Live culture blend
Lactobacillus plantarum
Lactobacillus plantarum — now formally Lactiplantibacillus plantarum — is a highly adaptable lactic-acid bacterium found in many fermented foods and in the mammalian gut.
Also known as: Lactiplantibacillus plantarum, L. plantarum
What it is
Where it’s found
Why it’s used in dog supplements
In food production it is widely used as a starter culture, where it improves flavour, texture and other sensory properties. Lactobacillus (in the older, broad sense) and Bifidobacterium species are also the most commonly used probiotics in human medicine.[3],[4]
An L. plantarum strain appears in one of the multi-strain products included in a 2019 systematic review of probiotic studies in dogs. Probiotic benefits are generally considered strain-specific.[4],[5]
On the DIGEST+ label
The label lists the strain in the Live Culture Blend — five strains that together provide 2 billion CFU per tablet. The label states that total for the whole blend only; it does not give a separate CFU count for each strain, so we don’t either. On the DIGEST+ label it appears under its long-established name, Lactobacillus plantarum.
- Lactobacillus acidophilus
- Lactobacillus brevis
- Bifidobacterium lactis
- Lactobacillus rhamnosus
- Lactobacillus plantarum
Questions people ask
Is Lactiplantibacillus plantarum the same as Lactobacillus plantarum?
Yes. It is the same species. Lactiplantibacillus plantarum is the current name after the 2020 reclassification of the genus Lactobacillus; many labels still use the older name.
Which foods contain Lactobacillus plantarum?
It is found in many fermented foods, including fermented dairy products, sourdough, fermented vegetables, and some fermented meat and fish products.
How much Lactobacillus plantarum is in each DIGEST+ tablet?
The label gives 2 billion CFU per tablet for the five-strain Live Culture Blend as a whole, without a breakdown by strain.
Work out your exact supply
The calculator on the product page takes your dog’s weight band and how many dogs you have, then shows the daily dose, how long a bottle lasts and a sensible refill rhythm.
Sources
- A taxonomic note on the genus Lactobacillus: Description of 23 novel genera, emended description of the genus Lactobacillus Beijerinck 1901, and union of Lactobacillaceae and Leuconostocaceae — International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology. Checked 2026-10-15.
- Species Lactiplantibacillus plantarum — LPSN – List of Prokaryotic names with Standing in Nomenclature (DSMZ). Checked 2026-10-15.
- The Impacts of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum on the Functional Properties of Fermented Foods: A Review of Current Knowledge — Microorganisms. Checked 2026-10-15.
- Clinical effect of probiotics in prevention or treatment of gastrointestinal disease in dogs: A systematic review — Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine. Checked 2026-10-15.
- Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis HN019 Effects on Gut Health: A Review — Frontiers in Nutrition. Checked 2026-10-15.
Updated