5 Healthy Things You Can Add to Your Dogs Food
1. Krill oil – helps with skin and coat problems, is an anti-inflammatory, aids in brain functioning and eye health. Helps with joint issues, lowering blood pressure, fighting kidney disease, heart disease, and cancer. It also helps with skin and coat issues. I use the liquid form of Nordic Natural for both myself and my dogs. To mix it up I will also give the kids sardines.
Dietary fat provides a concentrated energy source for pets. It is a constituent of cell membranes and helps transport nutrients across the cell membrane.
Dietary fats also produce metabolites that help control inflammation and contribute to the formation of certain hormones including estrogen, testosterone, and progesterone. Fats contribute to the production of bile acids that aid in digestion and absorption of nutrients. They also act as a mechanical barrier, insulating your pet’s body against heat loss, protecting internal organs, and preventing excess water loss. Dr. Karen Becker
2. Coconut oil – helps with skin and coat problems, digestion, bad breath, immune system, weight loss, arthritis and reduces allergic reactions. Many dogs diets are lacking in healthy fats especially if they are eating a dry food diet. By adding coconut oil to their diet you are giving them the healthy fats necessary for your pet to produce bile acids that will help him to digest and absorb nutrients. The recommend feeding I have seen is one-quarter teaspoon of 100 percent organic, cold-pressed, and human-grade coconut oil for every 10 pounds of body weight twice daily for dogs (and cats). This can be added at meal time to your pet’s fresh homemade or commercial raw diet. I buy mine from Costco for both myself and my dogs.
3. Blueberries – loaded with phytochemicals and antioxidants and are also a good source of fiber, manganese, and vitamins C and E. A good rule of thumb is two to four blueberries as treats for every 10 pounds of dog food a day. Replacing one of the processed treats you feed each day with fresh or frozen blueberries is a great way to increase antioxidants in your pet’s diet. You can find blueberries year round and they make a great training treat for your dog. During the summer my dogs love to have them as frozen treats.
4. Pumpkin– rich in carotenoids, beta-carotene, fiber, zinc, iron, vitamin A and potassium. Pumpkin is low in calories and can help your dog lose weight. It is high in soluble fibers which can help with constipation, diarrhea and other GI upsets. I like to get pumpkins while in season from the local farmers market then I will cook it and put it in the freezer for times when I want it.
5. Sweet potato – aid in healing, cancer prevention, and help with aging, contains vitamins A, C, and B6. I also try to get sweet potatoes in season from the local farmers market or Costco. My dogs love getting cooked sweet potato in their meals. They consider it to be an extra treat.
What are your favorite foods to add to your dogs’ meals?