Probiotic strains for pets

A method for producing a pet food, the method comprising:

• providing a probiotic;
• exposing the probiotic to a gastric juice;
• providing a model of a pet small intestine;
• introducing the probiotic and a pathogen into the model;
• measuring the amount of an anti-pathogenic metabolite produced by the probiotic;
• and
• adding the provided probiotic to an ingestible composition for pets in an amount sufficient to produce an effective anti-pathogenic metabolite,
• wherein the probiotic is a bacterial strain selected from the group consisting of Lactobacillus acidophilus NCC 2766 (CNCM I-3848), Lactobacillus acidophilus NCC 2775 (CNCM I-3851), Lactobacillus acidophilus NCC 2628 (CNCM I-2453), Lactobacillus johnsonii NCC 2777 (CNCM I-3852), Lactobacillus johnsonii NCC 2767 (CNCM I-3849), Lactobacillus johnsonii NCC 2774 (CNCM I-3850), and Lactobacillus salivarius NCC 2586 (CNCM I-3847).