I couldn’t love mushrooms more. They allowed me to keep my darling soul dog Nacho for much longer than the oncologist predicted after has diagnosed with an aggressive cancer of the blood.
For dogs, the median survival time for hemangiosarcoma (the cancer Nacho was diagnosed with) is 2-3 months, but many dogs have lived beyond a year when turkey tail mushroom was added as a sole form of treatment!!
Did you know that in my practice I specialize in pets with cancer? Since Nacho’s passing I became obsessed with finding alternative, natural methods to supporting dogs (and cats) with cancer, providing pet parents with more options than I was given when the diagnosis was communicated to me.
Whether you have a dog suffering from cancer or you’re looking for an incredible cancer preventative to add to your dog’s diet plan, turkey tail mushrooms should definitely be in the mix!
In addition to helping keep your dog’s immune system balanced and reducing inflammation, mushrooms exert a positive effect on immunosuppressed dogs and enhance your dog’s humoral immune response to vaccines.
As for cancer? People who eat even only 1⁄4 cups of mushrooms daily have a 45% lower risk of cancer compared to those who do not eat mushrooms!
You can safely feed culinary mushrooms to your dog like the ones listed below, but make sure you cook them, otherwise your dog won’t benefit from the health properties they provide.
While turkey tail is especially effective against hemangiosarcoma, there are several other medicinal mushrooms that are fantastic additions to your dog’s regular health regimen, all helping support the immune system. This is vital when we want to avoid any autoimmune diseases (like cancer) from appearing.
Research shows chaga mushrooms destroy cancer cells and can decrease tumor growth—all beneficial to dogs fighting cancer! Known as the “Swiss army knife of mushrooms,” this is a mushroom to include for pretty much anything, from anti-viral, anti-parasitic, and anti-inflammatory support to helping dogs with cancer, allergies, diabetes, and pancreatitis. Last week I shared about natural remedies for allergies—chaga is wonderful in combination with reishi to combat allergies as well!
Reishi mushrooms, otherwise known as the mushroom of immortality, have been shown to improve immune responses and kill cancer cells, especially when taken with turkey tail. They are often used by monks when meditating, as they help quiet the mind. Reishi mushrooms are overall supportive of neurofunction and neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer’s (and yes, there is such a thing as doggy dementia!), depression, epilepsy, stroke, and other brain injuries.
Reishi mushrooms are also a great prebiotic for your dog, serving as food for any prebiotics you give, thanks to their fiber content and immune-modulating properties.
Lion’s Mane is a nootropic mushroom, filled with nutrients, and is reputed to benefit mental clarity and boost brain function. It is fantastic for neurological support, anti-aging, regulating cholesterol, and helping with hepatoprotection, protecting against liver damage. Have a dog that needs help with digestion? Lion’s Mane has been shown to help with IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) and gastritis. When taken with turkey tail and chaga, it can also help support dogs with cancer of the nervous system.
If your dog needs cardiovascular support, consider adding cordyceps mushrooms to your dog’s regimen. Called the mushroom of agility, they support energy, are anti-aging, and increase cellular ATP energy stores. They have been shown in some experiments to reduce arrhythmias and act as a mild platelet aggregation inhibitor, as well as reduce cholesterol levels and heart rate.
Additionally, cordyceps can help the liver and kidney with detoxification, reduce hepatic inflammation and fibrosis, and in some cases, improve kidney function in combination with dialysis.
This is only scratching the surface in sharing about how fantastic mushrooms are and their incredible ability to help support health in your dog (and in humans!)
Want to learn more about how you can incorporate mushrooms into your dog’s regular health regiment and nutrition? As a client of Nacho Average Dog Health Coach you will learn about how mushrooms work within the body, which mushrooms and combination thereof will serve your individual dog the best based on their situation, dosage, recipes and much more.
Don’t miss out on this fabulous, natural method to help protect and improve your fur baby’s health!
Book a consultation today and let’s talk mushrooms, your dog will thank you!
Disclaimer: medical information or statements made on this site are not intended for use in or as a substitute for the diagnosis or treatment of any health or physical condition or as a substitute for a veterinarian-client relationship which has been established by an in-person evaluation of a patient. This information and advice published or made available through this website is not intended to replace the services of a veterinarian, nor does it constitute a veterinarian-client relationship. Each individual’s treatment and/or results may vary based upon the circumstances, the patients’ specific situation, as well as the health care provider’s medical judgment and only after further discussion of the patient’s specific situation, goals, risks, and benefits and other relevant medical discussions. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent disease.
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