an exemplary embodiment providing one or more improvements includes feeding animals with probiotic microbes encapsulated in a mixture of xanthan gum and chitosan , or in gelatin , specifically pediococcus acidilactici and saccharomyces boulardii . such encapsulation protects the viability of the probiotic microbes against unfavorable temperatures . an exemplary embodiment providing one or more improvements includes methods of using viable probiotics in therapy of birds and mammals infected with infectious diseases . probiotics acted as adjuvants in stimulating antibody reaction and stimulated a cellular immunity response . in particular , probiotics were shown to reduce the number of viable oocytes from fecal samples , stimulate antibody production , and stimulate of proliferation of splenocytes in chickens infected with elimeria . in addition , probiotics were shown to relieve symptoms of parvovirus infection in dogs .