Ottawa Valley Dog Whisperer : February 2018

Tuesday, 13 February 2018

Mushroom Broth Recipe for Dogs, Cats – Food is Medicine

Real food is medicine - this mushroom broth recipe can help support your dogs and cats health. This mushroom broth can be given daily or as needed to provide healing support.

Mushroom Broth Recipe Ingredients for Dogs and Cats

You Will Need:

2 tbs unsalted butter – organic or from grass fed, pasture raised animals.

You can choose to substitute the butter with one of the following:

Organic, cold-pressed unrefined coconut oil.
Organic cold-pressed, avocado oil.
Organic, extra-virgin cold pressed olive oil.

2 cups chopped medicinal mushrooms (organic or wild crafted)...

Fresh medicinal mushrooms, or;
Dry medicinal mushrooms.
Select medicinal mushroom type from the list I provide further below.

4 cups filtered or spring water.
Optional Ingredients:

1 up to 2 tbs fresh, minced organic ginger root.
5 up to 10 whole, organic or wild-crafted juniper berries.
When introducing herbs and spices to your dog or cat make sure the herb/spice you choose is appropriate for him/her.

Preparation

Wash mushrooms.
Place butter in a pot.
Place pot on low heat, allow the butter to melt.
Add the mushrooms to the pot, sauté.
Add 2 cups of filtered or spring water to the pot.
If using optional ingredients, add the ginger and/or juniper berries.
Simmer for 20 minutes.
Remove from heat, allow to cool.
Strain the mushrooms from the liquid.
Option One –

Pour the cooled mushroom broth into glass bottles.
Store in refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Option Two –

Pour the liquid into ice cube trays, freeze.

Mushroom Broth Serving Suggestions for Dogs and Cats

Give with meals.
Offer in-between meals as a treat.
Use the broth ice cubes as a treat.
Use the broth to make smoothies.

Mushroom Broth Serving Size – General Guideline for Dogs and Cats

Small dogs and Cats – 1 tbs to 1/8 cup 1x, to 2x per day
Medium Size Dogs – 1/4 to 1/3 cup 1x to 2x per day
Large Dogs – 1/2 to 3/4 cup, 1x to 2x per day
X-Large Dogs – ¾ to 1 cup 1x to 2x per day

List of Medicinal Mushrooms For Dogs and Cats

Partial List:

Agrikon
Agariko
Antrodia
Blazei
Chaga
Cordyceps
Himematsutake
Kign Trumpet
Lion’s Mane
Maitake
Mesima
Polyporus
Poriia cocs
Reishi
Shiitake
Suehirotake
True Tinder Polypore
Turkey Tail (various varieties)

Food is Medicine - Medicinal Mushroom Broth Health Benefits

Partial list:

Arthritis
Bone and joint health
Cancer prevention
Central nervous system health
Gastrointestinal health
Detoxification
Heart health
Immune system health
Kidney health
Liver health
Respiratory health
Skin health
Urinary tract health

Cautions

For a comprehensive list of unsafe, dangerous and poisonous mushrooms dogs and cats should not consume go here.
Editable, medicinal mushrooms are not appropriate for every dog and cat.

Make sure you check side effects, drug interactions and health condition contradictions for your individual animal's specific situation.

Do not force a dog or cat to ingest substances (i.e. foods, herbs) that the animal indicates he/she does not want.

Holistic Wellness Services and Holistic Behaviorist Services

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Article and graphics by Karen Rosenfeld.

Mushrooms For Dogs, Cats – Safe Editable Medicinal and Unsafe, Poisonous

Mushrooms (fungi) that are unsafe (poisonous, or deadly), to us humans, are also unsafe for dogs and cats. Medicinal and editable mushrooms ¹safe for human consumption, are generally ¹safe and healthful for dogs and cats.

Mushrooms that are Unsafe, and Dangerous to Dogs and Cats

Examples –

Amanita (i.e. death cap mushroom).
False Morels.
Jack of Lantern.
Little Brown Mushrooms (some or safe, some poisonous).

Nature Photo offers an extensive list- names, and photos, of mushrooms (fungi) to be avoided:

The above lists are extensive, but not complete – there are many more mushrooms that fall into the categories listed above.

Mushrooms that Are ¹Safe For Dogs and Cats

Organic or wild-crafted medicinal mushrooms (i.e. turkey tail, shiitake, oyster mushrooms, etc.), and culinary mushrooms (i.e. button mushrooms, portobello mushrooms, etc.) offer a wide range of health benefits to ¹dogs, and are also good for most ¹cats. for a list of dog and cat safe medicinal mushrooms go here.

You can choose one or two of the following options to add safe, editable and medicinal mushrooms as needed to your dog’s and cat’s daily diet:

Mushroom broth - for a dog and cat appropriate mushroom broth recipe go here.
Bone broth with mushroom –add mushrooms to the bone broth 20 to 30 minutes before removing the bone broth from cooking heat.
Mushroom tea.
Dried mushroom powder.
Fresh mushrooms added to a greens and veggie and/or fruit puree or smoothie.

On a daily basis my dogs have mushroom broth or tea, dried mushroom powder or mushrooms added to their veggie/fruit puree.

True story - my first dog knew which wild mushrooms where safe to forage and would self-harvest her own wild mushrooms. My current pack of dogs don’t self-forage wild mushrooms.

When in your own yard, or hiking along wooded trails – if you are not confident your dog knows the difference between editable and poisonous mushrooms – monitor your dog and do not allow him/her to taste-test mushrooms and fungi.

¹‘Safe’ is used as a relative term, meaning safe for most dogs and cats. As with all ingested substances (foods, herbs, etc.) the individual:

May have a sensitivity (intolerance or allergic response) to an editable, medicinal mushroom.
May have a health issue that contradicts consumption of mushrooms.
May be on a drug that contradicts consumption of a mushrooms.