Among other things, turmeric can help minimize pain and increase mobility in old pups suffering from joint problems and can help treat inflammatory digestive issues.
It can also benefit dogs suffering from blood clots, tumors, cognitive decline, allergies, and depression (6). Turmeric can even be combined with a small amount of honey and applied as a paste to heal skin infections, burns, and wounds (7).
Turmeric Paste For Pups
This healing paste is safe and effective, but if your dog has a pre-existing condition, is currently on medication, has a planned surgery, or is pregnant, talk to your vet before self-administering turmeric (8). Turmeric can increase the efficacy of drugs, so it’s incredibly important not to give any of it to a dog taking any kind of medication before getting the a-okay from your vet.
If you’ve never given your dog turmeric before, start with 1/4 to half of the dose and give every 2-3 days. Slowly increase quantity and frequency up to the suggested dose to avoid stomach upset.
- ½ cup organic turmeric powder
- 1 to 1 ½ cups filtered water
- 1 ½ teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ cup organic cold pressed virgin olive or coconut oil
- Combine turmeric with 1 cup of water in a small saucepan.
- Warm up over medium/low heat for 7-10 minutes, stirring regularly.
- The combination should form a thick paste similar to toothpaste. Add more water or turmeric if necessary to achieve desired consistency, heating it up again as you do so.
- Once it’s ready, add pepper and oil and stir to combine.
- Let the mixture cool and store it in a jar with a lid placed in your refrigerator. Keep for no more than 2 weeks.
To use, add 1/4-1/2 tsp to your dog’s food depending on their size. Mix with a bit of water before adding. For big dogs, use up to 1 tbsp. If you time-feed your dog, split the quantity in according to the number of meals served a day. For example, if you have a small dog you feed twice a day, give 1/8 tsp during the first feeding and another 1/8tsp during the second.