While a lot of the essential proteins for dogs can be found in meat and bones, our domesticated dogs are often deficient in many essential vitamins and minerals. The addition of natural supplements to a dog’s diet can improve overall health while also addressing specific ailments such as joint problems and skin conditions. At Gully Road we stock a number of nutritional supplements for dogs that provide an easy to feed solution to addressing your dog’s nutritional needs. We will explain a little about each of them in this article.
Adding supplements to dogs’ diets (or more specifically, choosing which supplements to use) can be a little overwhelming – who knew you need a pharmacy degree to own a dog!. With a range of dog health products on the market, how do you decide which to use? And which key nutrients does your doggo actually need? Gelatin, Rosehip, MSM and Kelp are four natural supplements for dogs which have a range of benefits and preventative qualities. These 100% natural remedies for dogs can provide complete supplement solution that provides the vitamins and minerals found in a primal diet. Just a small teaspoon a day, mixed into your doggo’s food will promote healthy joints, a shiny coat, strong ligaments and new cell growth. Which will have your hound feeling and looking their pawfect best. See a brief summary of each supplement below including dosage and feeding guidelines.
Gelatin
Gelatin is a superfood for joint, skin & coat health and is particularly useful when utilised as a prophylactic (preventative) supplement for arthritis in dogs. The key active component of Gelatin for dog health is collagen. Prior to becoming domesticated, dogs would normally access sufficient amounts of this nutrient by consuming tendons, skin and cartilage of their prey. However, as most canine diets nowadays include processed or pre-prepared dog food with the icky bits removed (our doggos live a life of luxury thanks to their hooman slaves), collagen often needs to be supplemented.
What is in Gelatin and where does it come from?
Gelatin is created by cooking grass-feed beef bones and cartilage to create a high-collagen extract. This is then dried into a powder that is a palatable food additive and often is used in human foods as thickening agent. While making your own bone broth for dogs is an alternative source of collagen, gelatin powder saves you many hours in the kitchen.
What are the benefits of Gelatin for Dogs?
Gelatin powder provides the necessary nutrients for cartilage growth and development, especially in the joints and ears. Aiding this growth and maintenance of cells can help prevent arthritis in dogs as well as other common degenerative joint disorders and diseases. Similarly, collagen supplements help to strengthen tendons, ligaments, muscles and bones as well as supporting new cell growth (particularly in blood cells). Gelatin also has benefits for gut health and digestion. Outwardly, the benefits of gelatin supplements for dogs can be seen in a healthy, shiny coat and good skin as well as increased alertness and energy.
How to feed Gelatin to Dogs
Gully Road’s human food grade gelatin for dogs can be fed by mixing into daily food or sprinkling on top of prepared meals. The suggested daily serving size is 1 level teaspoon per 15kgs dog weight. As an alternative to mixing into food, gelatin can be mixed into water for a palatable drink or by making into jellies in an ice cube tray – see our recipe for Daily Joint Jellies here.
Rosehip
Gully Road Organic Rosehip provides anti-inflammatory properties and promotes general good health. In addition, rosehip is useful for promoting joint health, dog skin health and improved immunity. Certified organic, Gully Road rosehip is available in whole or ground form and the suitability of one variation over the other will depend on your feeding preferences.
What is in Rosehip and what does it do?
Rosehip has significant anti-inflammatory properties, being high in polyphenols and galactolipids. Therefore, it can be particularly useful in treating arthritis in dogs as well as other inflammatory conditions. Also a powerful antioxidant, rosehip is a potent source of polyphenols and carotenoids as well as vitamins C and E. For this reason, it is a powerful immune booster which can provide defence against infection as well as protection against damage from free radicals in the body.
How to feed Rosehip to Dogs
Portion size depends on whether you are feeding the whole or ground rosehip supplement. For rosehip granules, feed 1/2 teaspoon per 10kg of dog’s body weight daily mixed into food. Alternatively, one whole rosehip (seeds and all!) can be fed per 10kg of your dog’s weight. While most dogs enjoy the taste, rosehips can be rehydrated in water overnight to improve palatability.
MSM
MSM (or methylsulfonylmethane) is a sulphur that occurs naturally in many fruits, vegetables and grains. This MSM is extracted to create a supplement that is used to reduce joint pain, lower levels of inflammation, improve skin & coat health, decrease allergy symptoms in dogs and aid recovery after exercise.
The active component of this plant derived supplement occurs naturally in the body of both dogs and humans, however usually at lower than ideal levels. Having natural anti-inflammatory properties as well as being an analgesic (pain killer) MSM is great for treating arthritis but also promotes overall wellbeing in dogs. For this reason, MSM is an invaluable supplement for older dogs with stiff joints and can have incredible results even in a short period of time.
How to feed MSM to Dogs
It’s recommended to introduce MSM to the diet in a higher dose initially (called a ‘loading dose’) of half a teaspoon per 10kg of bodyweight daily. After an initial period of two weeks the daily dose of MSM can be reduced to one quarter of a teaspoon per 10kg of dog body weight. For best results MSM can be used in conjunction with Gelatin and Rosehip.
King Island Kelp
Kelp (or seaweed) is jam packed full of nutrients and is natural superfood for dogs. Sourced from the pristine waters of King Island in Tasmania, this supplement provides many benefits and contains over 60 vitamins & minerals as well as 21 amino acids. The bio-available nutrients in kelp provide metabolic support within the body while the amino acids assist in speedy and effective tissue repair. Being high in Omega-3 fatty acids, kelp is also helpful in reducing joint pain & inflammation. Outwardly, kelp promotes the growth of a darker, thicker and shinier coat and dogs are found to be less attractive to fleas and flies after an extended period of supplementation (three weeks or more of daily feeding).
How to feed kelp supplements to dogs
We suggest feeding kelp rehydrated as this is more nutritionally efficient and maximises the availability of the ‘slimy’ alginate (the kelp’s fibre compound) as well as many of the other nutrients in the supplement. Dogs also find rehydrated kelp much more palatable and it works as an excellent binder for other supplements in your dog’s meal.
To rehydrate the kelp, take one teaspoon of King Island Kelp granules (approximately 5 grams) & place in a glass or ceramic container. Add 40 mls of water and wait approximately 10 minutes for the kelp to absorb the water and take on a slimy, gooey consistency. You can then feed your dog the recommended dosage (once daily) and refrigerate the remainder for up to 5 days. The recommended daily serving size is 1/2 teaspoon rehydrated kelp per 10kgs of bodyweight. If you would prefer not to rehydrate the kelp, the granules can be added to also. If using this method, feed 1/4 teaspoon of granules per 10kgs of body weight.
These simple, natural dog food supplements provide many of the nutrients typically consumed in the natural diet of a wild dog hunting for their prey – and yes – every dog – has a “wild dog” hiding inside them – even our fluffy couch-loving doggo’s. Using all natural ingredients, these supplements have powerful benefits for canine wellbeing at all ages and are important as both a prophylactic measure and a therapeutic remedy for older dogs experiencing common ailments such as arthritis and joint pain.
Gully Road for Dogs
Gully Road enables dog owners to buy dog supplements online individually or in a Joint Health Combo Pack. We source all of our natural dog treats carefully to ensure that they are produced with the highest standards of animal welfare as the highest priority. As well as our selection of supplements we stock a range of grass fed beef dog treats, seafood products and wild rabbit for dogs. Gully Road for Dogs proudly delivers ethical dog treats Australia-wide from our little farm in Western Victoria.
