Like humans, pets can also benefit from healing herbs and foods.
In fact, there’s a whole branch of veterinarian science that focuses on holistic approaches to cure and treat your best (furry) friend (1).
Unfortunately, most vets, like conventional doctors, will push to treat your pet with pharmaceutical drugs or “prescription” food. Big pharma has definitely infiltrated the world of animal medicine in recent years, as has the insurance business.
In fact, many conventional vets will warn you to stay away from feeding your pet human food. Some have even gone on the record to say that carnivorous pets like cats and dogs should not be fed raw meat (2,3,4).
Now, just because some foods benefit your pet, doesn’t mean that all foods are safe. Similarly, not all foods that are safe for dogs will be safe for cats or other domestic pets. And so, it’s important to only follow advice from a reputable source. When it doubt, call your veterinarian and double-check with them first.
Turmeric For Dogs
Turmeric is a true cure-all when it comes to human health. In fact, over 5000 studies have confirmed its ability to fight and prevent disease, as well as reverse degenerative conditions like Alzheimer’s.
Turmeric’s benefits are mainly due to curcumin, the active compound in the spice (5). The compound has well-documented anti-inflammatory benefits that act on nearly every part of the body, including the brain and joints.
In truth, turmeric is a big part of natural treatment for patients suffering from arthritis, as it’s more effective than ibuprofen and other NSAIDs.
When it comes to dogs, turmeric can keep your pet off costly and dangerous drugs. In many cases, the spice will be more effective than pharmaceuticals anyways.
While studies have demonstrated that curcumin is safe for canines, the veterinarian industry has refused to admit its true medicinal value (5).