While under no illusions that our dogs are going to remain on this earth forever (barring any supernatural event resulting in immortality), there are many remedies to alleviate some of the symptoms of doggy old age (e.g., joint pain) that are definitely worth trying if you want to give your senior canine as comfortable an old age as possible.
The health benefits of tumeric for dogs
Today I want to tell you about the wonderful benefits of turmeric for dogs.
As well as its famed anti-inflammatory properties – if administered well – to imitate the effects of low level dosage NSAIDS (pain relief and anti inflammatory) without any of the potential side effects of long term use of these drugs, it may also prevent and inhibit cancer growth and therefore can be a useful addition to a post cancer op diet plan.
I started introducing it to my senior UK exempt pittie girl’s and her senior labrador step sister’s diets after the pittie had developed a squamous cell carcinoma on her lower left jaw in summer 2023, resulting in a partial mandibulectomy (removal of part of the jaw) later on that summer.
How to supplement tumeric in your dog’s diet
I make what is commonly known as ‘turmeric golden paste’ and either add it to their dog food or make it into a watery latte that they can drink on its own.
The Golden Paste – Ingredients
This is actually very simple to make. All you will need is:
turmeric powder
a fatty source like extra virgin olive oil, coconut oil or other good oil suitable for dressings (the paste needs a fatty source to activate the cumin, the X factor in the turmeric)
ground peppercorns (the paste also needs piperine from pepper to activate the cumin)
hot water (the paste also requires a heat source to work)
milk, if turning the paste into a latte.
The Golden Paste – Method
Depending upon size of pooch (mine are 30-40 kg each) I put half to one teaspoon of turmeric powder in a cup and add enough of the oil to make an oily mix rather than a grainy mix.
Add about 7 grinds of peppercorns.
Fill the cup to about 1/3 of hot water and mix well. (If using from the kettle, let it cool a little bit before you give it to your dog.)
This can now be poured directly onto the pet food and mixed in, or mixed with an equal amount of milk to the water – either semi skimmed or whole milk – to make a ‘latte’ that the dogs can drink on its own from their bowls. I tend to make the latter as my dogs love it.
How often should I give my dogs turmeric
A couple, or three times a week should be sufficient. It doesn’t have to be every day especially if your dog is already on joint supplements that may contain turmeric / cumin.
I am being deliberately not very prescriptive here as you will discover best how much and how often with ongoing observation and monitoring.
The Golden Paste – Cautions and Side Effects
One final word of caution which Does need to be stated however, is that turmeric should NOT be given if your dog is taking NSAID drugs (pain medication). Check with your vet first if you are at all uncertain.
The combination can produce bleeding.
If ever my dogs have been on short term Onsior, for example, I have stopped giving them the Golden Paste until they were a few days off the drug.
In my own experience I have never come across any unpleasant side effects. If doing the latte and not pouring on to food, I have given them the latte just after their meal and have never identified any digestive issues such as an upset stomach or diarrhoea, but, as a disclaimer to that, again I do not feed this every day. Do monitor your own dog after giving it to them for the first few times, to see how they respond to the turmeric supplement and the amount you have given them.
To Sum Up
While having no control group/placebo group as a comparator I can only speak from personal experience and 1 1/2 years in from her mandibulectomy our pittie is happy and healthy (she very quickly learned to eat again with her redesigned jawline and even manages solid chews).
Her 13 1/2 year old labrador step sister is still swift and fleet of foot. Her muzzle is grey but her arthritis minimal – an old injury, which gave her arthritis in one foreleg joint only, having recently greatly improved. Whether this is due to the introduction of turmeric into her diet or simply natural healing, I cannot say, but I have managed to keep her off NSAID drugs (which are normally prescribed as standard for arthritis) and also off of librela injections as a result, which for us is a win as we always wanted to give our dogs as natural a life as possible. I appreciate there are times when this cannot be so.
I can only recommend you give it a try.
