VetPlus Sustain Large Breed Synbiotic Sachets for Dogs | Dual Probiotic Enterococcus faecium SF68 & Lactobacillus acidophilus, FOS Prebiotic & Beta-Glucan Immune Support | 30 Sachets

FOR ANIMAL USE ONLY — Administer as directed by a veterinarian or as per label instructions. VetPlus Sustain Large Breed is a veterinary nutraceutical synbiotic supplement — not a veterinary medicine. Persistent or severe GI signs in dogs (lasting more than 7 days, or with blood in stool, significant weight loss, or systemic illness) require veterinary investigation to exclude inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), protein-losing enteropathy (PLE), exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI — particularly German Shepherds), and intestinal neoplasia before attributing signs to microbiome dysbiosis alone. Sustain Large Breed is intended for daily maintenance gut health and immune support in otherwise healthy large breed dogs or dogs under veterinary management for GI or immune-related conditions. Keep out of reach of children. Store in a cool, dry place; keep sachets sealed until use.

VetPlus Sustain Large Breed Synbiotic Sachets for Dogs | Dual Probiotic Enterococcus faecium SF68 & Lactobacillus acidophilus, FOS Prebiotic & Beta-Glucan Immune Support | 30 Sachets

VetPlus Sustain Large Breed is a veterinary nutraceutical synbiotic supplement manufactured by VetPlus Ltd (UK), formulated for large breed dogs requiring daily long-term gut microbiome and immune health maintenance at large-breed doses. The canine Sustain Large Breed formula delivers a four-component synbiotic in convenient individual powder sachets: (1) Enterococcus faecium SF68 (NCIMB 10415 — the clinically validated veterinary probiotic anchor strain), (2) Lactobacillus acidophilus DSM 13241 (a complementary lactobacillus strain with distinct adhesion, antimicrobial, and gut-liver axis mechanisms), (3) FOS (fructooligosaccharides — the selective short-chain prebiotic substrate nourishing both probiotic strains and Bifidobacterium commensals), and (4) beta-glucans (β(1→3)(1→6)-D-glucan — the Dectin-1-activating innate immune modulator). The dual-strain probiotic design is a key differentiator: SF68 and L. acidophilus bind different mucosal adhesion sites (MSCRAMM/MUC2 mucin adhesion for SF68 vs S-layer SlpA protein/fibronectin adhesion for L. acidophilus), produce complementary bacteriocins targeting distinct pathogen spectra, and generate overlapping but non-redundant immune signals — providing broader-spectrum competitive exclusion and mucosal immune modulation than single-strain formulations. 30-sachet pack = 30-day supply at 1 sachet daily.

Active Ingredients & Mechanisms of Action

• Enterococcus faecium SF68 (NCIMB 10415) — clinically validated anchor probiotic strain: mechanisms in dogs: (a) adhesion via Esp MSCRAMM domain binding to sialylated MUC2 mucin glycoproteins in the canine intestinal mucus layer; (b) competitive exclusion of Clostridium perfringens type A, ETEC, Campylobacter jejuni, and Salmonella spp. via enterocin A, B, and L50 bacteriocins (class IIa/IId cationic amphiphilic peptides → voltage-dependent pores in gram-positive pathogen membranes → membrane depolarisation → loss of proton motive force); (c) SIgA stimulation — SF68 activates Peyer’s patch dendritic cells via TLR2/TLR9 → IL-6 + TGF-β → B cell AID-mediated IgA class switch recombination → pIgA → pIgR transcytosis → secretory IgA (SIgA) in the intestinal lumen → immune exclusion of enteropathogens; (d) lamina propria Treg induction via DC IL-10/TGF-β → FoxP3+ Treg differentiation → suppression of excessive Th1/Th17 mucosal inflammation; canine clinical evidence: Bybee et al. (JVIM 2011), Herstad et al. (J Small Anim Pract 2010), Westermarck et al. (JSAP 2005)
• Lactobacillus acidophilus DSM 13241 — complementary lactobacillus with distinct adhesion, antimicrobial, bile salt hydrolase, and GABA production mechanisms: (a) S-layer protein SlpA-mediated adhesion — the crystalline surface layer (S-layer; ≈46 kDa SlpA paracrystalline tetragonal lattice; CWB2 motif binds peptidoglycan; FNbp domains bind intestinal epithelial fibronectin and collagen IV) provides epithelial adhesion at fibronectin-binding sites distinct from SF68’s MUC2 mucin sites → simultaneous dual-site mucosal colonisation; (b) bacteriocin production — acidocin (class II heat-stable hydrophobic peptide) and lactacin B/F targeting gram-positive pathogens distinct from SF68 enterocin targets (lactacin B targets L. helveticus and some Clostridium spp.) → broader combined bacteriocin spectrum; (c) homofermentative L-lactic acid production (via EMP glycolysis) → intestinal luminal pH reduction to pH <5.5 → acid-mediated inhibition of acid-sensitive enteropathogens (Salmonella, E. coli, Campylobacter optimal pH 6.5–7.5); NADH oxidase → H2O2 production in O2 presence → H2O2-mediated antimicrobial activity against competing bacteria at the mucosal surface; (d) bile salt hydrolase (BSH — choloylglycine hydrolase; EC 3.5.1.24) activity — deconjugates glycocholic acid and taurocholic acid → free primary bile acids less soluble and less bioavailable to enteropathogens (which use conjugated bile acids as growth factors) → selective pathogen growth inhibition in the bile-rich small intestinal environment; BSH activity also modulates FXR (farnesoid X receptor) in ileal enterocytes and hepatocytes → gut-liver axis immune and metabolic modulation (reduced hepatic bile acid synthesis via FXR-SHP-CYP7A1 suppression); (e) GABA production (glutamate decarboxylase — GAD; pyridoxal phosphate-dependent; GAD gene: L-glutamate → GABA + CO2) → intestinal GABA acts on GABA-B receptors on enteric neurons → reduces visceral hypersensitivity and stress-associated gut motility dysregulation in dogs
• FOS (fructooligosaccharides — short-chain inulin-type fructans, DP 2–4) — selective prebiotic for both probiotic strains and Bifidobacterium: FOS (1-kestose GF2, nystose GF3, fructosylnystose GF4) are resistant to mammalian pancreatic and brush-border digestive enzymes (no sucrase/isomaltase or lactase activity on β(2→1) fructosyl bonds) → reach the colon intact; fermentation by SF68 (β-fructofuranosidase + PTS fructose transporter), L. acidophilus (inulinase + fructose uptake), and Bifidobacterium spp. (β-fructofuranosidase + FOS uptake system) → acetate + lactate → cross-fed to Roseburia intestinalis and Faecalibacterium prausnitzii via butyryl-CoA:acetate CoA-transferase → colonic butyrate; butyrate: (a) colonocyte beta-oxidation (approximately 70% of colonocyte energy supply); (b) claudin-1, occludin, ZO-1 tight junction protein upregulation → intestinal barrier integrity; (c) PPAR-γ activation in colonocytes → NF-κB inhibition → reduced TNF-α and IL-1β in the colonic lamina propria; (d) colonic luminal pH reduction from SCFA production → acid-mediated enteropathogen growth inhibition; DP 2–4 FOS is fermented preferentially in the proximal colon (caecum and ascending colon) — the primary site of canine colonic fluid absorption — making FOS particularly effective for diarrhoea management in dogs
• Beta-glucans (β(1→3)(1→6)-D-glucan from Saccharomyces cerevisiae) — Dectin-1-mediated innate immune activation and trained immunity: (a) Dectin-1 (CLEC7A) activation: beta-glucan binds Dectin-1 CRD → ITAM phosphorylation (Src kinases) → Syk → CARD9-Bcl10-MALT1 → NF-κB (p65/p50) → IL-12, IL-23, IL-6, TNF-α; CARD9 → IRF5 → IL-12 → Th1 differentiation; NLRP3 inflammasome priming → caspase-1 → IL-1β/IL-18; (b) Dectin-1/TLR2 co-stimulation synergy → MyD88/IRAK4/TRAF6/TAK1/IKKβ/NF-κB + TRIF/IRF3/type I IFN; (c) trained immunity: Dectin-1/Syk/Akt → mTOR → HIF-1α → Warburg metabolic reprogramming → fumarate accumulation → TET2 inhibition → CpG demethylation → H3K4me3 at IL-6/TNF-α/IL-1β promoters in monocytes/macrophages → sustained enhanced innate cytokine capacity for weeks to months after supplementation (Netea et al., Science 2016); the 30-day course allows cumulative epigenetic training of canine innate immune cells; (d) NK cell NKG2D receptor upregulation → enhanced ADCC and NK-mediated killing of virally infected and transformed cells (relevant for large breeds with elevated neoplasia risk: Rottweilers, Bernese Mountain Dogs, Golden Retrievers)

Indications

• Daily long-term maintenance probiotic, prebiotic, and immune support for large breed dogs
• Antibiotic-associated gut dysbiosis — concurrent or post-antibiotic course supplementation (metronidazole, amoxicillin-clavulanate, doxycycline — Suchodolski et al. JVIM 2020 confirmed microbiome disruption persists up to 4 weeks post-metronidazole in dogs)
• Stress-associated GI disruption — boarding, rehoming, new dog introductions, veterinary hospitalisation, travel
• Post-illness or post-surgical microbiome and immune recovery
• Immune support during periods of increased infection risk — multi-dog households, kennelling, dog parks, breed clubs and shows
• IBD-predisposed large breeds (German Shepherd — chronic enteropathy, EPI, ARD; Irish Wolfhound; Labrador Retriever) as adjunctive microbiome and immune support alongside veterinary management
• Senior large breed dogs (≥08 years) with age-associated microbiome senescence and immune decline

Directions for Use

• Administer as directed by a veterinarian or per VetPlus label instructions
• Mix the contents of one sachet into wet food, or sprinkle onto dry food daily
• 30-sachet pack = 30-day supply at 1 sachet daily; for extended maintenance use continuously or as directed by a veterinarian
• May be used concurrently with antibiotics (the FOS, beta-glucan, and immune benefits are not affected by antibiotics; the SF68 and L. acidophilus live probiotic strains are partially suppressed by broad-spectrum antibiotics but provide immune benefit during and after the antibiotic course)

Safety Information

• For animal use only — keep out of reach of children
• Seek veterinary attention for chronic or recurrent GI signs lasting more than 7 days, or for signs with blood, weight loss, or systemic illness
• Store in a cool, dry place; keep sachets sealed until use