅ Scenario	🎯 Why FortiFlora
Extremely picky eater	Unmatched palatability from animal digest flavoring 🐾
Need quick acceptance	Pets love the taste immediately
Acute stress diarrhea	Well-documented rapid response
Post-vaccination support	Enhanced immune function and vaccine response
Budget constraints	Often slightly cheaper per serving
Already proven effective	If your pet responds well, don’t switch

Choose Proviable When:

✅ Scenario	🎯 Why Proviable
Food allergies/sensitivities	No animal digest ingredient
Multi-pet household (dogs + cats)	Same formula works for both species
Chronic GI conditions	Multi-strain options like Proviable may provide better results for chronic issues
Post-antibiotic recovery	Higher CFU count, synbiotic formula
IBD or inflammatory conditions	Multiple strain coverage
Need therapeutic-dose CFUs	5-10 billion vs 100 million

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💊 8. Product Lineup Comparison: All the Versions Decoded

Both companies make multiple products—here’s what actually differs:

FortiFlora Products:

📦 Product	💊 Format	🧫 CFU	🌱 Prebiotics
FortiFlora Canine Powder	Sachets	~100 million	❌ No
FortiFlora Feline Powder	Sachets	~100 million	❌ No
FortiFlora Chewable (Dog)	Tablets	~100 million	❌ No
FortiFlora SA Canine	Sachets	~100 million	✅ Yes (psyllium)
FortiFlora SA Feline	Sachets	~100 million	✅ Yes (psyllium)

Proviable Products:

📦 Product	💊 Format	🧫 CFU	🌱 Prebiotics
Proviable-DC Capsules	Capsules	5 billion	✅ Yes (FOS)
Proviable Kit	Paste + Capsules	5 billion	✅ Yes
Proviable-Forte Capsules	Capsules	10 billion 💪	✅ Yes
Proviable-Forte Kit	Paste + Capsules	10 billion	✅ Yes
Proviable Chewable (Dog)	Tablets	5 billion	✅ Yes

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⚠️ 9. Safety Warnings Both Products Share—That Packaging Minimizes

Neither product should be given to every pet. Here’s what the fine print reveals:

FortiFlora does not have any negative side effects observed or expected. However, it is not recommended for dogs with severely compromised immune systems.

Probiotics are not recommended for pets that are critically ill or that have a suppressed immune system, or in animals that are severely dehydrated or vomiting.

⛔ Do NOT Give Either Product If Pet Is…	🔬 Reason
Critically ill	Very sick patients who are immunocompromised are at some risk
Immunocompromised	Risk of opportunistic infection from live bacteria
Severely dehydrated	Priority should be fluid replacement
Actively vomiting	Won’t retain the probiotic
On chemotherapy	Compromised immune system

🚨 Important: Some probiotic strains can cause serious adverse events such as sepsis, endocarditis, and abscesses. These exceptionally rare infections are mainly observed in higher risk groups including patients who are immunocompromised.

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💰 10. Price Comparison: What You’re Actually Paying Per Dose

Cost matters—especially for long-term supplementation:

📦 Product	💵 Approximate Cost	📊 Price Per Serving
FortiFlora 30-pack	$28-35	~$0.95-1.15
FortiFlora Chewable 30ct	$25-30	~$0.85-1.00
Proviable-DC 30 capsules	$25-30	~$0.85-1.00
Proviable-DC 80 capsules	$50-60	~$0.65-0.75 🏆
Proviable-Forte 30 capsules	$35-40	~$1.15-1.35

💡 Value Analysis: For long-term use, the Proviable-DC 80-count offers the best value—more CFUs per dollar with synbiotic benefits.

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📊 Final Comparison Table: FortiFlora vs Proviable Head-to-Head

⚖️ Factor	🔵 FortiFlora	🟢 Proviable	🏆 Winner
CFU Count	~100 million	5-10 billion	Proviable 💪
Number of Strains	1	7	Proviable
Contains Prebiotics	Only SA version	All versions	Proviable
Palatability	Excellent (animal digest)	Neutral	FortiFlora 🐾
Same Formula Dogs/Cats	No (separate products)	Yes	Proviable
Food Sensitivity Friendly	No (contains animal proteins)	Yes	Proviable
Published Research	Extensive	Growing	FortiFlora
Immune Support Evidence	Strong	Moderate	FortiFlora
Chronic GI Support	Limited	Strong	Proviable
Post-Antibiotic Recovery	Good	Excellent	Proviable
Price Per Serving	~$0.85-1.15	~$0.65-1.35	Tie
Ease of Administration	Excellent	Good	FortiFlora

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🔎 FAQs

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💬 “Can I use FortiFlora and Proviable together?”

Technically yes, but it’s generally unnecessary and not recommended. You’d be duplicating Enterococcus faecium (present in both) while adding Proviable’s six additional strains.

A sure-fire way to worsen gut disruption is to mix multiple strains, brands, and CFUs at once. This can make it difficult to pinpoint which probiotics are helping or hurting your pet’s GI function.

Better approach: Choose one product based on your pet’s specific needs and give it a fair trial (2-4 weeks) before switching.

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💬 “My pet loves FortiFlora but won’t touch Proviable. What can I do?”

This is common—FortiFlora’s animal digest flavoring makes it significantly more palatable.

Solutions for Proviable:

• Open the capsule and mix powder into wet food
• Stir into low-sodium broth
• Mix with a small amount of plain pumpkin puree
• Combine with a high-value treat

The capsule can be opened and added to food, or given orally to the pet.

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💬 “Is FortiFlora’s lower CFU count really a problem?”

It depends on your pet’s condition.

Recommended doses for a small dog range from 100 million to 225 billion colony forming units (CFU) per day depending on the product.

For mild stress diarrhea, FortiFlora’s 100 million CFUs may be sufficient—especially since E. faecium SF68 is exceptionally well-studied. But for therapeutic applications like post-antibiotic recovery or chronic GI disease, the higher end of the range (1-10 billion) is recommended when pets are on antibiotics or have active gastrointestinal issues.

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💬 “Why do vets recommend FortiFlora so often if Proviable has more CFUs?”

Several factors:

1. Brand recognition: Purina has marketed FortiFlora heavily to veterinarians for decades
2. Research volume: SF68 has more published studies than any pet probiotic strain
3. Palatability: Vets know pets will actually eat it
4. Simplicity: One-strain simplicity is easier to explain

When deciding on a probiotic for your dog, choose a probiotic produced by a reputable manufacturer and has demonstrated benefit in a clinical study. My personal favorite probiotic pick is Proviable DC because it has proven benefit in clinical studies and is an affordable, multi-strain and high powered probiotic.

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💬 “Should I be concerned about the animal digest in FortiFlora?”

The animal digest in FortiFlora comes from hydrolyzed pork liver and poultry.

For most pets, this isn’t a problem. However:

• Pets with poultry allergies should avoid it
• Pets on strict elimination diets may need Proviable instead
• Pets with IBD or food sensitivities might do better without animal digest

The ingredient is primarily for palatability, not therapeutic benefit.

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💬 “How long should I give probiotics before expecting results?”

Experts have recommended at least 2 weeks in cases of acute gastroenteritis and 4–6 weeks or longer in chronic enteropathies.

🕐 Condition	⏱️ Expected Timeframe
Acute diarrhea	48-72 hours
Stress-related GI upset	3-7 days
Post-antibiotic recovery	1-2 weeks
Chronic digestive issues	4-6 weeks minimum
IBD management	6+ weeks (ongoing)

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💬 “Can I give my pet human probiotics instead?”

Not recommended.

It is not recommended to give human probiotics to pets since they may contain toxic ingredients.

Human probiotics contain strains selected for human gut colonization, may include ingredients toxic to pets (like xylitol), and lack veterinary quality control standards.

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💬 “What if neither FortiFlora nor Proviable works for my pet?”

Consider:

1. Veterinary re-evaluation: Underlying condition may need different treatment
2. Higher-potency options: Visbiome Vet delivers 225 billion CFUs per packet, far exceeding generic brands
3. Diet modification: Probiotics work best alongside appropriate nutrition
4. Fecal microbiome testing: Identifies specific bacterial deficiencies

For chronic issues, multi-strain options may provide better results. For maintenance and prevention, lower-cost options work well.

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📌 The Bottom Line: FortiFlora and Proviable aren’t interchangeable—they’re designed for different scenarios. FortiFlora excels in palatability and has decades of research behind its single strain. Proviable offers more comprehensive gut coverage with therapeutic-level CFUs and prebiotic support. For picky eaters with acute issues, FortiFlora wins. For chronic conditions, food sensitivities, or post-antibiotic recovery, Proviable is typically the stronger choice. When in doubt, ask your veterinarian which matches your pet’s specific digestive situation.