When it comes to a natural remedy for your dog, you cannot go wrong with a medicinal mushroom for dogs. I use the best mushrooms for dogs with my pets as preventative measure and to help improve their overall health and wellbeing. I have seen amazing results using these best mushroom for dogs as a natural medicine for a lot of different health issues. I mean, from blood pressure regulation to treating cancer.
There is no single plant that does everything functional mushrooms do. They are honestly miracle herbs as far as I’m concerned, just do to the sheer amount of benefits they offer. Heres how these phenomenal mushrooms could benefit your dog.
Mushrooms As Medicine For Your Dog
Not all mushrooms are medicine, but the majority of those that are edible do have some medicine-like properties. In many places across the globe, mushrooms are used for food, medicines…and also for different types of cultural ceremonies. And it is easy to understand why.
And, They are as good for us as they are for our dogs. Let’s learn more about each of the individual best mushrooms for dogs.
Best Mushrooms For Dogs
I think of them as power mushrooms, the best mushrooms for dogs are: Reishi, Shiitake, Maitake, Turkey Tail, and Cordyceps. Studies have shown that these may boost immune system functions, as well as having a broad array of other important health benefits for your dog.
Each of these mushrooms work really well together. You can mix them to get different healing properties from each.
Learn more: Best mushroom for autoimmune disease
1. Reishi Mushrooms
Reishi mushrooms are known as immortal mushrooms. They have anti-cancer effects, anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, and immune-boosting properties. This makes them excellent at improving your dogs general health.
2. Shiitake Mushrooms
Shiitake mushrooms contain 30 different enzymes and 10 amino acids. They also contain minerals such as calcium, zinc, magnesium, iron, and selenium. And this makes them very impressive when it comes to the health of your dog (and for your own, for that matter). They stimulate the production of white blood cells and enhance circulation. They may also suppress cancer growth and lower cholesterol.
Make this broth for your dogs, and give it to them whether with food or on an empty stomach, or when they are not eating well.
- 5 dried shiitake mushrooms
- 1 beef bone 1/4 cup daikon or beet root
- 1/4 cup carrot
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 cup celery
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
You can make this all into a simple broth.
Give 1 teaspoon to one tablespoon of this every few hours to a dog that is not eating.
Learn more: Best mushroom for lungs
3. Maitake Mushrooms
Maitake means dancing mushrooms in Japanese. These mushrooms are known for stimulating T-cells, suppressing cancer growth, and lowering cholesterol.
4. Turkey Tail Mushrooms
Turkey Tail Mushrooms are packed with the polysaccharide Beta-Glucan. These are the bodys basic sugars, which help in activating your immune system. This may help to protect the body against infections and combat diseases.
A recent study done at Penn States veterinary school looked at Turkey Tail Mushrooms for dogs suffering from Hemangiosarcoma. It is a common cancer that is found almost exclusively in dogs. Dogs treated with a compound made from a mushroom called Turkey Tail had the longest survival time of any dogs that had this condition reported. But the mushrooms are useful for much more than just cancer.
5. Cordyceps Mushrooms
Wild king boletes mushrooms are actually grown on caterpillars. This makes them very expensive to collect. Fortunately, growers are growing them too.
While cultured mushrooms might not be quite as powerful as wild ones, they are much more convenient on the wallet. Cordyceps has antifungal and antibacterial properties. They also contain three protein-binding polysaccharides and some amino acids. Studies have shown cordyceps mushrooms to have an impressive anti-cancer effect. They may also be protective against liver and heart diseases.
Healing Benefits Of Mushrooms
Mushrooms are really versatile natural plants that serve a few functions:
Prevention (disease)
Regeneration (cells)
Protection (cancer, radiation)
Intervention (treatment)
They Help Balance Your Dog’s Nutrition
The healing powers of mushrooms come from their nutritional value.
Minerals: potassium, selenium, sulfur, sodium, geranium, zinc, phosphorus
Sugars: mannitol, xylose, glucose, galactose, mannose
Vitamins: B complex, folic acid, pro-vitamin D
Protein: essential amino acids
Enzymes: antibacterial, proteolytic
Lipids: phospholipids, sterols, sterol esters, free fatty acids, mono-, di- and triglycerides
Polysaccharides: glycogen, beta-D-glucans, chitin
Essential oils: triterpenes
How To Feed Medicinal Mushrooms To Your Dog
To feed mushrooms to dogs, you can easily make a tea or broth using dried mushrooms, or you can simply add the powder into their meals. If you really want to give your dog whole mushrooms, the best thing is to prepare and cook them thoroughly.
Raw mushrooms can really be difficult for your dog to digest, and can be toxic. They are safe to use if cooked. If you purchase mushrooms as a powder or in capsules, follow the directions on the package.
If the product is marketed to humans, assume that dosage instructions are intended for someone 150 pounds. Adjust the amounts according to the dogs weight. Start low and gradually increase to prevent any digestive disruption.
Mushroom Complexes and Liver Disease in Dogs
If your dogs liver is weak, or she has a liver condition, this combination of mushrooms may be helpful in supporting her liver.
- Combine the dried mushrooms (or powder) – 2 Tbsp each of reishi, maitake, shiitake and turkey tail
- Mix with 4 oz hot water
- Add Amino-b-plex (available at many online vendors)
- Store in the fridge
Give your dog 1/2 ml for every 5 pounds of body weight, twice a day. It is a veterinarian-formulated mix of 7 organic whole mushrooms chosen to support your dogs immune system.
One of the most common questions we get from concerned owners is whether dogs can eat mushrooms. Medicinal mushrooms may make people nervous, but much of that fear stems from the possibility that wild mushrooms are toxic. But you do not have to be afraid of these awesome mushrooms. Purchase them organically from a trusted source, and watch them do wonders for your dogs health.
