5 Must Haves For the Canine Cold Season

It's coming (enter scary Jaws music)-- Cold and Flu season. It hits canines as well as humans. Like humans, if you furry friend is feeling under the weather, it's best if you keep him/her at home until fully recovered to reduce the risk of spreading infection. Also like humans, there are certain things you can give your dog to help support recovery. Here are my top five not in any ranking order:

1. Coconut Oil:

Coconut oil has a composition of medium chain fatty acids. One of these medium chain fatty acids is called lauric acid. When lauric acid is present in the body, it is converted into monolaurin. Without getting all "scientific-y" on you, I am just going to say that monolaurin is a super hero in the body: it exhibits anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-viral and anti-microbial properties that destroy all those enemies that infiltrate the body.

 It is recommended that you start with 1/4 tsp for a small dog or 1 tsp for a large dog every couple of days. Then slowly increase the dosage. The recommended full dosage is 1/4 tsp per 10 lbs of dog weight twice daily.

2. Turmeric:

Yes, this is the spice that is found in your cabinet. Turmeric contains a compound called Curcumin. Curcumin is an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antifungal and antifungal. That's a lot of  "anti"! The body doesn't actually absorb turmeric very easily UNLESS you do a couple of things to increase the absorption: combine with a healthy oil (like coconut oil!) and add a dash of pepper. Pepper has a phytochemical called peperine. Peperine increases the absorption of tumeric by a whoopping 2000%!

The best way to combine this spice with an oil and pepper is to make what is called "Golden Paste". You can find a recipe here or search the internet.... or pinterest. There are a lot of recipes out there. You must make sure that you don't over do it with the golden paste dosage, though. Small dogs should get about 1/4 tsp per day. Medium- 1/2 tsp per day. Large- 3/4 tsp per day. Giant- 1 tsp per day.

 3. Bone Broth:
Bone broth seems to have hit the shelves lately. "Back in the day" the most likely way you could have bone broth is to make it yourself. Which takes HOURS. But, I am going to guesstimate that the homemade version is probably better. You can find a recipe for bone broth here if you would like to make it yourself. If you opt for the store bought version, it's best to look at the ingredients to make sure there is nothing toxic to your canine or just buy a version that is specifically made for dogs. You can find some toxic and non-toxic ingredients here and here. If in doubt, look it up!

Bone broth is a great way to get your dog to eat when they have a decreased appetite and/or is dehydrated. It is also said to help decrease inflammation, promote sleep and ease a leaky gut. It is also rich in minerals and electrolytes.

4. Honey:
When I am talking about honey, I'm talking about raw honey. Most honey that you buy at the grocery store is pasteurized or processed which destroys all the naturally occurring nutrients. And honey has A LOT of nutrients! I wrote about honey back in 2015, you can see all the nutrients here. I also wrote about royal jelly and bee pollen, also both bee blessings.

Aside from all the nutrients in honey, it is anitbacterial, antimicrobial, antiseptic and antifungal. It is a go to for soothing the throat and easing a cough. A typical canine dosage is about 1 TBSP for a large dog and 1 tsp for a small. Raw honey should not be given to puppies or dogs with a weak immune system because it contains botulism spores. In addition, dogs with diabetes should only be given honey with veterinarian consent.

5. Goat Milk:
Goat's milk contains vitamins, minerals, electrolytes, trace elements, enzymes, protein and fatty acids. Plus, it is more easily absorbed that cow's milk because it's fat molecules are about 1/5 the size of cow's. A body can absorb goat's milk in about 20 minutes! Goat's milk also is less likely to cause allergic reactions than cow's because of the protein differences. You can read all about Goat's milk here.

As with all supplements, it's probably not best to use all of these at once and overload your dog. Try one or two at a time and closely observe for reactions. It's also best to communicate with your veterinarian when you supplement your dog's diet. A little bit goes a long way!