Does your dog get sick a lot? Do you have an aging dog with cancer? Do you want to make sure your new puppy stays healthy as he ages, so you can enjoy more time together?
If so, you'll want to know about the benefits of mushrooms for dogs. These natural immune system boosters can help ward off illnesses and even help your pup fight back against certain cancers.
Nothing will help your dog live a longer, healthier life than having a robust immune system.
A strong immune system helps your dog fight off infections, reduces allergic reactions, and maintains a stable inflammatory response, which can keep conditions like arthritis and inflammatory bowel syndrome at bay.
But to keep your dog's immune system healthy and powerful, you need to ensure he's getting all the vitamins, minerals and essential nutrients (like antioxidants) his body needs… from the time he's a puppy through his senior years.
Waiting to strengthen your dog's immune system until he's older, and already more susceptible to illnesses, can sometimes be too late.
Superfoods, like mushrooms, can help you deliver all the vitamins and nutrients your dog needs.
There are about 10 mushrooms that are edible for dogs and all are packed with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and digestive enzymes. When combined, these superpower ingredients have anti-inflammatory, immune-boosting, and cancer-fighting properties that humans have been relying on for centuries.
Among the many conditions that mushrooms have been used to treat in people are diabetes, high blood pressure, arthritis, cancer, gastrointestinal illnesses and heart disease.
The benefits of mushrooms for dogs in terms of treating these same conditions is still being studied. But there is growing evidence, both scientific and anecdotal that mushrooms can help dogs lead longer, healthier lives.
For instance, a 2004 study found that D-fraction, the bioactive extract derived from the maitake mushroom, was "highly effective" at inhibiting and killing canine cancer cells.
In addition to maitake mushrooms, two other types have superpower properties for dogs.
Shiitake mushrooms are an excellent source of protein, minerals, amino acids, and digestive enzymes. But they also have a type of fiber called glucomannan, which, in humans, helps moderate blood sugar.
The benefits of shiitake mushrooms for dogs include the prevention and treatment of inflammatory diseases and a reduction in cholesterol and blood pressure.
But the health benefits don't stop there. Shiitake mushrooms also contain something called lentinan, a type of carbohydrate that in a 1970 study in Japan was used to regress tumors in six of 10 mice that were suffering from sarcoma.
A second power mushroom for dogs is the Turkey Tail. In a widely-reported 2012 study at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, the active bioagent (polysaccharopeptide) derived from Turkey Tail mushrooms provided the longest survival times ever reported for dogs with hemangiosarcoma.
In humans, Turkey Tail mushrooms have also been used to treat inflammatory digestive disorders and decrease the effects of chemotherapy and radiation.
At Veterinary Formula Clinical Care, we recognize the benefits of mushrooms for dogs and have packed our Immune Defense supplements with extracts from both Shiitake and Turkey Tail mushrooms.
By combining the two mushrooms, their individual benefits are enhanced, creating an immunity-boosting supplement that can't be beat.
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