Lemons - Good for Dogs, Many Health Benefits and Uses



 Lemons are amazing

In this article:
  1. The many Health Benefits of adding lemon to your dog’s diet
  2. How to use Lemon Topically to Treat Skin Conditions
  3. How to use lemon to Prevent Frostbite
  4. How to use lemon to aid in Repelling Insects such as Mosquitos
  5. How to use lemon to aid in Treating Urinary Tract Infections (UTI)
  6. How to use lemon to make Shampoo/Cleanser/Rinse for your dog
  7. How to use lemon to Treat Eye Infections
  8. What Type of Lemon you should use
  9. How to Add Lemon to Your Dog’s Diet


1.0  Many Health Benefits Of Lemon For Your Dog

Allergy Reducer Lemon helps to reduce the symptoms of allergies.
  • Combine Lemon with Rooibos Tea for an even better allergy reducing aid.
  • Also use lemon alone or in combination with other all-natural ingredients for dog friendly household cleaners - to replace chemical based household cleaners and avoid toxic build-up and allergies in your dog.

Arthritis
Lemons on their own (i.e. before they are ingested), are acidic however when ingested lemons have an alkalizing effect in the body - the citric acid does not create acidity in the body once metabolized, instead the lemon has an alkalizing effect that helps the body balance PH levels thereby helping to relieve arthritis pain. Adding lemon to your puppies diet early on can help prevent the development of debilitating arthritis later in your dog's life.

Anti-Aging Properties
The high levels of antioxidants present in lemons help the body fight against aging.

Bacterial Pathogens
Juice of a fresh lemon can destroy many forms of bacteria, including those that cause deadly disease.

Cancer Inhibitor 
As a powerful antioxidant, vitamin C protects your dog’s cells from free radicals. Free radicals are charged atoms that form when specific molecules interact with oxygen. The free radicals then react with cell membranes and the DNA within cells – the reaction damages the DNA and membranes and thus the cell itself. Damaged cell structure is the first stage in the lead-up to cancer. A diet high in viable high-quality antioxidants plays a significant role in preventing the development of cancer. Lemons contain a grand total of 22 anti-cancer compounds, these include:
Limonene – oil that slows and /or halts the growth of cancer tumours;
Flavonol glycosides - that stop cell division in cancer cells.

Calming
Lemon acts as a sedative for nerves and can be used to help induce calm.


Detoxification and Protection against Poisoning
The ancient Egyptians ate lemons and drank lemon juice in order to protect themselves from a variety of poisons. Research has confirmed that the ancients where right. For example - lemons are a natural remedy (as are Garlic and apple cider vinegar) for food poisoning – i.e. salmonella and e-colli. The powerful acids present in lemon juice can kill the harmful microorganisms and toxins in the GI Tract that may be absorbed into the body by ingesting food laced with bacteria, fungi, harsh chemicals (i.e. pesticides) and other biological agents. In addition lemons are high in minerals and vitamins that help loosen toxins in the digestive tract.


Diarrhea and Constipation
Lemon aids in the cleansing of the bowels (killing bad bacteria and dislodging toxins) which helps eliminate both constipation and diarrhea.

Digestive Aid 
If you can get your dog to drink a little lemon juice mixed with an equal part of warm water your dog’s digestive tract will be stimulated which helps maintain the movement of food through your dog’s GI Tract. 

Disease Fighting
Lemons are a rich source of limonoids (phytochemicals), that are vital disease-fighting compounds which when present in sufficient concentration are effective in helping to inhibit certain cancers – for example ovarian cancer and oral-cavity tumours.

Eye Disorders
The symptoms of eye disorders, including diabetic retinopathy can be mitigated with the ingestion of lemon due the rutin present in lemons.

Ear Infections (bacterial)
Using a lemon flush is an effective way to keep your dog’s ears clean and free of infection. Ear infections are one of the most common ailments in dogs.

Heart Health
Lemons contain a relatively high level of potassium – potassium is beneficial to heart-health.

Immune System Health
Lemons are rich in vitamin C. Vitamin C is an antioxidant that supports immune system function.

Intestinal Parasites 
Lemon is a natural wormer as is garlic. 


Liver Health
Lemon stimulates the liver, dissolves uric acid and other poisons thereby supporting liver health.

 
Metabolic Health
Lemon contains a significant amount of pectin fibre which helps to stop huger pains. Additionally a more alkaline diet promotes weight loss. So if your dog is overweight add some lemon to his/her diet. Turmeric is excellent as an aid to weight loss as well. Adding a little fruit and vegetables to your dog’s diet can also help your dog lose weight.
 
 
Nutrient Absorption 
Vitamin C helps the body absorb calcium, Vitamin C, Vitamin B3, selenium and glutathione work in tandem with Vitamin E to help prevent liver and gall bladder problems. As well lemon offers other long-term benefits, e.g., lemon can help prevent and alleviate digestive problems, especially malabsorption of nutrients. Just below, a list of vitamins and minerals in lemons.
  • Very high in vitamin C
  • Nature’s top source of citric acid
  • One of nature’s top seven sources of potassium!

Minerals in Lemons

Vitamins in Lemons
Potassium - 116 mg

Vitamin C - 44.5 mg
Calcium - 22 mg

Vitamin B1 (thiamine) - 0.034 mg
Phosphorus - 13 mg

Vitamin B2 (riboflavin) - 0.017 mg
Magnesium - 7 mg

Vitamin A - 18 IU
Sodium - 2 mg
Iron - 0.5 mg
Selenium 0.3 mcg
Manganese - 0.025 mg
Copper - 0.031 mg
Zinc - 0.05 mg

Also contains small amounts of other minerals.

Niacin - 0.084 mg
Folate - 9 mcg
Pantothenic Acid - 0.16 mg
Vitamin B6 - 0.067 mg
Vitamin E - 0.13 mg


Contains some other vitamins in small amounts.


Stimulate Appetite
For most dogs this is not an issue, but a dog that is stressed, grieving etc. or suffering from certain medical conditions may not eat enough. The high potassium content of lemons can help to stimulate appetite.


Strengthen Blood Vessels
Lemon contains bioflavonoids (vitamin P) that strengthen blood vessels and prevent internal hemorrhaging.

Teeth and Bones 
The high vitamin C content of lemons helps the body absorb/metabolize calcium. A diet that is rich in vitamin C creates an environment in which bacteria does not thrive. These foods also increase saliva production which helps to wash away bacteria and plaque. To understand more about the other benefits of vitamin C in dog dental read more here.

 

2.0 Treat Skin Conditions

Acne – Puppy Dermatitis (Impetigo and Acne), Skin-Fold Pyoderma
Acne, often located on the chin or lips - can occur in puppies 3 months of age or older and is most common in Boxers, Bulldogs, Dobermans and Rottweilers, but can also occur in other breeds of dogs. Skin-Fold Pyoderma occurs when inflammation results from skin constantly rubbing together. To treat these conditions you use a cotton ball to apply:
  • Undiluted lemon juice (do not use undiluted lemon juice if the skin is broken as the undiluted lemon will sting)
  • Green tea and lemon -  steep a bag of green tea, let it cool to warn temperature, add the juice of half a lemon and using a cotton ball apply the resulting lemon-tea to the affected area – do not rinse
  • You can also mix 1 part lemon juice with an equal portion of rose or manuka honey water – apply with a cotton ball and leave the mixture on the skin for a minimum of half an hour, then rinse with water
  • You can also bath the puppy in the treatments noted above
These treatments work best if applied twice a day.

3.0 Avoid Frostbite – Vascular Damage

Lemon juice (like ginger) increases circulation which can help avoid vascular damage leading to frostbite. Dogs with short fur (such as my Boxer x boy below), are prone to frostbite of the ears in cold weather. 


4.0 An Aid to Repelling insects such as Mosquito;


Lemon when applied topically can be used to repel insects and parasites. Mosquitoes do not like the scent of citrus…read here to find out  how to use lemon to repel insects from your dog.
 

5.0 Treatment aid for Urinary Tract Infection (UTI)

If you catch the UTI in its early stages and/or the infection is not extremely severe you can use lemon to treat the infection.

Topical Treatment
Use the cleanser as described in 6.0 below to bath your dog – this will help to flush out bacteria that might otherwise invade your dog’s urinary tract.

Ingested Treatment
Mix the following together in a bowl:
  • Fresh lemon juice – you can also add some minced lemon
  • Use an equal part of warm water
  • And some fresh or frozen crushed cranberries to the lemon juice/warm water mixture and pour the resulting mixture into a food bowl
  • You can also add a few slices of orange (cut it up, don’t use whole uncut sections) and;
  • 1 tsp to 1 tbs of organic unfiltered, unpasteurized apple cider vinegar
Give this treatment to your dog twice a day until the infection clears. If the infection does not clear-up in the space of a day its time to get some professional help. You can read more about UTI's here.


6.0 Safe, Effective Shampoo/Cleanser/Rinse

Lemon can be used in combination with greet tea and apple cider vinegar as a highly effective cleansing and disinfecting rinse. An excellent alternative to commercially made pet shampoos which can be full of toxins and carcinogens. Just as you would with commercially made shampoos - make sure you avoid getting the lemon juice cleansing rinse in your dog’s eyes. 
To make the rinse:
  • Steep a bag or two of green tea
  • Allow the tea to cool to room temperature
  • Add the juice of a fresh lemon, and
  • Use the resulting liquid to bath your dog
  • You can also add a few tbs of organic, unfiltered, apple cider vinegar to the tea and lemon mixture

 

7.0 Treatment for Eye Infections


Distilled Water and Fresh Lemon Juice (room temperature)
Not for use with pink-eye
  • Combine;
    • 2 tbs distilled water with
    • 4 drops of fresh squeezed lemon juice
    • Stir well
    • Drop 2 to 3 drops in the eye two to three times a day until the infection clears
If you would like to understand more about eye infections...
  • Typical Causes of an Eye Infection
  • Typical Signs that Your Dog's or Cat's Eye May Be Infected
  • Typical Signs of Pink Eye - Conjunctivitis
  • Contagiousness of Eye Infections
  • Treating and Curing Eye Infections
    • Topical Treatments
    • Ingested (Dietary) Remedies 
  • Duration of Treatment
  • When To Get Your Dog or Cat to Your Veterinarian
  • Read this article.

 

8.0 What Type of Lemon Should You Use?

Don’t use bottled, processed/pasteurized lemon juice – this type of lemon juice loses its beneficial properties during pasteurization and processing. Use fresh lemons and fresh squeezed lemon juice.

How to Choose a Good Lemon
The heavier and fresher the lemon the better the health properties of the lemon!

9.0 How to Add the Lemon to Your dog’s Diet

Preparing the Lemon
  • Freeze a whole lemon and grate a little over your dog’s food;
  • Add fresh lemon juice to your dog’s water bowl – remember to change the lemon water on a daily basis. Make sure your dog always has a bowl of pure water next to the lemon water bowl.
  • Add fresh-finely minced lemon to your dog’s food.
  • Peel the lemon and slice it into 4 to 6 pieces;
  • Remove the seeds;
  • Puree the flesh of the lemon
  • Add the pureed lemon to your dogs’ food once a day;
  • Store any remaining pureed lemon in an air tight glass container (in the refrigerator) for several days.  
Adding The Lemon to The Daily Diet
  • Start by using the half the recommended lowest dosage in your dog's size range - see 'Daily Dosage' below;
    • Over the space of a week to 10 days gradually increase the amount of lemon to the lowest recommended dosage for your dog's size range;
    • You can then increase to the higher dosage in your dog's range if you would like to do so.
Daily Dosage (non-therapeutic)
  • X-Small dogs - 1/16 to 1/4 tsp/day
  • Small dogs - 1/4 to 1 tsp/day
  • Medium dogs - 1 to 2 tsp/day
  • Large dogs - 2  to 3 tsp/day
  • X-Large dogs 3 to 4 tsp/day


10.0 Lemon and Citrus 'Not Safe' says the ASPCA and
        HSUS... 


'Really' says me, well ASPCA and HSUS you are wrong - your condemnation of lemon and citrus as poisonous for dogs is completely out of context. Many foods are poisonous and health threatening in many ways if consumed in unreasonable quantities. Both organizations (but primarily the ASPCA) also condemns other beneficial foods as 'unsafe' for dogs.

So I will set the record straight here and now.

There are many foods that when provided in moderation (to a dog) have many health benefits...the following provides some examples of such items that can contribute much to your dogs health when used properly and with common sense...
The key is to provide these foods within a threshold where the food retains its healthful contributions - just as we would approach foods in the human diet. All of the above foods are part of my dogs' daily diet. According to the ASPCA's guidelines they should all be quite ill. My dogs are all very healthy - how can that be? I mean the ASPCA must right, right? Actually they are wrong. 

When fresh lemon or other fresh citrus is added to the daily diet in reasonable amounts toxicity is not normally an issue. If instead your dog drinks a couple of tablespoons of lemon oil - I would say get your dog to the veterinarian ASAP. 

Dogs have, for 1000's of years eaten 'people' food including dairy products such as kefir and yogurt, hard cheese, cottage cheese. My dogs eat (in reasonable beneficial quantities) yogurt hard cheese and cottage cheese every day, as do many of my client's dogs. My dogs are very healthy. 

For the most part with some exceptions, the same food that is bad for people is also bad for dogs - highly processed food! Fresh whole foods of many kinds are excellent for dogs as are many herbs and spices.

The ASPCA also lists raw meat as dangerous for dogs - funny that raw meat is a species appropriate/biologically appropriate food for dogs. It is not that raw meat is bad for dogs, it is that when the raw meat is not stored and handled properly it can BECOME a source of e-coli, etc. My dogs and cats are all raw feed and very healthy.

Prior to the 1950's when most dog's ate 'people' food dog's lived twice the life span that they live now.

I find it ironic that the ASPCA does not include on their list of foods that are bad for dogs  highly toxic, carcinogenic ingredients that are in many commercially made processed dog foods, items such as:
Ethoxyquin
The many ingredients listed in this article, and;
The many ingredients (approved by the FDA and AFCO) listed in this article, and;
The health threatening toxic preservatives discussed in this article, commonly found in dry and wet processed commercially manufactured dog and cat food.

In my opinion a proper list of dangerous foods for dogs should be based on common sense, logic and a proper explanation such as this list.

As well the ASPCA fails to mention all of the toxins commonly included in dog care products such as dental chews, toothpaste and dog shampoo.

So is lemon bad for dogs? No.




11.0 Holistic Support
Holistic Wellness Services and Holistic Behaviorist Services 

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For more information go here. 
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Article and graphics by Karen Rosenfeld 

Comments

  1. It's really a good resource of important benefits of using Lemons. Thanks

    ReplyDelete
  2. I feel a little silly asking this, but when you freeze and grate or mince them, do you use the peel?

    Shannon

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Shannon,

      Yes you can include the peel(rind) - I do, but make sure you wash the lemon thoroughly first. Of course if you buy organic that is even better. Cheers, Karen :>)

      Delete
  3. Hello :) According to ASPCA, lemons are toxic to dogs (specifically the psoralens found in lemons). However, they also say that garlic is toxic and I give my dogs a clove a day. I'm interested in adding lemon to their diets, but am curious as to what your thoughts are on the toxic warnings....

    Thanks!
    Juli

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Juli,

      There are many foods that when provided in moderation (to a dog) have many health benefits, but when provided in large amounts can have less than beneficial effects...for example:
      - Garlic (http://ottawavalleydogwhisperer.blogspot.ca/2012/06/garlic-for-dogs-health-benefits.html);
      - Fats (http://ottawavalleydogwhisperer.blogspot.ca/2012/06/fatty-acids-for-dogs-omega-3-omega-6.html);
      and so on
      - Fish, eggs, organ meats, etc. (http://ottawavalleydogwhisperer.blogspot.ca/2012/02/foods-that-dogs-should-never-eat.html)

      The key is to provide these foods within a threshold where the food retains its healthful contributions - just as we would approach foods in the human diet.

      So, when fresh lemon or other fresh citrus is added to the daily diet in reasonable amounts toxicity is not an issue. If instead your dog drinks a couple of tablespoons of lemon oil - I would say you truly have something to worry about.

      All of my dogs eat a little citrus on a daily basis, they also eat garlic on a daily basis. The ASPCA also lists dairy products as a food that dogs should not eat. One has to wonder where they did there research. Dogs have for 1000's of years eaten 'people' food including dairy products such as kefir and yogurt (http://ottawavalleydogwhisperer.blogspot.ca/2012/05/foods-rich-in-probiotics-beneficial-for.html, hard cheese, cottage cheese. My dogs eat (in reasonable beneficial quantities) yogurt hard cheese and cottage cheese every day. My dogs (http://www.ottawavalleydogwhisperer.com/My-Pack_My-Pack.html#.Ua_OZZwsa64) are very healthy :>)

      The ASPCA also lists raw meat as dangerous for dogs - funny that raw meat is a species appropriate food for dogs. It is not that raw meat id bad for dogs, it is that when the raw meat is not stored and handled properly it can BECOME a source of e-coli, etc.

      Prior to the 1950's when most dog's ate 'people' food dog's lived twice the life span that they live now.

      I find it ironic that the ASPCA does not include on their list of foods that are bad for dogs - items such as...

      - Ethoxyquin (http://ottawavalleydogwhisperer.blogspot.ca/2013/02/fish-fish-meal-and-ethoxyquin-danger-do.html);
      - GMO Corn and soy (http://ottawavalleydogwhisperer.blogspot.ca/2013/04/corn-and-soy-are-very-bad-for-your-dogs.html)
      -The many ingredients listed in this article (http://ottawavalleydogwhisperer.blogspot.ca/2013/05/is-prescription-dog-cat-food-sold-in.html)
      - And the many ingredients (approved by the FDA and AFCO) listed in this article (http://ottawavalleydogwhisperer.blogspot.ca/2012/02/how-to-choose-good-kibble-for-your-dog.html)and all commonly found in Dry and Wet commercially manufactured dog and cat food.

      In my opinion a proper list of dangerous foods for dog should be based on common sense, logic and a proper explanation such as this one is http://ottawavalleydogwhisperer.blogspot.ca/2012/02/foods-that-dogs-should-never-eat.html

      As well the ASPCA fails to mention all of the toxins commonly included in dog care products such as dental chews, toothpaste (http://ottawavalleydogwhisperer.blogspot.ca/2012/02/foods-that-dogs-should-never-eat.html) and shampoo (http://ottawavalleydogwhisperer.blogspot.ca/2012/07/dog-and-pet-shampoo-unsafe-harmful.html).

      So is lemon bad for dogs - only if you serve it to your dog in unreasonable quantities.

      Does lemon provide great benefit for your dog when provided in reasonable quantities, as evidenced by my own dogs - I would have to conclude yes, lemon when used properly, is beneficial.

      Cheers, K









      Delete
    2. THANK YOU for taking the time to provide such a thorough reply!!! I couldn't agree with you more. Ours also eat raw meat, yogurt, cottage cheese, tomatoes, & garlic daily. Please forgive me as I failed to review the entire ASPCA list. Someone in one of my yahoo groups mentioned that lemons were on the toxic list....and when I googled, I saw several websites that referred to the ASPCA site. So I figured I would ask for your thoughts. And I'm glad I did. The kids will be getting a little grated frozen lemon with every meal from now on :)

      Thanks again, Juli

      Delete
  4. Hi there :-) Could I replace lemon with lime instead? Thanks for your advice. Regards, Florence

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Florence, you can use one or a mix of citrus fruits, cheers K

      Delete
  5. Hi can you tell us can dogs eat pitted dates and nuts eg walnuts or brazil almonds etc
    thanks
    Trudy

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Trudy - Answers in full are found in these two articles...read both...

      http://ottawavalleydogwhisperer.blogspot.ca/2012/02/foods-that-dogs-should-never-eat.html

      and

      http://ottawavalleydogwhisperer.blogspot.ca/2012/02/fresh-whole-food-for-your-dogs-health.html

      Cheers, K

      Delete
  6. My dog likes to get lemons straight off the tree and eat then. she's a weird one

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Not so weird as you might think :>) My dogs pick their own apples, berries and at least one of them for sure would pick her own lemons if I could grow lemon trees in this climate ❀ᵔᴥᵔ❀

      Delete
  7. Hi Karen. I found your web is interesting and will try on the lemon, green tea, garlic recipes.
    I think my pug got skin infections but not severe. It is like yeast infection.
    I found medication tablets are not too useful (additionally, I think chemicals are bad to their health), so I clean her everyday by wiping the affected areas with alcohol (looks better) after given up the tablets.

    Also, I agree on your ideas about ASPCA. Everything eaten too much are bad, small amount I believe will help.
    Lots of abandoned dogs in our country are eating dead rats, chickens (not from hunting), eating human leftovers and I found them healthy, wildly breed and have long lives. It is weird.
    Anyway, thanks for your article.....I prefer natural and I hope its working.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Hardy,

      Your Golden’s womb infection was probably pyometra. Dogs are prone to pyometra when their diet is not very supportive of a strong immune system. She and the Pug do have food allergies which are causing chronic candida (yeast infection) hence the smell and skin issues. The raw diet did not clear the issue up as you likely did not supplement the diet.

      I don’t know what is in the food that you are feeding them but if there are any grains – that would be issue #1. Then you have to look at all the toxins that are included in most dog food – many of which are endocrine disruptors (hormone, thyroid disruptors). You can read my articles on dry and wet commercially made dog food.

      If you can, I would recommend that you make their food – grain free recipe here http://ottawavalleydogwhisperer.blogspot.ca/2012/06/home-made-diy-dog-food-recipes-grain.html

      In addition you should add coconut oil, omega 3 fatty acids, organic apple cider vinegar, garlic, fresh lemon, kefir, rooibos tea, turmeric, yogurt - kefir - or - fresh pickled vegetables to their daily diets. You can go to the index page of my blog site to find articles on each of these foods.

      Bath them in one of the ‘paw foot soak recipes’ from my blog site and after bath spray them with organic apple cider vinegar. A course of Colloidal Silver would be good for them as well http://ottawavalleydogwhisperer.blogspot.ca/2013/08/colloidal-silver-diy-treatment-for-dogs.html


      Delete
  8. Hi,
    I found you when I was searching about dogs and lemons because I live in Arizona and we have a lemon tree out back and my cairn terrier LOVES them - he plays with them, he drinks the lemon juice, he eats the lemon fruit... He LOVES lemons! He seem fine (active, engaged, happy, Good weight, coat, good etc) He consumes about 1 lemon every couple of days or so -is he at risk? Thank you for your consideration, Sherry

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Sherry - your Cairen Terrier's consumption of lemon should be fine - provided you are not spraying any chemical pesticides or herbicides on the tree, foliage or fruit :>)

      As long as he is not downing several lemons a day he will be just fine. Smart doggie!

      Cheers, Karen

      Delete
  9. Lemons are a very alkaline food?!?!?! No, lemon is very acidic! As in Citric ACID... Eating too many straight will dissolve the enamel off off your teeth! You need to remove that paragraph.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes lemons on their own are acidic however when ingested lemons have an alkalizing effect in the body - the citric acid does not create acidity in the body once metabolized. Yes lemon when consumed on its own can destroy teeth enamel which is why the article above notes to dilute the juice with equal parts water and the pulp with food.

      Delete
  10. I love how people add things when they really dont know or dont read, yes lemons are very acidic but once inside the body they are not. Just like Karen said :) its a great way to make your body less acidic. I like to drink warm water with lemon in the morning.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Can you please confirm for me how much lemon I should give my dogs? Above you wrote "•1/4 tsp/day of minced lemon for small dogs;
    •1/2 tbs/day for medium size dogs, and;
    •3/4 to 1 tsp/day for large dogs"- I'm guessing the tbs under medium dogs is a typo.... but then in your other article about lemons you list the dosages as "•Lemon - fresh, finely chopped
    ◦Small size dogs - 1 tsp
    ◦Medium size dogs - 1 tbs
    ◦Large dogs - 1.5 to 2 tbs". I just want to make sure I am giving them the right amount. Also.... concerning garlic.... in one article you wrote you can use ground garlic but in another you said only use fresh. Can I use ground garlic? Thank you so much for your awesome blog, I reference it regularly and I know my dogs are healthier because of it :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Heather - yes the 'tbs' is a typo - thank you, has been changed to tsp. While you can use powdered garlic it does not have the some healthful benefits of fresh garlic. If your dogs don;t like fresh garlic try to find a mild garlic (as opposed to the hotter garlic types). You can also put some natural honey on the garlic to make the garlic appeal to your dogs.

      Delete
    2. Okay, thank you for the clarification about the garlic, I will switch them to fresh garlic and see if they'll eat it. So for my medium sized dogs should I give them 1/2 teaspoon of lemon or 1 tablespoon of lemon- the two articles state different amounts- sorry to be annoying :(

      Delete
    3. Hi Heather - the dosage in the article above, I have provided a more detailed breakdown of dosage. I will copy it below for you...
      Adding The Lemon to The Daily Diet

      Start by using the half the recommended lowest dosage in your dog's size range - see 'Daily Dosage' below;
      Over the space of a week to 10 days gradually increase the amount of lemon to the lowest recommended dosage for your dog's size range;
      You can then increase to the higher dosage in your dog's range if you would like to do so.

      Daily Dosage (non-therapeutic)

      X-Small dogs - 1/16 to 1/4 tsp/day
      Small dogs - 1/4 to 1 tsp/day
      Medium dogs - 1 to 2 tsp/day
      Large dogs - 2 to 3 tsp/day
      X-Large dogs 3 to 4 tsp/day

      Cheers, Karen

      Delete
    4. Thank you so much! I appreciate it! And thank you again for putting so much work into this blog!

      Delete
  12. I know this is an old post, but just in case I'll ask my question. I have a 9 year old intact female dog with what I think is a UTI (blood in urine, frequent urinating, no other symptoms) and several benign mammary tumors. My vet (non-natural) said I should spay her as soon as possible to prevent pyometra. That was 2 years ago and I don't have the money to pay for that procedure. I've since put her on a grain-free diet, I give her bragg's ACV 2x a day, and have her on a natural supplement to boost her immune system and detox her organs. Do you think adding lemon to her diet would help prevent future pyometra? Is there something else I should be doing to help keep her healthy?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Your veterinarian's advice was that of a typical uninformed allopathic veterinarian. Spaying is NOT required to avoid Pyometra and spaying will leave your dog vulnerable to many more types of cancer than it will avoid, it will also leave your dog vulnerable to acquiring thyroid problems.

      To avoid pyometra your dog must be on a truly good, immune system supporting diet.

      Put her on my homemade food and she will be well protected - lemon is included in the recipe as are other immune system supporting items. http://ottawavalleydogwhisperer.blogspot.ca/2012/06/home-made-diy-dog-food-recipes-grain.html

      Grain free processed dry food is unfortunately not immune system supporting.

      Delete
  13. Hi, I bought DHA algae based tablets for my dog, but now I realized that they also contain lemon and lime oils for flavour (I don't know in which percentage exactly). Do you think is safe to give her those tablets?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. No - due to the possible concentration of the oils. Buy 100% pure algae - organic is best.

      Delete
    2. I will. Thank you!

      Delete
  14. Hi There - my husky was diagnosed with cancer and we agreed to operate months ago when one rib was removed due to the cancer however the cancer is back and i need some advice as to what i can give him as his breathing is not good and due to his age we would not want to operate again. Please share some ideas to make it easier for him

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. For dogs with cancer I recommend an approach that is truly holistic. Not an allopathic approach that uses one or two natural items. Diet,nutrition and health regimen must be thoroughly scrutinized - all toxins and carcinogens, listed and hidden – identified, eliminated and a diet, nutrition, health regimen established strategically composed of health promoting items that adjunct each other to fight the condition and support long-term overall health. For dogs with cancer the only ethical recommendation that I can make is http://ottawavalleydogwhisperer.ca/diet-nutrition-wellness-plans/.

      Delete
  15. I know this article isn't new ... but I've found this article very interesting. I've been putting raw apple cider vinegar in my dogs food for years. I've just been reading about the benefits of lemon, and lemon rind (for the bioflavanoids). He's had arthritis since he was a pup, and has been on Super Flavanoids for years as well, as it does help with the pain.

    1) I'm wondering if I started grinding up lemon peel, would it possibly be a replacement for the Super Flavanoids I've been buying every month?

    2) Is the lemon preferable to the apple cider vinegar? Would it be better to take out the ACV, and just lemon instead?

    Thanks :)

    Andrea

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Andrea if you want to properly and truly holistically address your dog's arthritis I do custom holistic diet nutrition wellness plans. Adding lemon will not help. Super Flavonoids is a garbage supplement - like many supplements on the market it contains inappropriate, unnecessary inflammatory toxins that actually contribute to arthritic conditions.

      Delete
  16. Hi
    you said bottled/processed lemon juice loses it beneficial properties. Is it 100% lost? Will it help with digestion even slightly? Thanks.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Karen, where have you been the last 7 years? So glad I found you now! I'm not sure if you still update this but you are a God sent blessing to dogs and lovers of them. Please keep preaching the truth and outing those who choose to ignore what it means to support good dog health instead of staying misinformed and spreading bad bad information. God bless you and your hard work to dispel myths and junk science of big corporations only interested in profits. Thank you, again!

    ReplyDelete

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Important Note

1.0 Use of Foods, Herbs, Alternative Medicines:

Safe use of items and protocols in the article above, is your sole responsibility.

Foods, herbs and alternative medicines have health issue, condition and conventional drug interactions. Safe use of all substances and protocol are your responsibility.

Before you use any substance or protocol do your research. Check for cautions, contradictions, interactions and side effects. Do not use substances or protocols not suitable to your animal's individual circumstances.

If your animal has an underlying condition substances and protocols may conflict.

2.0 Definition of Holistic…

Food, herbs, alternative medicines are NOT ‘holistic’ they are a substance and MAY, or may NOT be ‘NATURAL’.

If you use a ‘natural’ substance (ie. an herb) you are using a natural substance, not a holistic substance.

Holistic is not defined by use of one or several substances. Holistic is an approach.

Definition of “holistic” from the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary & Thesaurus © Cambridge University Press

Adjective

"relating to the whole of something or to the total system instead of just to its parts"

"Holistic medicine attempts to treat the whole person, including mind and body, not just the injury or disease."

Holistic is a way of approaching life, and within that health, and well-being.

3.0 Expectation a natural substance remedies a health or behavioral situation.

A natural substance used to treat symptoms. But, if factors causing the underlying issue remain you do not have a remedy.

Remedy requires a comprehensive approach. It is necessary to identify root cause. Remove items that trigger, cause or otherwise contribute to issues. Holistic approach includes design, implementation to treat, remedy and maintain long-term health.

4.0 Leave a Comment

I review all comments and publish those deemed appropriate for this site.

I answer questions deemed appropriate when I have time to do so.

Karen Rosenfeld
Holistic Diet Nutrition Wellness Practitioner – Dogs and Cats
Holistic Behaviorist - Dogs
Ottawa Valley Dog Whisperer


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