Oh My Dog!

obsessed with dogs

Do you ever dislike your dog?

This space exists so that we can share honestly in a digital world that often is far too glossy.

So, here goes: Some days, today being one, I don’t like Cooper.

He can be a jerk. And, when he’s a jerk, I just don’t like him.

I love him, of course. I love him to pieces at all times. I don’t like him at all times.

I don’t like him today.

I really didn’t like him yesterday.

Do you ever dislike your dog?

See, we’re dog-sitting my mom’s dog Otto for a month. He’s a 24-pound floof with a happy-go-lucky demeanor, though he’s overweight and untrained. He and Coop get along great. They skitter around the yard together. They chew a toy side by side in the evenings. They snooze together on the couch.

The only problem is Otto’s outright obsession with food (hence the weight problem) combined with not knowing any commands (like, “on your bed” or whatever) ALONG WITH Cooper’s unpredictable food-resource-guarding behavior means mealtimes are heavily managed.

(I call it unpredictable because it’s inconsistent. I think that’s probably the better word because it’s hard to guess what he’ll decide to guard. Nine times out of 10, he’ll share a bite of a cookie with another dog. He shares his toys. It’s just that flukey, unknown-to-me instance when that switches…)

Cooper eats on his mat in the kitchen, and the cats eat in their corners of the kitchen.

Otto eats in the hallway behind a gate.

They finish. I pick up the bowls and load the dishwasher, then I take down the gate.

Yesterday I followed that exact routine for breakfast. After I took down the gate, I turned back to the sink to pour milk into Violet’s sippy cup and within seconds, from a few feet behind me, in the corner where Newt eats, I heard the sound… the gut-wrenching angry, snarling, yelling sound of a fight.

I whipped around, snatched Cooper by the thighs and hauled him up wheelbarrow-style. I dumped him in the bedroom, closed the door, and checked on Otto.

Otto trembled. There, just behind his right ear: a puncture.

I felt sick.

It bled like crazy, so I cleaned it up. I got Violet ready and dressed.

I drove Otto to the vet. They cleaned him up and started him on an antibiotic.

The whole while, I’m fuming at Cooper.

Here’s what we think happened: Sometimes Newt picks up mouthfuls of her canned food and spits it on the ground next to her bowl and proceeds to eat from the floor. Both John and I think she must’ve done that and left behind tiny smears of cat food that they both went for at once.

I snarled at Cooper in my head through the whole drive to the vet.

WHY does he have to do stupid shit like this? 

He gets plenty of food. WHY would he guard a smear of spit-out cat food?

WHAT IS HIS PROBLEM??? This is all his fault. 

I wanted to cry, but Violet actually was crying (“Otto hurt! Otto sick!”) so I kept it together. I spoke with the vet as calmly as possible. They took Otto back.

They bandaged him. They stuck him in a cone. She said to take the bandage off and see if the puncture clotted after a few hours. “It really is tiny,” she said. “It’s just that the skin underneath tore, so it bled a lot.”

I parked Violet in front of Sesame Street and cleaned the floors. I picked up all the toys and stashed them in the closet, just in case. I texted John and asked him to pick up another gate on his way home so we could arrange two separate safe spaces, one for each boy, until Otto’s fully healed. They’ll be separated when we have to leave them at home. We’re also now feeding the cats on the table in the dining room instead of on the kitchen floor.

Cooper is just SO much bigger and so much more athletic and so much stronger than Otto. We simply can’t have this happen again.

And I know, I am very aware, that resource guarding is incredibly “normal” in dog behavior. But, just because something is normal doesn’t mean it’s acceptable. (This is an awesome post, btw, if you want to read more.)

Compounding the issues, Cooper doesn’t give clear cues as a warning, though. And, Otto’s vet told me she thinks Otto isn’t great at reading cues himself.

Two idiots acting like idiots with idiotic results.

I feel like all the #doggo memes and stuff like izdog make it seem like dogs are just happy, goofy loves who grace us with their innocence. It’s not totally wrong, but it’s not right either. We’re conditioned to think that dogs just fit in with human society through anthropomorphized or aggrandized dogs: Lassie, Pluto, all 101 dalmatians, Barkley (we’re deep into Sesame Street around here lately), Rin Tin Tin, and so on. It’s not fair to dogs who are whole other species with tremendous differences from us and from each other.

Yet I get mad at Cooper: WHY CAN’T YOU BE LIKE AIR BUD?

I don’t like him when he behaves like a jerk. I love him, but he stresses me out. It’s so frustrating and why can’t you just be normal?!?!

Eventually I’ll forgive him. Probably later today. But, for now, I’m mad at him at his jerky behavior.

I think this is the reality of being responsible for another species: Sometimes you don’t like them, you don’t like their behavior, you don’t like the added stress and pressure and responsibility piled on by this other creature.

Sometimes they’re the most wonderful things in the world. But not always. So, while I’m still mad at Cooper and I just don’t like him right now, I wanted to share this story in case it helped alleviate any pressure or burden someone else might be feeling if they’re struggling with their pup. It’s not all sunshine, rainbows, and #dabubbas.

Anyone else ever feel like this???

Everything You Need to Know about Feline Idiopathic Cystitis

A few weeks ago, I started our morning litter box routine. Newt and Ripley share three boxes: one upstairs, one in the laundry room, and one in my bathroom. Twice a day, I start with the box upstairs, scoop all three, then move on with our day!

Everything You Need to Know about Feline Idiopathic Cystitis
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That morning, I scooped the upstairs box and noticed a rusty color in one of the urine scoops. Odd, I thought, but figured our natural litter maybe just had a discoloration. (This is the litter we use.) It happens.

Then I went downstairs…

I started to scoop the laundry room box, and right at the top was a small clump of blood. Something you never want to see in the litter box, of course, and with two cats that share all three boxes pretty equally, I didn’t know which cat was having the problem. So, I separated them for a short while, each with access to one box. Luckily, Ripley went almost right away. I peeked in and–sure enough–a lot of blood. I immediately called the vet.

The next day, I took her in. After a hands-on exam, the vet told me that Ripley’s bladder was teeny tiny and also empty. She recommended that I leave Rip with her. They’d put her in a crate with a non-absorbing litter, give her fluids, then wait for her to go. As much as I hated to leave her, it seemed to be the most sensible course.

A couple hours later, the vet called: Ripley peed a ton of blood. There were crystals but no bacteria.

The diagnosis? Feline Idiopathic Cystitis.

What is Feline Idiopathic Cystitis (FIC)?

Also called Pandora Syndrome, it sounds scary–but, honestly, what diagnosis doesn’t? The tricky thing with FIC is that its symptoms overlap with a bunch of other symptoms of various lower urinary tract diseases. The signs include bloody urine, straining to urinate, having accidents, excessive licking of the area, and so on. Each of these symptoms applies to all sorts of other problems like infections (which is what I assumed Ripley had) to tumors to bladder stones and so on.

FIC is a diagnosis of exclusion; once all that other stuff is ruled out, your cat is diagnosed with FIC.

OK, so what is FIC? Idiopathic cystitis in cats is “a psychosomatic problem that stems from an inability to handle stress,” according to Veterinary Partner. The reference goes on to explain that the lining of the cat’s bladder becomes “patchy” when the cat experiences anxiety. This results in inflammation, which we all know by now is the root of all evil. (Hyperbole? Sure, but inflammation causes so many problems, so let’s roll with it!)

We’ll dig into the treatment in a minute, but for now, it’s super important to realize that if your cat has been diagnosed with this stress-related illness, it does not reflect poorly on you. My first instinct was, “ARH!!! We’re a stressful home! We caused poor Ripley’s bladder to bleed!” Of course, that’s not exactly true. While stress management is key–again, more on that in a minute–the reality is that some cats are prone to this because of an imbalance in their brain that affects how their hormones are controlled. According to the Veterinary Partner article: “These cats are neurologically different in a way that makes them extra reactive to any change in their world, extra anxious, and extra sensitive to pain relating to the back half of their bodies. … FIC cats are very sensitive and can flare up with symptoms over events that humans frequently discount or pay no attention to. Most pet owners, however, are aware that the cat in question has a personality that is somewhat anxious or sensitive.”

Ripley is extra sensitive. We’ve known this since the first week we brought her home. She’s also rambunctious and playful, silly and athletic, cuddly and lovely. She’s a wonderful cat who just happens to be wired a little differently. If your cat receives this diagnosis, don’t feel guilty! Feel grateful! Because now that you know what you’re up against, you can help your cat live a wonderful, well-managed life!

How does a cat “catch” Idiopathic Cystitis?

Well, they don’t. As it says above, this is just how some cats are wired. Newt will never be at risk, despite sharing a home with Ripley. (Newt is clearly NOT wired for stress. She is one tough cookie who keeps everyone in this household shipshape.) If your cat receives this diagnosis, rest assured that it’s pretty manageable and isn’t communicable to any other animals or people at home.

Perhaps the more appropriate question should be: What triggers idiopathic cystitis in cats?

Stress.

What “stress” means for your cat might be different than Ripley. For instance, she’s been in a home with a child her entire life, so she’s used to Violet. A cat who’s never been around a child might get triggered if a small child comes to visit. Ultimately, you need to examine your own home and lifestyle to figure out your cat’s triggers, but some common ones include:

  • changes in routine
  • changes in diet
  • moving or even just swapping around furniture
  • adding or losing family members
  • construction
  • weather pattern changes
  • a stressful family
  • too much Baby Shark (just kidding… sorta…)
  • changes in the family’s schedule

That last one, we think, triggered Ripley. Her FIC started the weekend after John started his new job, which took him away from home for very long days for the first time in Ripley’s life. It also affected what time the animals eat breakfast each day and resulted in me being gone for more hours each day for Violet’s school drop off and pickup. We also switched their food often because we rotated diets for Newt forever, so that’s what we were used to. All big changes, all at once. Obviously had we known about her condition first, we would’ve handled things differently, but I’m grateful we know now and can take steps to mitigate flare ups in the future!

How do you treat Feline Idiopathic Cystitis?

It starts with stress management.

Clearly you can’t control everything. No one can. But, you can take a handful of measures to ensure a safe, calm environment to keep your cat from having an FIC “flare up.” Here are three big things to consider:

  1. Plug in pheromone diffusers: Our vet recommended Feliway, which we put in the three spaces Ripley uses the most. It does seem expensive, but the refills are less costly than the whole kit, and… imo… if it helps, it’s worth it.
  2. Environmental enrichment: Cats with FIC need “safe” spaces that fit their personality. Ripley isn’t a “tree-dweller” like Newt is, so for her it’s access to under the bed, in cozy corners, and piles of blankets. For those reasons, she prefers our bedroom, so we make sure she has unfettered access. I’m considering a baby gate for the bedroom door to keep Cooper and Violet from rushing in when she needs down time, but I’m not totally sure on that one yet. Environmental enrichment also includes play time with you, as well as stimulating experiences like a window perch, interesting toys, and so on.
  3. Prescription food: Your vet might want your cat on a prescription diet. I know many people have mixed feelings about those diets, but talk to your vet with an open mind and do your own research. For us, we chose to put Rip on a prescription for ongoing maintenance. Most sources recommend canned, if possible, to add the moisture. Ripley gets canned food for breakfast and dinner plus a puzzle toy with kibble at lunchtime.

Your vet might also prescribe anti-inflammatories during a flare up because the condition is painful, including spasms in the bladder.

I know what many of you are thinking: Is there a “natural” solution? Honestly, the environmental enrichment piece and stress management piece are as natural as you can possibly get. In fact, studies show that this–more than the diet and more than any medications–prevents FIC flare ups.

How’s Ripley faring with her FIC diagnosis?

She’s not peeing blood anymore so, you know, #winning!

In all seriousness, she’s doing well. She’s due for a recheck this week, but the Feliway has been working. She actually loves her prescription food and gobbles it right up. We’re a little over a month into the new routine and schedule, and it seems like everyone is finally starting to adjust. (How the toddler handled a total upheaval of her schedule is a whole other topic for a whole other blog, but whooooooooo boy.)

When we first got the diagnosis, the vet put her on an anti-inflammatory to help with the pain and spasms associated with the condition. She hasn’t strained to go to the bathroom since we started the treatment.

Quick aside: I panicked when she gave me the packet of pills. We’ve never *knock on wood* had to pill a cat. Well, wouldn’t you know? Ripley just ate the pill right off the kitchen counter where I set it to find some cheese or something to stick it in. ¯\_(:/)_/¯

What next?

Our next steps include: continued stress management in the house with enrichment activities added in, the prescription food, a recheck with the vet, and emergency appointments if we ever spot a flare up. If your cat gets this diagnosis, definitely check out Feliway and consider what changes you can make at home to create a more secure, more enriching environment for your cat. (Check out some ideas here.) We have a pretty cat-friendly setup around here, but there are some things we can add, like maybe some cat grass in the window and a climbing structure other than their same-old cat tree. (A girl can dream. Just kidding… kind of…)

So, that’s our plan, and I think that’s just about everything you need to know about Feline Idiopathic Cystitis! Have I left you with questions? If so, leave any Qs in the comments, and I’ll try to answer them or find an expert who can! Or, if you’ve had a cat diagnosed with FIC, what has worked for you? I’d love to share first-person insights and anecdotes so we can all learn and help our cats feel better! 

Dog Bite Prevention: Safety First for Kids + Pets

Safety first.

That phrase permeates everything, doesn’t it?

Whether it’s the painstaking child-proofing of your home, or the rules you teach and enforce (Look both ways! Wash your hands! Hold mommy’s hand!) it’s always safety first.

Yet, somehow, we fall flat when we’re at home with our kids and pets.

Dog Bite Prevention_ Safety First for Kids + Pets

We take it for granted–She’s such a good dog! They get along so well!–and we let our guard down just a smidge.

According to SafetyAroundDogs.org: “The Center for Disease Control and Prevention estimates half of all children 12 years-of-age and under have been bitten by a dog. In many cases, teasing or an unintentional provocation, such as approaching a dog while it’s eating or sleeping, can lead to a dog bite or even worse, an attack. The vast majority of dog bites are from a dog that the child is acquainted with – his or her own, a neighbor’s, or a friend’s dog.”

The good news: Dog bites are almost entirely preventable.

But it’s on YOU, parents. Not your kids and certainly not your dog.

Any dog can bite. Big or small. Fluffy or sleek. Known or or unknown. Kids need to understand that any dog, including their own, can bite.

Even if your dog is well socialized and even if your kid knows the safety rules, you’re still the one in charge, so here are a few tips to make dog-bite prevention even easier:

Kids and Pets Should Never Be Alone Together

One of the most common factors in a dog bite? An unsupervised child. If your kiddo is under 12, never leave your kid and dog alone together unsupervised. Some easy solutions: Set up baby gates in various places around the house that make it easy to separate kids from pets. Give your dog a “safety space” in a crate or gated off in a separate room where your children aren’t allowed to approach. Make the space fun for your pup with food puzzles or toys. Remove your dog to that safe space if you’re ever unable to supervise your kids’ interactions with your dog.

Know Your Dog’s Limits

If your dog is sick or tired or sore, keep your kids away. End of story. Yes, your dog is a member of your family, but it’s better that she feel sad being away from you while recovering than have your kid fall on her and force a negative response. Dogs don’t want to bite. Don’t put your dog is a position where she feels she has to.

Teach Dog-Friendly Rules to Your Kids

Other than the rules above, there are some basics that every kid needs to know. Here are three to start with:

  • Never, ever poke fingers through a gate or fence to pet a dog, even if it’s a dog you know.
  • Kids should know not to approach a dog who’s eating, drinking, sleeping, barking, growling, or playing with a toy.
  • If your dog is trying to find a quiet place to go or looks like she’s trying to escape your kiddo, they need to know not to pursue, chase, or follow!

The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) produced a series of funny-but-helpful educational videos that are worth watching with your kids, too.

Here’s the full playlist, and one of my faves is below:

As the parent, you need to have a basic understand of your dog’s body language, too, because the thing is… your dog can’t be held responsible for your kid’s actions. Or your neighbor’s kid’s actions. Check out this handy and adorable poster (credit ©2011 Lili Chin):

Boogie: DOGGIE LANGUAGE ©2011 Lili Chin

BTW, check out her site for a ton of awesome (and free!) posters that can be printed and hung on your fridge!

Some Final Dog-Bite Prevention Tips

When adopting a new pet, visit a well-run shelter with involved staff who can tell you all about a dog’s personality. Be sure to share your kid’s personality, too, so they can help you find a dog who’s the right fit.

Take your dog to training classes that use positive, humane, science-based methods.

In addition to training, socialize your pup to other dogs, kids, adults, and so on.

Spay or neuter your dog. Some evidence suggests “fixed” dogs bite less often.

If your dog indicates any aggression in any situation, schedule an appointment with your vet ASAP. Let her rule out underlying medical causes, then ask for a referral to a Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist to work on any issues before they can become a bite.

Dog bites are preventable.

Supervise your kids.

We like to think our kids are wonderful little angels, but dog bites happen when kids–not dogs–aren’t behaving.

Never expect your dog to behave when your kid isn’t.

Separate them, yes, to protect your kid from a bite, but more so to protect your dog from being put in the situation where she feels compelled to bite.

Finally, a few resources for you to help further your education on preventing dog bites:

  • Stop the 77: 77 percent of dog bites come from the family’s dog or a friend’s dog, according to this resource. There are a ton of useful, accessible videos to watch with your kids.
  • Dog Safety for Kids: Be a tree: This is particularly important if your kiddo encounters a loose dog.
  • Kids and Dogs: How Kids Should and Should Not Interact With Dogs
  • Take a class together: Find a rewards-based training program near you that teaches your children how to interact safely with dogs.

Have you ever experienced a dog-bite situation with your kids or your pets? If so, how did you handle it? If you’re teaching your kids bite safety, what tools and resources do you recommend? Have you taken a class or read any good books to share with the community?

Dog Research Topics: “Vetting” science vs. opinion in the dog universe

I love Dog World, this space built on a shared love and compassion for our furry friends. The most important relationships in my life grew from this space, and I’ve learned to take better care of my pets along the way. Dog World (that should be a theme park, imo…) brings joy, laughter, tears, and connection.

One thing I don’t love?

There’s a lot of outdated, outmoded, and just plain dumb stuff that still circulates. Many pet professionals like dog trainers aren’t required to have any type of certification (though lots pursue it on their own). And, unfortunately, opinion rather than fact rules the day.

Dog Research Topics_ _Vetting_ science vs. opinion in the dog universe

All this sprang up for me recently when someone messaged me regarding a specific post, and she asked, “Where do you get your research?”

I love that question for two reasons: First, it shows a healthy dose of skepticism and a critical eye. I love following the trails of others’ research and vetting sources on my own, so I greatly appreciated that inquiry! Second, I thought I had done a decent job (at least in that post) linking to sources, so it was a strong call to action on my part to really emphasize the data when it’s a research-driven post.

Anyway, as I started to craft my reply to her, I realized: I should post this! We all love dogs, and I think we’re all rational, reasonable people who are open to well-researched new ideas. I think we can all agree we’re sick of blustery claims or emotional arguments that don’t hold water–in Dog World and, you know, Real World. So I wanted to share a few things with you and hopefully this gives you some awesome weekend reading, too!

Dog Research Topics and Where to Find Sources

Here’s a confession: I read a lot. I basically read all the time. I don’t like having social media on my phone (other than Instagram, of course), but I love having it to read articles, blogs, newspapers, and so on when I have pockets of time without my computer. I keep notes on what I read, so I’m constantly gathering ideas. But, I wanted to share two of my most favorite blogs for gathering dog research topics and ideas:

The Science Dog

A more recent discovery for me, this blog is written by Linda P. Case, an expert with the credentials to back her up. A lot of the topics center around the latest in canine nutrition. If you’re looking to binge-read a blog this weekend that focuses on how our dogs eat (and, let’s be honest, who isn’t?) this is for you. And, actually, in the past she didn’t write a ton: maybe a post every few months. However, there are already three for this year, so I’m excited to see where it goes in 2019! All that said, this is an awesome starting point for research-based information largely about canine nutrition. It’s also easy to read, turning complex data into engaging posts.

Dog Spies from Scientific American

OK, so I’m sure there’s an explanation, but there aren’t any new posts in about five months. However, the archives are so worth it. And I hope it’s not going away. I love, love this blog, one published by Scientific American. If you want to know how your dogs think–about everything from poop eating to self-recognition to the sad puppy-dog look, plus all sorts of other stuff like the science of animal shelters and even, sometimes about cat cognition–this is the site you need to read. It’s entertaining. It’s informative. It’s caused me, many times, to sit and stare at Cooper wishing even more than usual that I could get inside that head of his.

Google Scholar 

There are a ton more amazing blogs and channels that cover animal topics. Twitter is an awesome resource, as is Instagram. And, once I have some ideas, or–more often than not–I have some notes in a notebook somewhere that are little planted seeds waiting until something sparks a connection that I can turn into a post, I turn to Google Scholar. Also, I always do search the regular Google, too, because I love reading what others have to say about specific topics, especially blogs and newspapers.

Google Scholar just like regular Google, except that it only searches scholarly publications. So, for instance, recently I was hired to write a blog post for a client about the latest research on the relationship between your dog’s microbiome and his behavior (super interesting stuff!), so I went to Google Scholar and typed in “dog microbiome” as a starting point. The results are all peer-reviewed science vs. what you find on Facebook or on blogs that make claims based on “my dog.” In the end, there’s nothing wrong with that as long as you’re taking great care of your dog. I’m just someone who nearly-obsessively wants to find the actual science behind those claims.

What next?

When I used to teach college English, we talked about an “informed assessment,” that is coming to your own conclusion based on the research. That’s generally what my blog posts are: informed assessments.

I think, at the end of the day, the person messaged me originally because she disliked the claim I made in that post. And that’s fair. Everyone can dislike whatever they want, but whether or not the claim is true, well, it’s much harder to look at data, at published scientific research, and say, “Nah, I don’t think so,” than it is to disregard anecdotes.

There you have it: That’s a glimpse at how I find dog research topics and then how I research them. I have piles of notes and ideas that I’ll likely never get to, at least not in this forum, but I love the reading and the research, so that’s worth it to me, anyways!

I hope you enjoy those two blogs! Please let me know if you dig up anything fascinating, and if you have other favorite sources, please share those in the comments!

Golden Paste for Dogs: The What, Why, and How

Have you jumped on the turmeric bandwagon yet?

It seems to be all the rage right now, and I’ll admit: I’m late to the party!

Why?

Well, I think it’s my natural desire to push back, to rebel. I read a ton of cancer stuff online–which I need to stop doing–but I can’t even tell you how many times I’ve seen someone post about a personal struggle and some stranger replies, “You should really add turmeric to your diet.” In my head, I’m screaming, “YOU SHOULD REALLY MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS! YOU’RE NOT THE ONE WITH CANCER!” It’s not helpful. It’s not productive. It’s not supportive, though I suspect the person making the recommendation thinks they’re being supportive when really they’re inserting their unproductive opinion. Unless your friend specifically asks for your suggestion, keep it to yourself! They have enough on their plate.

End unrelated rant. Sorry ’bout that.

Ahem.

Anyways, turmeric!

How to Make Golden Paste for Your Dog

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Over the last six months or so, it’s really hit home that Coop is cresting that middle-age point. He’ll be nine this summer, and while he’s still high-energy and pretty fit, we’ve seen a few signs of aging: his increasingly-white fur, a slight stiffness after a strenuous hike, longer recovery times after his runs, and–for that matter–a little less stamina for the longer runs. He’s by no means done with any of that but rather slowing down on occasion or taking longer to recover. He’s still a lunatic who acts foolish without enough mental or physical exercise each day, and he’s at a healthy weight.

That said, I’ve been researching ways to aid him as he ages, specifically with his muscles and joints, and my research kept turning up the same thing: golden paste. So, I decided to give it a whirl. Before I share my super-simple recipe, let’s address what it is and why it matters:

First, what is golden paste?

“Golden paste” is just the name of the concoction. It’s a mix of turmeric, pepper (more on that below), water, and a healthy fat like coconut oil. Also called “turmeric paste,” it’s indicated for use in people, dogs, horses, you name it. But I’m forever a skeptic when it comes to health food claims, so I turned to the scholarly research. In a journal article posted by the National Institutes of Health:

Curcumin (diferuloylmethane) is a yellow pigment present in the spice turmeric (Curcuma longa) that has been associated with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, antiviral, and antibacterial activities as indicated by over 6,000 citations. In addition, over one hundred clinical studies have been carried out with curcumin. …

Extensive research over the past 30 years has shown that it plays an important role in the prevention and treatment of various pro-inflammatory chronic diseases including neurodegenerative, cardiovascular, pulmonary, metabolic, autoimmune and malignant diseases.

So, yeah. The research is there. This particular article, and why I chose to cite this one instead one of the other over one hundred studies, is that it highlights one of the key problems with turmeric: bioavailability. Basically, our bodies don’t do a good enough job absorbing the ingredient to really maximize its benefits. You could take turmeric daily and not benefit one bit. In that paper, they examine a number of studies that looked at different ways to administering turmeric–everything from intravenously to mixed with natural ingredients–and the most realistic pairing for our purposes was adding black pepper (you’ll see this in my recipe below). Piperine is a major component of black pepper and does the job of increasing the bioavailability, but do note that the studies that showed the biggest increase were in humans, not small mammals. Take that with a grain of turmeric, I suppose.

Second, how does turmeric help dogs?

Well, all the studies cited demonstrate a whole host of benefits BUT it’s super-duper important to note that these studies are largely conducted on rats and on humans. We’re extrapolating similar benefits for dogs.

Anyway, turmeric has been shown to do all sorts of things even, yes, potentially helping cancer patients. (Still, don’t suggest it unless you’re asked!) The key benefits of turmeric for dogs, people, horses, etc. include (links go to the studies that demonstrate the benefits):

Those are big benefits for anyone, of course, but serve aging pups (and people) particularly well. So, I’m on board! Let’s do this!

How to Make Golden Paste for Your Dog

You can share it, too!

If you search for this online, you’ll find a crazy number of recipes. They all contain the same foundation: turmeric (buy it in bulk, y’all!), water, black pepper (per the note above to help absorption), and a healthy fat like coconut oil. Tons of other versions contain all sorts of other things like freshly-ground ginger, Ceylon cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, and so on. TBH, most of those spices are added just for flavor and aren’t at all necessary.

Golden Paste Ingredients:

  • 1 cup water
  • 1/2 cup turmeric powder
  • 1/3 cup coconut oil
  • 1.5 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper

How to Make the Golden Paste:

  1. Combine the water and turmeric powder in a sauce pan. Stir constantly over medium-high heat until it thickens. It generally takes six or seven minutes.
  2. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the coconut oil and pepper. (If you want to throw in any of the other, optional seasonings, now’s the time. Aim for about a teaspoon each.)
  3. Let it cool, then pour it into a glass jar for storage.

Serving Golden Paste for Dogs:

This amount makes enough to fill a regular-sized mason jar (I like these ones) a little more than halfway. If you share it with your pup, like mixing it into your coffee or oatmeal or whatever, have multiple dogs, or love really big dogs, it’ll probably last about a week. OR if you have a small dog, don’t share it with your dog, or use it sparingly, it can keep in your fridge sealed in a glass jar for about two weeks.

As far as quantity/dosing, start small. It’s a strong flavor. A minuscule spoon mixed into your pup’s food is a great way to start. I’ve seen recommendations that generally fall in the range of 1/8 to 1/4 tsp per 10 pounds per day, so Coop weighs 50, which means he’d get upwards of 1.25 tsp per day. It doesn’t seem like much, does it? The flavor, though is super strong, so I’d recommend working up to that amount then dividing that total between meals.

One final note: It stains. #learnedthatlesson

Ta-da! Now you have a nice batch of golden paste for your dogs (and for you!)

Have you tried this? Or, if you haven’t, are you considering it? Did I leave you with any questions? Any experiences you’d like to share? I’d love to hear in the comments below!