What Is Turmeric and Why Is it Good for Dogs?
First things first, turmeric is a spice loaded with medicinal qualities. Middle Eastern and Southeast Asian cuisines use turmeric in many dishes. Outside of human food, it’s often in dog food to give it a golden yellow color.
Turmeric’s hype-worthy health benefits come from compounds called curcuminoids. These compounds have a ton of medicinal properties.
Curcumin is the particular compound that gives turmeric its superpower. There are many medicinal and therapeutic uses for turmeric for dogs. But, today we’re listing three benefits of adding turmeric to your dog’s diet:
1. Digestion
One heavy-hitting benefit is digestion. Long term inflammation can eventually lead to inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Dogs that suffer from IBD have symptoms like vomiting, diarrhea, bloating, and nausea. Luckily, curcumin is a powerful anti-inflammatory agent that also stimulates healthy liver function. This can greatly help dogs with IBD.
So how does the liver help with digestion? The liver’s job is to create bile. Bile production breaks down fats and improves digestion.
Along with a healthy liver, turmeric is good for your dog’s intestines. Overall, turmeric is a helpful addition to your dog’s diet and prevents tummy problems.
2. Indigestion
Once again, curcumin is the reason behind another health benefit. Curcumin boosts the production of healthy gut compounds. It aids in probiotic production and promotes healthy gut flora.
Furthermore, this potent spice triggers bile production. Turmeric triggers the gallbladder and liver to promote the flow of digestive liquid. By regulating gastric flow, turmeric also helps relieve indigestion.
However, some claim that turmeric may have an opposite effect on some dogs. Turmeric might cause an upset stomach and aggravate the liver. Therefore, experts suggest consuming turmeric in small amounts regularly.
Talk to your vet before including any new supplement into your dog’s diet.
3. Joint Pain
Last, turmeric helps dogs with joint pain. Inflammation is the leading cause of joint pain and arthritis in dogs. A few recent studies say curcumin works just as well as conventional pain relievers. Anti-inflammatory components can reduce redness and swelling.
In fact, turmeric has promising results when paired with chemotherapy. A UK study says the anti-inflammatory properties have cancer-fighting abilities. While this study’s results are on humans, it shows promise for dog cancer treatments in the future.
Turmeric Is a Powerhouse Herb!
These are only three reasons turmeric is good for your dog. There are many more healthful facets of turmeric. New studies are proving traditional claims and support the future of dog supplements.
Whether your dog is living with arthritis or having tummy issues, turmeric is a powerful aid in your dog’s diet.
Head over to our product page and save 20% when you order a bundle of our delicious Turmeric Crunchy Dog Treats and CBD Peanut Butter to help your pup with inflammation and joint pain!
Like this article? You may also want to check out our informative post on Benefits of CBD Dog Treats!
Source:
Turmeric. Cancer Research UK. Accessed on July 23, 2021.
