We are often asked what supplements we give to our pack and why.  Here is a list of supplements we give our pups daily, their benefits, and the recommended dosages we follow:

Nupro Joint and Immunity: For dosage directions click HERE

-Given daily with AM and PM meals

• Provides the full range of vitamins, minerals, enzymes, amino acids, and essential omega fatty acids, all in their natural raw forms
• Glucosamine Complex, MSM, and Ester-C^® , especially for the active dog
• Contains no grains or grain by-products, wheat or glutens, corn, barley, fillers, artificial sugars or preservatives, dairy, or by-products of any kind.
• Fresh, unprocessed ingredients, sourced from easily digestible whole foods
• Uses a premium quality Pork Liver which is human-grade
• Researched and developed by a doctor of nutrition
• Formulated as a powder, and is not a concentrate, which allows it to be easily assimilated into your dog’s system and digested with your dog’s food.

Nupro Custom Electrolyte Formula: For dosage directions, click HERE

-Given the night before a competition, competition day, and for non-competition weeks: for maintenance 1 – 2 times a week

• designed especially for highly active “working” or “performance dogs”
• Formulated using balanced ratios of the purest quality natural Trace Minerals that are essential for optimal health and performance during stressful conditions
• Electrolytes are useful in aiding your dog’s body to sustain, replenish and re-establish the normal fluid balances of blood and tissues which may be upset during periods of high-level stress and/or demanding competition and to continually maintain your “active” dog in optimal health
• Extremely effective in warmer climates and on hot summer days.

GlycoFlex Plus:

• Advanced joint support supplement for dogs of any age
• Clinically proven to increase hind leg strength up to 41%
• Combines glucosamine, chondroitin, Perna, DMG, MSM and important antioxidants to support your dog’s everyday motion and comfort

Fresh-Pressed, Unrefined Coconut Oil: 1/4 teaspoon for every 10 pounds of body weight twice daily for basic MCT support

-Given Daily with PM meal

• Most of the saturated fats in coconut oil are Medium Chain Triglycerides (MCTs)
  • Provide an immediate source of fuel and energy, enhancing athletic performance
  • Help balance the thyroid
  • Have been shown to improve brain energy metabolism and decrease the amyloid protein buildup that results in brain lesions in older dogs
• Capric, caprylic acid, and lauric acid in coconut oil has antibacterial, antiviral, and anti-fungal properties
• Improves any dog’s skin and coat, improves digestion, and reduces allergic reactions.
• Skin Conditions
  • Clears up skin conditions such as eczema, flea allergies, contact dermatitis,and itchy skin
  • Reduces allergic reactions and improves skin health
  • Makes coats become sleek and glossy, and deodorizes doggy odor
  • Prevents and treats yeast and fungal infections, including candida
  • Disinfects cuts and promotes wound healing
  • Applied topically, promotes the healing of cuts, wounds, hot spots, dry skin and hair, bites and stings
•  Digestion
  • Improves digestion and nutrient absorption
  • Aids healing of digestive disorders like inflammatory bowel syndrome and colitis
  • Reduces or eliminates bad breath in dogs
• Immune System, Metabolic Function, Bone Health
  • Contains powerful antibacterial, antiviral, and anti-fungal agents that prevent infection and disease
  • Regulates and balance insulin and promotes normal thyroid function
  • Helps prevent or control diabetes
  • Helps reduce weight, increases energy
  • Aids in arthritis or ligament problems

Salmon Oil:  1/2 tsp per 10 lbs of body weight

-Given daily with AM meal

• Improves the coat and skin
• Reduces inflammation due to conditions such as arthritis, allergies, and inflammatory bowel disease
• Regulates the immune system, boosting those that are suppressed and calming overactive immune systems for dogs with allergies or autoimmune diseases
• Aides in mental development of fetuses and puppies, and improving cognitive function in older dogs
• Lowers blood pressure and triglycerides
• Provides support for dogs with kidney disease, heart disease, and cancer
• Helps in producing more collagen
• Helps prevent skin allergies

Organic Turmeric: 15 to 20 mg per pound of body weight

-Given daily with AM and PM meal

• Anti…everything!
  • Powerful antioxidant
  • A natural antiseptic and antibacterial agent
• Heart Health
  • Has been found to lower LDL levels,  which support both heart and liver health
  • Helps to thin the blood, reducing the risk of deadly clots that can lead to strokes and heart attacks. It’s important not to thin your dog’s blood too much, but the right amount can be helpful. ***If your pet is on medication, especially those that thin the blood, check with your vet for the appropriate dosage
• Powerful Detoxifier
  • Great for the liver – Our dogs are susceptible to toxins in the environment and in their food, especially some of the commercially produced kibble and treats
  • Believed to stimulate bile production necessary for the digestion of fat in the liver.  Active dogs need at least 20% fat in their diet; therefore, bile production is critical for good health
  • Boosts the liver’s ability to metabolize fat and remove waste from the body.
  • PLEASE NOTE: As with any pre-existing condition, if your pet already suffers from liver disease, you should consult your vet before treating with turmeric as some studies indicate that turmeric may aggravate existing problems
• Anti-Cancer Properties
  • This powerful antioxidant plays a significant role in preventative medicine, and there are now reports coming out claiming that turmeric may help in the fight against cancer!
  • In a study at The Department of Small Animal Clinical Scientists, they found that curcumin (the bio-active compound [or active ingredient or healing properties] of turmeric) may even shrink existing tumors. This has to do with the spice’s amazing ability to shut down blood vessels that feed tumors.
  • Antioxidant properties are also helpful in reducing the negative side effect of chemotherapy
• Other great things about Turmeric:
  • Aids in the treatment of epilepsy
  • Helps relieve allergies
  • Helps in preventing the formation of cataracts
  • Used in treating depression (Yes, dogs can get depressed too)
  • Kills parasites
  • Heals stomach ailments, aids in digestive disorders, and reduces gas and bloating
  • Acts as a binding agent and therefore great for treating diarrhea (****Make sure you have lots of water available for your pet to drink!) 
  • Aids in fat metabolism and weight management
  • High in fiber and rich in vitamins and mineral
  • PLEASE NOTE:
    • Turmeric is a bright orange color: be careful and mix it in well with your pets’ food, because your pets might end up with turmeric mustaches 🙂
    • Turmeric is a binding agent, so ensure that your pet has lots of water to reduce the likelihood of constipation

We are on the road often, with exposure to many things that could cause sudden stomach-upset in our dogs.  Therefore, we keep the following supplement on-hand in case of an onset of diarrhea:

Slippery Elm: Capsule form:  Give a ¼ capsule twice daily to small dogs, a ½ capsule twice daily to medium dogs, and one capsule once or twice daily for large dogs. Mix contents of capsule into your dog’s kibble, or mix with plain live-cultured yogurt, or pure pumpkin (NOT pumpkin pie filling)

Slippery elm is recommended for acute cases of diarrhea, as well as for conditions like colitis, stomach irritations, constipation, and coughing.

• Diarrhea
  • Helps by reducing inflammation and lubricating the digestive tract with the help of the mucilage, or oily secretions that make up slippery elm
  • To read about other natural remedies to help with diarrhea, see information at bottom of post.
• Constipation
  • It might seem strange that slippery elm can help two seemingly opposite conditions like diarrhea and constipation… but, because of this wonder-herb’s soothing, lubricating properties, Slippery Elm can help to relieve and even prevent constipation
• Coughing
  • Kennel cough is always a concern since we are around hundreds of dogs from all over the country at dock diving events.  Much in the same way slippery elm reduces inflammation and lubricates the digestive tract, it works to help the upper respiratory system, making it of great benefit in easing discomforts from painful coughing associated with conditions like kennel cough.  (***Note: this is not a remedy for kennel cough.  Kennel cough is highly contagious and can be very aggressive.  If you feel as though your dog has been exposed to kennel cough, isolate your dog immediately, contact your veterinarian, and notify other people your dog may have had contact with.)
  • ALSO NOTE: In rare cases, a dog may be allergic to slippery elm and it shouldn’t be used in pregnant animals, otherwise the herb is generally safe

More natural remedies for diarrhea:

When this happens to our pups, and anything serious (like an obstruction) is a ruled out, we first pull their food for 12-24 hours. It allows their system to “reset” and have a break. It also lessens the chance that they will vomit/have more diarrhea. We make sure they are still drinking water (dehydration is a big concern with stomach issues) and check frequently to make sure their gums are still nice and pink (pale gums can be a sign of dehydration). Finally, we make up some sort of bland food to give them until they’ve recovered from their stomach upset.  ***PLEASE NOTE:  If at any time your dog is extremely lethargic, feverish, bloated, there is a large amount of blood in the stool or vomit, or you are concerned about him, seek veterinary care as soon as possible. But for those dogs who are experiencing simple diarrhea and vomiting, here are some steps you can take to help:

• Fasting
  • Most animals will fast themselves when they have digestive disease and it’s a good idea to stop feeding your dog if he doesn’t fast himself. You can start with 6 to 12 hours of no food or water with most dogs. If your dog is very small and prone to hypoglycemia, you should give him tiny licks of honey or karo syrup each hour, or as needed, if he appears weak and trembly. After the fast, if the diarrhea has stopped or slowed, offer small sips of water (a few teaspoons in very small dogs and up to ½ to 1 cup in large dogs) every few hours. Be certain to use filtered or spring water. After six hours of water only, you may start some small amounts of food. Gradually increase the amounts of food over the next four to five days. In terms of amount, adjust based on your dog’s size and normal eating habits …all dogs are different.  The amount of ingredients in the recipes shared really are general – meaning it will completely depend on the size of your dog. Stick to the general ratios your dog normally eats (or trust your eye). When done feeding bland meals, also be sure to slowly re-introduce your dogs normal kibble by using the following as a guide:
    • Start by mixing 25% kibble with 75% bland mix. Slowly change the proportions over the next five to seven days by gradually increasing the amount of kibble, and decreasing the amount of bland mix. At the end of this transitioning process, you should be feeding 100% kibble.
• Bland Food
  • Once your dog is reintroduced to food, a bland diet will help prevent a recurrence of diarrhea
    • There are a number of different combinations you can try, but the ingredients are the same
      • 100% canned pumpkin (NOT pumpkin pie filling!!): Only pureed canned pumpkin here, nothing else added. It can help with diarrhea and will firm up soft/loose stool thanks to its high fiber content.
      • White rice: White rice is as bland as it gets, and it is also a source of soluble fiber. It absorbs water as it passes through the GI track, which will help harden stool and add bulk.
      • Plain live-cultured yogurt: Make sure that you have non-fat/low-fat PLAIN (not vanilla) live culture yogurt. Thanks to its natural probiotics, it can help restore the balance to your dog’s gut, and get all the good bacteria thriving.
      • Plain low-fat meat: Boiled chicken, with no salt or anything added, can add a little substance to your dog’s diet if they are ready for it. It’s a good protein source, and very bland.  If your dog has a chicken allergy, you can substitute boiled chicken with boiled lean ground beef, or boiled lamb.
    • The recipes:
      1. Plain Mash: This is a good basic mash for dogs that turn up their nose at canned pumpkin or yogurt. Make sure the chicken is plain and that you just boil it. The added water makes this easy to eat and has the added bonus of getting some much needed fluid into your pups system.
         • Ingredients:
           • boiled chicken, shredded
           • white rice
           • 1/2 cup or so of warm water
         • Directions: Boil chicken and cook white rice. Shred the chicken into the cooked white rice, and add roughly ½ cup of warm water. Mix thoroughly, and feed to your dog in place of its usual meals. You can also feed this in smaller quantities throughout the day which can be easier for their gut to handle.
      2. Sweet Mash:  For milder cases of soft stool, this tasty mash can help solidify things thanks to the pumpkin, while ensuring the balance of bacteria gets back on track with the yogurt.
         • Ingredients:
           • 2 tablespoons plain live cultured yogurt
           • 1/4 can canned pureed pure pumpkin
         • Directions: Mix up 2 tablespoons of plain live cultured yogurt with ¼ can pureed pumpkin, , and feed to your dog in place of its usual meals. You can also feed this in smaller quantities throughout the day which can be easier for their gut to handle.
      3. Mish-Mash Mash: This is pretty much all the ingredients mashed into one.
         • Ingredients: 
           • ¼-1/2 cup 100% Canned Pumpkin
           • ½ cup white rice
           • 1-2 tablespoons unflavored plain live culture yogurt
           • Plain boiled chicken, or other low-fat meat (no salt added)
           • ¼ cup warm water
         • Directions: Boil a chicken and cook ½ cup of white rice.  Thoroughly mix ¼ cup of canned pumpkin and 2 tablespoons of plain yogurt into the rice, and then add about ¼ -1/2 cup low fat boiled meat, torn into bits. Feed in place of regular meals

Information taken from the following:

• http://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/the-health-benefits-of-coconut-oil/
• http://www.whole-dog-journal.com/issues/15_9/features/Fish-Oil-Supplements-For-Dogs_20600-1.html
• http://keepthetailwagging.com/salmon-oil-for-dogs/
• http://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/turmeric-dogs/
• http://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/the-soothing-qualities-of-slippery-elm/
• http://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/how-to-stop-your-dogs-diarrhea-fast/
• http://everydayroots.com/healing-mash-for-dogs
• http://www.nuprosupplements.com/