Basil is so beneficial for your Dog.
- bloomingwithivy
- May 17, 2021
- 3 min read
Basil is a very common herb that you probably eat yourself all the time. It’s wonderful as the base of a pesto or on tomatoes with mozzarella because it tastes great. It can be used in so many recipes sweet and savory. Your dog will probably like the taste too so why not add it to their food bowl.
The Benefits of Basil are many
This common herb, that you can grow at home all year long has many amazing benefits for both you and your dog.
Antioxidants: reduce the risk of cancer, heart disease and other health problems associated with aging.
Antiviral: fights off viruses like the common cold
Antibacterial: helps keep bacteria like salmonella, staphylococcus and listeria in check
Anti-inflammatory: high amounts of beta-carophyllene which helps with arthritis and even inflammatory bowel disease
Calmative: helps with traveling and reducing stress
It is also an anti-fungal and has insect-repelling qualities.
Introducing Basil To Your Dog’s Diet
Introducing Basil slowly to your dogs diet is very important. It’s alway a good idea to add a new food in small amounts so see how your dog will react to it. Adding just a tiny amount for a few days then increasing the amount by just a bit each day. This way you can see just how your dog is reacting while eating this new food. If you see any indication that your dog is not tolerating the new food you can just stop using it. Usually a little stomach ache would be a sign that basil just isn’t for them.
Serving Basil To Your dog
If you brought home Basil from the grocery store or even found it at your local farmers market alway be sure to wash it off completely before giving any to your dog. You just don’t know if it has been sprayed with any pesticides while it was growing. Now if you grow it yourself you will know just what to expect.
Always chop the leaves that you are topping your dogs food with very tiny. This will be helpful if your dog is a fast eater. The small pieces can be swallowed very easily and not get stuck to the top of the mouth like a large leaf.
Dried Basil has the same health benefits as fresh
Another way to add in some basil is in its dried form. It’s very easy to dry it yourself. Just leave some fresh leaves on a paper plate for about a two weeks and you’ll have a fresh batch of dried basil. Now you can store it in a small glass jar and just add to your dogs food whenever you want. You can also purchase it at your local natural market or order some online from a reputable herbal company like Mountain Rose Herbs.
Dosage amounts:
Small dog = a leaf chopped up very fine (dried = 1/4 tsp)
Medium dog = 1 - 2 leaves chopped small (dried = 1/2 tsp)
Large dog = 2 - 3 leaves chopped small (dried = up to a tsp)
Dogs don’t need to eat basil every day. Once a week or even biweekly is enough. Dogs especially small ones don’t need near the same amount that a human needs to benefit from it. You can think of it as a treat. If your dog shows signs of vomiting or diarrhea you may have fed them too much.
Pumpkin, Basil and Honey dog treats
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
Ingredients
2 1/2 cups almond flour
1 cup of organic canned pumpkin
1 egg beaten
1/3 cup almond oil
1 tablespoon dried basil
1 tablespoon local honey
1/2 cup cold water
Directions
1. Stir all the ingredients together in a large mixing bowl. 2. Roll into small 1-inch balls.
3. Put the round balls on the parchment paper lined trays and flatten into discs.
4. Bake for 35 minutes.
5. Once baked leave in the oven for another 35 minutes until crispy.
6. Cool on racks for several hours and then store in an airtight container
(these treats can be frozen to last longer)
Knowing that basil has many health benefits for you dog is why you should always keep some in your pantry or better yet growing fresh all the time.
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