If you’re reading this, I believe we share a common interest in dogs. I’m a huge dog lover and I do everything I can to keep my 3-year-old Chihuahua / Shih Tzu mix healthy. This includes giving her natural premium dog food, some boiled meats with green peas, and ¼ teaspoon of cod liver oil daily (she gets carrots, pumpkins, and certain fruits too occasionally). It’s no secret that certain foods, such as organic dog food, give our dogs health benefits (whether they find them delicious is another story). Recently I learnt that kelp and algae are excellent sources of minerals, chlorophyll, and protein. I’ll tell you how to get them, but first let’s take a look at what health benefits they give your precious furry kids.
-
Kelp and algae serve as a good source of minerals, such as potassium, iodine, iron, and trace minerals
-
High digestible protein level can be found in sea vegetables
-
Brown algae (kelp, focus) are an excellent source of potassium and can be easily ground into powder that you can sprinkle over your dog’s food
-
Red algae (gigartina, nori, dulce, and Irish Moss) are said to help remove toxins and poisons from the body
-
Green algae (sea lettuce) are a good source of iron and taste like oysters
-
Blue-green algae are the most concentrated known source of chlorophyll. They contain vitamins, beta carotene, minerals, and trace minerals. In addition, they are said to nourish and enhance brain activity thanks to the amino acid found in them that supplies the body with the building blocks for neuropeptides.
Feeding kelp and algae to your dogs also promotes shiny coat and supple skin, better utilization and absorption of nutrients from foods and supplements, and aids the healing process by providing vitamins and minerals that are necessary for tissue repair. If your dog is lactating, feeding her kelp and algae will improve the milk production as well.
Where to get them
-
Thorvin, Inc. carefully harvest their seaweeds in Iceland and dry them at low temperatures to retain maximum nutrients in the seaweeds.
-
You can buy kelp from most garden supply stores but make sure it’s 100% pure kelp and hasn’t been dried at high temperatures.
-
Organic kelp powder can be found at many online pet stores. Adding the powder to your dog’s food can also make the meal tastier.
-
Pure algae are supplied in powder and tablets, and they can be purchased in major health food stores.
How much to feed them
Generally, you should not give more than 1 teaspoon of powder per day. For small dogs, it should be ½ teaspoon only. As for tablets, give 1 tablet to small dogs, 2 tablets to medium dogs, and 4 tablets to large dogs.
I’ve read that kelp and algae can work wonders for dogs that are sick. That aside, you dogs deserve the best opportunity to live longer and healthier. Hence, one of these days you may want to start giving your dogs these nutritional supplements.
Suggested Readings
- Learn about the health benefits of kelp and algae for humans and animals
- Find out what expert is saying about kelp as a viable source of iodine
- Shop and read more articles about the benefits of seaweeds
