This golden spice is more valuable to your pet’s life than real gold, due to its amazing anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects (tip- it’s good for you too!). It may help increase your pet’s lifespan and improve many common conditions we can see as pets age, like sore joints.

The drawback? It doesn’t get absorbed well from the gut, and is removed from the bloodstream quickly, even before it can get to the places it is needed.

But all is not lost- there are two solutions to this problem.

Read on…

What is turmeric?

Turmeric is a rhizome (an underground stem), related to ginger, that has been used both as a spice and for medicinal purposes for over 4,000 years. It all started in India, as a big component of ancient Ayurvedic medicine and cooking. The primary region where turmeric is grown is South Asia, particularly in India.

The active component is called curcumin, responsible for some pretty amazing benefits.

Curcumin effects:

Anti-inflammatory: Curcumin helps reduce swelling and inflammation, which can be useful in conditions like arthritis.
Anti-cancer: Curcumin may slow the growth of cancer cells and even prevent the spread of certain cancers.
Antioxidant: It protects your cells from harmful molecules (free radicals) that can cause damage and diseases.
Neuroprotective: Curcumin helps protect brain cells, reducing the risk of diseases like Alzheimer’s.
Anti-microbial: It fights bacteria, viruses, and fungi, helping prevent infections.
Improves gut health: Curcumin promotes a healthy gut by reducing inflammation and supporting the growth of good bacteria.
Cardioprotective: It can improve heart health by supporting healthy blood vessels and reducing inflammation.
Anti-diabetic: Curcumin helps control blood sugar and makes the body respond better to insulin.
Anti-obesity: It may help with weight management by improving how the body processes fats.

Most of the amazing benefits of curcumin are due to the anti-inflammatory that it exerts by affecting many different pathways in the body that lead to inflammation, and decreasing free radical damage (antioxidant effect).

Why do we care so much about inflammation?

Is it really so bad?

Don’t we need it to fight infections and heal injuries?

Sure, inflammation serves a purpose in the body. But it’s like that great movie that Hollywood just keeps pumping out sequels for- enough already!

Inflammation is one weapon of the immune response. The immune system senses a threat and mobilizes an army of immune system cells, using signaling molecules called cytokines to call more cells in, and increase the activity of enzymes that create even more pro-inflammatory molecules.

That’s a great system when you have a cold virus or a dirty wound, but it is not a stealth precision strike force, there is much collateral damage in the cells of the area, and all over the body.

When the inflammation troops are allowed to run amok long term, unchecked, the battleground and innocent bystanders are harmed.

In the last 20 years, it has become widely accepted in human medicine that chronic inflammation is a big factor in many major diseases of people, such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s.

The causes of chronic inflammation include factors like

poor diet (high in processed foods and sugars),
obesity,
chronic stress,
lack of exercise
environmental toxins
infections that persist over time

When the body remains in a prolonged state of inflammation, it can lead to tissue damage, disrupt normal cellular function, and create an environment where diseases thrive.

Animals are affected by chronic inflammation too, and we can see:

Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Chronic Kidney disease
Heart disease
Skin disease
Osteoarthritis (joint disease)

So what can turmeric do to help with all this?

It blocks the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines and inhibits enzymes that produce inflammatory molecules. It has effects on the immune system cells. As a free radical scavenger (anti-oxidant), curcumin reduces oxidative stress, a major contributor to inflammation.

All that sounds great , where do I sign up? And I can give it to my dog too?

This is awesome…

Whoa…slow down…

Every time you hear about an amazing miracle supplement or drug, for people or for pets, always stop and ask some questions.

The supplement and drug industry is a multi-billion dollar industry that makes its money selling hope for a miracle cure.

The first thing to ask is- what do the studies say?

Well, the studies in people seem to prove these claims.

very good scientific evidence that the anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and cardioprotective effects in people are true
small studies in people have shown improved cognitive function and a slowing of neurodegenerative diseases
anti-cancer effect is still being studied in the lab setting on cancer cells and early stage human trials.

As always, veterinary medicine and science lags behind human medicine, and the studies are few, but in pets there is good evidence that it is helpful for the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effect in joints, leading to less pain and more mobility in arthritic joints.

Early research shows it may help with inflammation of the skin (dermatitis) also.

The next thing to ask- is it safe?

Yes, it is. For people and dogs.

Cats? Well, that is not as clear cut.

There is potential for it to be less safe in cats at larger doses because they lack an enzyme that humans and dogs use to metabolize the curcumin compound in the liver. Caution and more studies are needed to determine safety in cats. There are veterinary products on the market for cats though.

Proceed with caution, talk to your vet first, and start slowly.

As we vets say, “Cats are not small dogs”.

Now the million dollar question is- can turmeric do the job, in the body, that it says it can?

This is where we learn about turmeric’s dirty little secret.

Turmeric needs a sidekick, a wing-man, if you will.

Curcumin is a great little molecule, but it has two “character flaws” that prevent it from achieving its great effects in the body.

It is:

not water soluble, therefore not absorbed well from the intestines
removed very quickly from the bloodstream, and therefore cannot get to the sites of inflammation in time

But hey, everybody needs a little help sometimes.

2 ways we can increase the action of curcumin:

Along comes piperine, the active compound in black pepper.

It works by inhibiting certain enzymes in the liver and intestines that would normally break down curcumin before it’s absorbed, allowing more curcumin to enter the bloodstream. This can increase the bioavailability of curcumin by up to 20 X (2000%). And we only need to add about 1% piperine to the mix for this effect.

So add a pinch or two of pepper to turmeric in whatever you are cooking, but keep in mind pepper can cause an upset stomach in large amounts.

2. Science (and drug companies) have worked hard to solve this availability problem and many companies have created altered formulations of curcumin that increase the absorption 27- 65 times more than curcumin by itself, and now there are many products on the market that contain these enhanced versions, including veterinary formulations.

Supplements:

The benefit of veterinary formulations of supplements is generally ease of administration. Many products for pets are chewable tablets. And they come in smaller milligram dosages , to allow easier dosing for small pets.

Both Thorne Vet and RX Vitamins have created products using enhanced, more bioavailable forms of curcumin.

There are many turmeric supplements on the market for pets that do not contain these new enhanced absorption formulations or piperine.

Always keep in mind the dirty little secret I just told you about the absorption!

How much can we give to pets?

Dogs:

A common dose of curcumin supplement is 15-20 mg of curcumin per pound of body weight per day, which equates to about 300-400 mg for a 20 kg (44 lbs) dog.
If using turmeric powder (which contains 2-8% curcumin), the typical dose is 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon per 10 lbs of body weight, or about 1/2 to 1 teaspoon for a 20 kg dog.

Cats:

Curcumin dosage in cats is less standardized, and due to their unique metabolism, it’s recommended to start small, at around 100-200 mg per day. Consult with a veterinarian before use.

DIY at Home:

You can also use turmeric spice from the grocery store and incorporate it into your pets’ food.

Golden Paste for Pets

Ingredients:

1/2 cup turmeric powder
1 cup water
¼ cup coconut oil
1 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions:

Combine turmeric and water in a saucepan over low to medium heat.
Stir continuously for 7–10 minutes until a thick paste forms. Add more water if needed.
Once cooled slightly, stir in the coconut oil and black pepper.
Store in a jar in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Dosage for Dogs:

Start with 1/4 teaspoon for small dogs and 1/2 teaspoon for larger dogs. You can gradually increase the dosage to 1 teaspoon per day for large dogs.

Dosage for Cats:

Start with a small pinch mixed into food and gradually increase to about 1/8 teaspoon.

Turmeric and Chicken Dog Treats

Ingredients:

1 cup cooked chicken (shredded)
¼ cup chicken broth (low-sodium)
¼ cup coconut oil (melted)
2 cups flour (try a mix of flours, like corn, almond, whole wheat)
¼ cup turmeric powder
⅛ teaspoon black pepper
¼ cup chopped parsley

Instructions:

Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
Blend Chicken: In a blender or food processor, combine the cooked chicken, chicken broth, parsley and melted coconut oil. Blend until smooth.
Combine Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, mix the flour, turmeric powder, and pepper
Mix Wet and Dry: Pour the chicken mixture into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Stir until a dough forms. You may need to add more flour if the dough is too sticky.
Shape Cookies: Roll out the dough on a floured surface to about 1/4 inch thick. Use cookie cutters to cut out shapes and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Bake: Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the treats are golden and firm. Let them cool completely before serving.
Storage: Store in an airtight container for up to one week. Or longer in the freezer!