Gut Friendly Toppers

Psyllium Husk

Benefits: Due to its water-holding properties, fiber-rich psyllium can help with both diarrhea (by absorbing extra water in loose stools) and constipation (by adding moisture to hard stools). Psyllium husk works as a prebiotic that boosts production of fatty acids in the gut, improving not just stool quality but your dog’s overall gut health as well.

Serving Size: ½ tsp

How to Serve: Psyllium husk powder can be mixed into wet food.

Green Bananas

Benefits: Green bananas are unripe yellow bananas. Green bananas are a good source of pectin, a type of dietary fiber. They reduce inflammation and also boost the production of a fatty acid which provides up to 70% of the energy needed by colon cells.

Serving Size:

• Small dog: ⅛ green banana
• Medium to large dog: ¼ green banana
• Giant dog: ½ green banana

How to Serve: Remove banana peel and chop into smaller pieces

Important: A medium-sized banana contains 14g of natural sugar, which is over 3 teaspoons of sugar, when it is fully ripe. Choose underripe bananas when feeding to your dog to avoid the high sugar content.

Low Fat Ground Turkey

Benefits: 99% fat-free turkey is easy on the digestive tract and can be soothing for dogs with sensitive stomachs. It’s also high in vitamin B6, which helps control inflammation in the body.

Serving Size: No more than 10% of your dog’s daily meal if being fed as a topper

How to Serve: Feed raw or gently cooked. To gently cook, simmer the ground turkey in a pan over low-medium heat.

Important: Feeding raw meat increases the risk of bacterial and parasitic infections.

Sauerkraut

Benefits: Fermented vegetables like sauerkraut provides dogs with beneficial probiotics. Probiotics help maintain and improve gut health while preventing digestive issues like constipation, bloating, and gas. The “good” bacteria from sauerkraut form protective colonies in the digestive system that can help prevent various gastrointestinal diseases and restore balance for a healthy gut flora.

Serving Size: ¼ tsp per 10 lbs of body weight

How to Serve:

• Sauerkraut and other fermented vegetables can either be store-bought or [homemade].
• Many dogs don’t like the tart taste, so it’s best to feed mixed in with food.

Important: Make sure any fermented vegetables you serve your dog are onion-free. Onions are toxic to dogs.

Marshmallow Root

Benefits: Marshmallow root is an herb which is beneficial for coating and soothing inflamed GI tracts, which helps provide relief from irritation. This herb is especially beneficial for dogs with acid reflux or ulcers as it forms a protective layer on the lining of the stomach and intestines.

Serving Size: ¼-½ cup per 20 lbs of body weight, divided between 3 times daily

How to Serve: Infuse in water to make marshmallow root tea:

1. Bring filtered water to a boil.
2. Fill one cup of freshly boiled water.
3. Add 5-30 grams of dried marshmallow root into tea strainer.
4. Place the tea strainer in the cup.
5. Cover the cup with a lid and infuse for 5-10 minutes.
6. Remove the tea strainer with the marshmallow root from the cup.
7. Let tea cool before mixing it into your dog’s food.

Important: If giving your dog medications, give marshmallow root at least one hour away from the medication. This removes the risk of the marshmallow root affecting the absorption of the drugs.

Dandelion Greens

Benefits: Dandelion greens are high in prebiotic fiber, which helps support your dog’s gut microbiome. Another one of its key benefits is its natural diuretic effect that helps increase urine production and boost digestion.

Serving Size:

• Dried dandelion: ¼ tsp for every 10 lbs of body weight
• Fresh dandelion: ½ tsp for every 10 lbs of body weight

How to Serve: Washed dandelion greens can be fed raw, sautéd, or added into your dog’s nutritionally complete homemade meal.

Plain Kefir

Benefits: Recent veterinary research shows that dogs given kefir, a fermented milk drink, developed healthier gut microbiomes, suggesting it can be used as a probiotic supplement to enhance pets’ overall wellbeing. Kefir is often referred to as the “Elixir of Life” and can be especially helpful for pets recovering from antibiotic treatment or those suffering from allergies and digestive issues.

Serving Size: 1 tbsp per 10 lbs of body weight

How to Serve: Mix in with your dog’s food or serve on the side as a healthy treat.

Pumpkin

Benefits: Pumpkin’s high fiber content helps regulate your dog’s digestive system and supports gut health. It is often recommended by veterinarians as a safe, natural remedy to help minor stomach issues like diarrhea or constipation.

Serving Size: 1 tsp per 10 lbs of body weight

How to Serve: Look for 100% pumpkin puree (with no added sugars or spices) if shopping for canned pumpkin at the store. Mix in with food.

Fennel Seed

Benefits: Fennel seed is known to soothe the digestive system by helping to reduce gas, bloating, and indigestion. When fennel seed extract was given to mice, research found that it helped protect and strengthen the gut lining.

Serving Size: ¼-½ cup per 20 lbs of body weight, divided between 3 times daily

How to Serve: Infuse in water to make fennel tea:

1. Bring filtered water to a boil.
2. Fill ¾ cup of freshly boiled water.
3. Add ¼-½ tsp of fennel seeds into tea strainer.
4. Place the tea strainer in the cup.
5. Cover the cup with a lid and infuse for 5-10 minutes.
6. Remove the tea strainer with the fennel seeds from the cup.
7. Let tea cool before mixing it into your dog’s food.

Ginger Root

Benefits: Known for its nausea-relieving properties, ginger is an excellent natural remedy to ease your dog’s upset stomach. A small amount of ginger can aid in digestion by breaking down food, and calming an upset stomach by stimulating saliva, bile, and gastric juice production.

Serving Size:

• Small dog: ⅛ tsp freshly ground ginger
• Medium dog: ¼ tsp freshly ground ginger
• Large dog: ½ tsp freshly ground ginger

How to Serve:

1. Remove the skin of the root with a knife to access the yellow inside.
2. Finely mince or grate the yellow inside of the root.