I am always on the lookout for the next best thing in dog care. To be honest, bone broth for dogs beats the competition by a mile.
In this blog post, I will be discussing the primary benefit of adding bone broth to your dog’s diet as well as a delicious and super simple bone broth recipe for your pooch. If you would like to be updated about the latest available dog care tips, please subscribe to the blog so that I can send you the latest articles directly in your inbox.
Topics covered in this blog post
What is bone broth for dogs?
Most of us tend to use up the leftover beef and pork bones and use them to make stew or soup. However, many dog guardians are unaware that these bone soups or stew can act as an extremely nutritious meal supplement for dogs.
By definition, bone broth is a liquid that is packed with nutrition from cooked or raw bones. The delicious taste of the bone broth is due to the slow cooking process which takes around 24 hours. A lot of dog guardians also prefer to add in a few vegetables to increase the nutritional level and the flavor of the broth.
One primary thing to keep in mind here is that bone broth should never be administered as a meal replacement for your dog. Bone broth for dogs is a nutritional supplement that can be added to your dog’s regular diet to complement the normal diet and provide a rich source of nutrition.
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What are the benefits of bone broth for dogs?
Bone broth is a very tasty meal supplement with a ton of nutritional benefits. If administered along with proper exercise as well as diet, bone broth can be a dynamite pack of nutrition for dogs and promote their well-being and longer life.
Bone broth protects the joints of dogs
Joint health is an imperative part of the dog care process. It’s a special concern in the case of senior dogs who have previously sustained joint or bone injuries. Alternatively, in the case of dogs who have arthritis, joint care is of prime importance. There are specific breeds that are prone to joint ailments and need extra care.
The joint cartilage tends to wear down with regular use and gets damaged over time. Bone broth is a component that is extremely rich in gelatin, glucosamine as well as collagen. Both these proteins play a vital role in the formation of the connective tissue and promoting good joint health. Therefore, if your dog belongs to breeds like Rottweiler, German Shepherd, Labradors, or any other breed which is prone to joint issues in senior years, start administering bone broth to your dog from an early age itself.
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Bone broth promotes detoxification of the canine liver
The liver is the organ responsible for detoxifying the body, both in the case of canines as well as humans. Dogs tend to encounter a plethora of things in their regular life that forces their liver to work overtime, for example, licking the floor that has been cleaned with chemicals, eating grass that has insecticides and pesticides on it, licking the walls which may have harmful chemicals in the paint and finally consuming preservatives which may be present in the treats as well as toys like preservatives, etc.
Glycine is a very important amino acid. It is used by the liver to detoxify the body. Bone broth for dogs contains a ton of glycine. So if your dog is showing any sign of liver disease or has liver issues, bone broth can be an amazing nutritional supplement for your pooch. However, as I have mentioned before, have a discussion with your vet before you incorporate bone broth into your dog’s regular diet.
Promotes good health and digestion
The body of the dog has an intestinal tract that has holes in it. These holes allow for the movement of the nutrients from food into the bloodstream. From the bloodstream, the nutrients are transported to different regions of the body where they are required. If your dog is leading an unhealthy lifestyle, these holes will grow wider. This condition is referred to as leaky gut. When these holes in the intestine grow wider, the toxins from the food as well as undigested food tend to enter the bloodstream. This leads to food sensitivity as well as allergies in the dog.
Bone broth is rich in gelatin which protects the gut lining as well as acts as a cure for leaky gut syndrome. If your dog has previously suffered from cancer or kidney diseases, have a discussion with your veterinarian before adding bone broth to your pup’s regular diet.
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Some other potential health advantages of bone broth for dogs:
- Bone broth for dogs acts as an amazing immunity booster and protects your dog from immune-related issues.
- Since bone broth can be digested very easily, it can help to soothe digestive issues in your dog.
- Bone broth is a stick of dynamite full of nutrients and minerals which are easily absorbable and usable by the dog’s body because of the method it is cooked.
- Bone broth tends to boost the overall health and skin condition of your dog. Bone broth has been observed to relieve the dog of itchy and dry skin and can help in the conditioning of the coat.
- Bone broth is highly palatable. This is what makes it very tempting even to the fussy eaters
- No special skills are required to prepare the bone broth. It is very easy to prepare and store.
- Bone broth can be made at very little cost. A large batch of the product can be made and stored at once and used over time.
- Bone broth can be used as stock even in your favorite dishes.
- Bone broth is safe for human consumption. It also provides a lot of health benefits to humans as it provides to dogs like better bone and joint health etc.
If your dog is suffering from malnourishment, bone broth is a safe and amazing supplement to get your dog’s nourishment levels back on track.
Bone broth also helps in reducing the weight of your dog in case your dog is obese.
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Can bone broth for dogs be used to treat specific diseases?
Yes, bone broth for dogs can be used to treat diseases like kennel cough, inflammation, etc. Let’s discuss the health conditions for which bone broth can be extremely useful:
Pneumonia and kennel cough
Even though kennel cough is a self-limiting condition, bone broth can be a huge help in reducing the duration of the disease. Bone broth is very advantageous when it comes to treating the primary symptoms of kennel cough that are cold and flu. As per the American College of physicians, bone broth can work to eliminate the symptoms of the common cold by opening up the respiratory pathways, clearing up the mucus, and providing a nutritional supplement that is very easily digestible.
Another benefit of bone broth is that it is rich in cysteine. Cysteine is an amino acid that functions in a manner similar to the drug Acetylcysteine works in bronchitis. Cysteine helps to reduce bronchitis, asthma as well as the other accompanying breathing problems the person or the animal might face.
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Helps in the reduction of inflammation
Dogs mostly suffer from inflammation either as a response to the presence of a foreign organism or as a result of the immune system being compromised. In case your dog has a sensitive stomach, you need to understand that this is an indication of inflammation of the intestine.
Bone broth has the added advantage that it reduces general inflammation. This inflammation may be n the intestine or any other part of the dog’s body. The presence of amino acids like cysteine, L-glutamine, histidine as well as glycine work together to combat the problem of gut inflammation as well as reduces inflammation in any other region in your dog’s body.
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Helps to reduce weight
Dogs who are fat or obese are generally fed a commercial dog diet that contains a higher level of firmicutes. Firmicutes are a specific type of bacteria that are expert at extracting the calories from the dog’s diet in the digestive tract. Bone broth is rich in L-glutamine. L-glutamine acts against firmicutes, reducing their population in your dog’s intestine.
Reduction in the population of firmicutes balances out the gut microbe population in your dog’s intestine. This helps in weight loss and reduces bloating in dogs. Therefore, put in simple words, bone broth can help. It decreases your dog’s calorie intake while creating a healthier gut environment as well as promoting weight loss.
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A few things to remember regarding bone broth for dogs
Bone broth should never be used as a replacement to the bone meal or bone if you are providing your dog a raw diet.
Bone broth is not an alternative to commercial dog food or any kind of food your dog currently eats. Bone broth is only a nutritional supplement that can be added along with your dog’s regular food.
There is no need to throw away the fat, meat, or bits of vegetable leftovers. You can add all these to your bone broth concoction. Just make sure that you remove the bones once the broth is cooked.
It is completely okay if the broth does not gel up. Do not throw away the product because it’s not gelling.
You can use different varieties of bones to make the broth rich in protein, glucosamine, chondroitin, gelatin, marrow as well as collagen.
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The easiest bone broth recipe you will ever find:
Chop up vegetables like carrots, celery, parsley, broccoli, or other dog-friendly vegetables. Add all of these chopped vegetables to the slow cooker. The next step is to add the bones. You can use bones of poultry, pork, or beef.
Boil some water in the kettle first. Once the water has boiled, pour the water into the slow cooker. The water should cover the bones by a height of 2 inches. After this, add some apple cider vinegar.
Set the slow cooker on a low setting for 12 hour period. Keep checking every few hours and keep topping up the water so that the pot does not go dry.
You can leave the bone broth to cook for 12, 24, or 72 hours. Do not cook it for longer than 72 hours. Once the cooking is done, remove every bit of bone from the bone broth.
Once your bone broth is ready, you can keep the broth in the fridge and use it within a period of three days. In case you are planning to use the broth for longer periods, you can store the broth in ice trays and put it in the freezer. This way the bone broth can be used up to a period of a year.
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Tips to make the bone broth an easy snack for dogs
General feeding
If your dog is not feeling well due to a gastrointestinal issue, is recovering from surgery, is weak or elderly, defrost an ice cube with your dog’s evening meal or directly feed a spoonful to your dog every alternate day for a period of a week or until your dog recovers from the illness.
Make popsicles when it’s hot
You can turn the bone broth into a summer treat for your dogs. You can store the bone broth in the ice cream mold and make popsicles for your dog. Your dog will love a bone broth popsicle after spending a hot day outside playing.
Mix the bones
It is not necessary to always use beef and pig‘s bones only. You can go for duck, venison, chicken, goose, lamb, or turkey. You can choose the ones according to your preference and availability in your area. You are also not limited to only using the bones of the joint as well as feet. You can use bones from the shoulder, neck, or any other region which has a lot of marrow as well as connective tissue.
You can add a little bit of garlic to your dog’s bone broth preparation. Contrary to popular belief, garlic in nominal quantities can actually provide a lot of benefits to your dog.
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Now you know that bone broth is not only a good option for dogs but for humans as well. It does not cost much to make this preparation and it is exceptionally healthy for both you as well as your pup. When making bone broth for dogs, mix it up with different livestock or poultry. You can also add vegetables to the bone broth which your dog would otherwise avoid eating and make it a wholesome nutritional supplement for your pup.
Please mention your thoughts on bone broth for dogs in the comment section below. Have you ever made bone broth at home? What is your secret to making your bone broth? What are the ways in which you feed bone broth to your dog?
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Shruti
Frequently asked questions
Is bone broth good for dogs?
Bone broth is extremely beneficial for dogs of all ages and breeds. Bone broth is packed with nutrients, like vitamins and minerals. It is also an amazing source of lysine, collagen, protein, glucosamine, cystine. These help to keep your dog’s gut healthy, promote immune vitality, keep the joints mobile for a longer period, etc.
If your dog is under 20 pounds, give you a dog 1 ounce of bone broth daily. In case your dog is between 20-40 pounds, give him or her 2 ounces of bone broth every day. For dogs who fall in the 50-80 pound bracket, give them 4 ounces of bone broth on a daily basis. If the dog is over 80 pounds, he or she will require 6 ounces of bone broth on a daily basis.
Yes, you can give your dog the bone broth which is available at grocery stores. However, be careful when buying a commercial broth. Always go for the broth which is of the non-GMO as well as organic kind to avoid giving your dog any preservative or salt.
Bone broth has a wide variety of health benefits when it comes to older dogs as well. It helps to keep the immune system healthy, promotes joint function, and finally helps in reducing arthritic pain in senior dogs. The joint healing nutrients which are present in bone broth like glucosamine and hyaluronic acid promote healthy joints and cartilage in your dog.