Why your Dog will Love Golden Turmeric
Have you ever ordered a turmeric latte in your activewear on a Saturday morning, your pup enviously staring at the colourful drink, making you feel guilty for not sharing? That’s what Gabby (my Pitbull/Boxer) and Pebbles (my Coonhound) do! Read on to learn more about Turmeric for dogs and how to incorporate it in your homemade dog food!
At least you chose well, right. I mean, a regular latte doesn’t come close to the glowing health benefits a turmeric latte provides.
Well, we have great news for you! If you didn’t know already, your puppy can also benefit from turmeric’s superpowers! While sharing your golden latte is definitely not an option, we’ve laid out below some of the top benefits of adding turmeric to your fur baby’s diet.
What exactly is Turmeric?
Turmeric is a vibrant yellow spice, originally from India and used throughout Asia, often added to curries, mustards, soups, rice dishes and warm milk, and valued for its mild aromas. Touted for its health benefits and sometimes referred to as the miracle spice, it has been used for centuries to prevent and treat various health conditions. With the rise of home cooking and a ‘’back to the roots’’ culinary and medicinal approach in the West, turmeric has become increasingly popular in the last few years. This has led scientists to carry out over 6000 studies, which only further encourage us to include the golden spice in our diet, and in our home cooking for Gabby and Pebbles! Turmeric is a zesty plant that contains the active ingredient, curcumin, which is packed with antioxidant, antibacterial and antiviral properties. Vets and canine experts alike are excited about these properties, so let’s dive in and explore them too!
Properties and health benefits of Turmeric for Dogs
- Antioxidant properties
Turmeric is naturally rich in vitamins, minerals and polyphenols, making it a powerful antioxidant, which I love adding to the homemade dishes I serve Gabby and Pebble’s (I’m guilty ~ they are spoilt). It gives me peace of mind, knowing they are getting their required daily vitamin intake while simultaneously being detoxed. The magic spice works wonders, reducing oxidative damage and preventing early aging caused by free radicals.
- Anti-inflammatory properties
Because turmeric is an anti-inflammatory, the spice is increasingly used in the production of health supplements for dogs, horses and other animals in order to fight arthritis and other joint diseases. As your dog grows old, the bone cartilage starts to wear thin which can cause horrific pain. Turmeric can help to alleviate this pain and enable your beloved pooch to keep moving freely even in their older age. Some studies have even shown that turmeric is as efficient as Ibuprofen to fight the inflammatory pain.
Chronic inflammation is an underlying cause of many health issues, including kidney, digestive and dental diseases. Adding a sprinkle of this golden spice will go a long way towards a healthy and happy life.
- Antiglycemic properties
Turmeric can also be used to help reduce pancreatitis and restore damaged tissue. The spice helps to regulate and balance insulin and sugar levels in Gabby’s blood and helps support Pebble’s immune system. Indeed, by regulating the insulin level and improving the function of the beta cells that make insulin in the pancreas, turmeric reduces the risk of developing diabetes and slows the progression of prediabetes. It isn’t called miracle spice for no reason!
- Preventing Cancer
Unfortunately, studies have shown that more than 50% of dogs over the age of 10 will develop cancer, which is a leading cause of canine death. Some breeds are at higher risk than others. Larger breeds are more likely to develop bone tumours or bone cancer. Needless to say, the older your dog gets, the more likely it is to develop cancer. Curcumin has been shown to kill cancer cells and prevent more from growing, and is particularly efficient in fighting bowel or stomach cancer. Therefore, adding turmeric to your dog’s diet from a young age can prove extremely helpful to give your canine bestie a long and healthy life.
- Heart, liver and digestion
Studies have shown that curcumin (the active ingredient present in turmeric) can support heart health as it improves the lining function of the blood vessels. It has also been proven effective in lowering LDL (or “bad”) cholesterol which fills arteries with plaque, reducing blood flow and ultimately triggering a heart attack. Including turmeric as part of a healthy diet will therefore help to maintain your pooch’s cardiovascular health.
Turmeric is also very effective in promoting digestive health. The liver plays a critical role in removing toxins and absorbing nutrients. Curcumin helps stimulate the production of bile in the liver, helping to break down fats and remove wastes.
Due to its digestive health benefits, turmeric can also be used to treat diarrhoea, bloating or nausea.
Finally, turmeric’s anti-inflammatory properties mean the spice can be very useful to treat gastrointestinal disorders such as Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), gut permeability issues or gut inflammation.
A few things to keep in mind
As with everything, although adding turmeric to your pup’s diet can have wonderful health benefits for them, you need to carefully select which product you purchase and discuss the dose with experts. Look for a reputable company to buy from, so as to avoid sub-quality products. Also, medicinal quality should be prioritised over culinary turmeric as the curcuminoid compounds will be more potent.
Discuss any intended changes to your dog’s diet with your vet, and ask about unique contra-indications.
The main downfall of turmeric is that its key active ingredient, curcumin, is not easily absorbed by the body. A powerful remedy to overcome this, is to combine it with black pepper, whose active ingredient, piperine, enhances curcumin’s absorption in the body.
Gabby and Pebbles seem to love the exotic flavours of their golden dishes. When I run out of time to prep from scratch, I supplement their diet with turmeric and black pepper/piperine capsules.
Fun homemade turmeric treat for your dog:
Want to keep inflammation at bay when it comes to your pup? Try this easy, anti-inflammatory biscuit recipe for a happy gas-free pet. Gabby and Pebbles give their best tail wag, which I think translates into a big tick of approval!
Anti-inflammatory biscuits
Ingredients: Oats, Ground Flaxseeds, Turmeric, Black Pepper and eggs
Preparation:
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF
- Combine all dry ingredients in a bowl
- Add water and egg, hand mix until the dough feels wet and sticky
- Allow to sit for 15 minutes at room temperature.
- Cut biscuit shapes from the dough and place on the baking sheet.
- Bake at 350ºF for about 30 minutes.
- Make sure the kids aren’t around or your dog can kiss his treat goodbye!
For more information on the recipe, click here
We hope that this article has shed some light on the benefits of adding turmeric to your dog’s diet. Please don’t hesitate to get in touch, should you have any questions or wish to share your experiences with us!
