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Can Dogs Eat Ginger?

Ginger is an ingredient that we can find in Asian and Indian cuisine. He belongs to same family as turmeric, that is also used in medicine. It is actually a root, that we can prepare in many different ways.

He has also beed known as a very healthy food, that people have been using for many centuries. So, is this healthy food, healthy for our little pet friends also or not? Find out today. Alternatively, you can also read our article on spaghetti and dogs.

Nutrition facts

Fresh ginger is used to flavor foods and drinks and it is always used in small amounts. He can replace sodium and also he doesn’t contain a lot of calories, carbohydrate, protein or fiber.

He is known as anti inflammatory and antioxidant. Capsaicin, caffeic acid, salicylate, beta-carotene and gingerols are his main components which have a very good effect on our health. He is also rich in vitamins and minerals.

Ginger and dogs

It is safe to say that ginger is definitely safe for dogs. Many holistic practitioners have recommended using ginger in your dogs diet, to improve his health and also for maintenance.

There have been also a lot of proven cases where ginger has helped dogs relieve conditions like nausea, bloating, heartworm and many others.

Nausea treatment

Dogs can have nausea for many different reasons. He might have car sickness, or he ate something that is not good for his stomach or he is taking some heavy medicines that are hard for his digestive system to process. In these cases you can relieve his condition by giving him some ginger powder or perhaps even fresh ginger. Y

ou can also mix some in his water or food, if of course he can eat in that state. You can also give your dog some ginger to your dog before he gets into the car to make sure he doesn’t get sick.

Bloating problems

Bloat or gastric dilatation volvulus can be life-threatening condition for larger dog breeds that is manifested in expansion of the stomach from built up food and gas that is not being let out. Cause of this condition has not been found but it is definitely dangerous.

Ginger in this case can help your dog to process food easier and also relieve bloating.

Helping with arthritis

Ginger has anti-inflammatory effect, and since arthritis is a inflammatory condition, he can help with relieving this disease.

If your dogs happens to suffer from this condition, then you can mix in some ginger in his diet, fresh or in powder and he will feel much better. Problems like inflamed joints will be gone, and your little friend will be able to move around without feeling the pain.

Cancer treatment

It is logical that ginger can help in cancer treatment. As recent studies show, ginger can also be used in cancer treatment. In one particular study, ginger has killed lymphosarcoma cells in a test tube, and in another study ginger has slowed down the growth of breast cancer cells.

Big part of this treatment is has also his anti-inflammatory effect which is very important in cancer treatment. Ginger can also improve our immune system which is usually weakened in cancer treatment.

Feeling a heartworm

This is a very difficult condition, and treatments are usually very complicated and risky. There are a lot of conventional prevention options that also carry quite a risk.

Ginger, however, in some studies has been very effective in treatment of heartworm disease in dogs. Heartworm larvae that causes heartworm has shown reduction when in contact with ginger. Concentration ranged between 83% to 98% percent in infected dogs.

Use of ginger

Ginger is a root which we can find in many different forms these days. Some of them are powder, pills, tinctures, as a tea or in the end raw root. When using raw root you need to peel of the skin and mince the root. Then you can use it in your food, drinks or in your pets food if he needs it. A half of teaspoon is enough for smaller dogs and for larger breeds you can use ¾ teaspoon.

Make sure to give your dog a smaller amount of ginger until you make sure that he takes it well, and once you are sure you can start to encrease the amount of portions. Of course pills and other options are also acceptable.

Be cautious

Be cautious when you give your dog ginger not to give him too much. Too much of everything can’t be good. So, scale your portions according to your dogs size, and check in with your veterinarian if in doubt.

Ginger can also make your blood thin so don’t give to your pet friend if he is undergoing a surgery or perhaps going into labor. Also he lowers blood pressure, so make sure to ask your vet if your dog has a heart condition or if he is diabetic.

Learn if your dog can eat pork now.