The Benefits of Bone Broth

I have always used cooked bones to make stock or broth for soups and stews but a couple years ago I used raw beef bones to make bone broth and what a difference it made! It was rich, velvety and gelatinous. I kept some for us humans and of course the dogs got most of it. I added the bone broth to their meals and froze some in ice cube trays for pupsicles.

I knew that bone broth was a great treat and topper for dogs, but I did not learn of the benefits of adding bone broth to a dog’s diet until I was researching supplements for my dog Frank who has cranial cruciate ligament (CCL) tears in both knees. Bone broth is rich in minerals, collagen, and amino acids that support joint health, digestion, and immune function.

Here is a list of some of the vitamins, minerals and amino acids found in bone broth: calcium, magnesium, phosphorous, potassium, vitamin A, B3, B5, B6, B12, vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin K, arginine, glutamate and glycine.

Bone broth can also help with hydration and can be especially beneficial for older dogs or those with health issues. Additionally, bone broth can be used as a flavor enhancer to entice picky eaters or to make meals more enticing for dogs who have lost their appetite.

Below are recipes for making homemade bone broth in a pressure cooker or slow cooker. And don’t worry about the fat content of the bones you are using (for example: marrow bones), once the bone broth has cooled you will scrape or strain any fat out!

Some quick tips: If you are using raw bones I highly recommend roasting them in the oven first, this really brings out the flavor. Apple cider vinegar helps leach out the vitamins and minerals in the bones, this step isn’t necessary if your dog doesn’t like apple cider vinegar.

If you don’t want to make your own bone broth there are several pet brands that you can purchase. The following brands have ingredients that are safe for diabetic dogs.

• The Honest Kitchen Daily Boosters Beef Bone Broth with Turmeric for Dogs
• The Honest Kitchen Daily Boosters Turkey Bone Broth with Turmeric for Dogs
• Nature's Logic Dehydrated Chicken Bone Broth Dog & Cat Food Topper
• Nature's Logic Dehydrated Beef Bone Broth Dog & Cat Food Topper
• Nature's Logic Dehydrated Turkey Bone Broth Dog & Cat Food Topper

If you purchase bone broth from your grocery store make sure that there is no added onion or sugars (example: cane sugar, dextrose, maltodextrin, molasses).

Bonus recipe! Thanks to Christina Marrero and her dog Max we have a fabulous summer recipe!

If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, please start a conversation below.

For a printable version of this blog click  here.

Until next week stay comfy, don’t stress and you got this!

Michelle Miller-Matlock

AAHA Certified Diabetes Educator

Founder/Administrator of DDO: Diabetic Dog Owners University

Administrator of Diabetic Dog Owners on Facebook

Want to learn all you can in a simple and easy to follow format? Please join DDO-U: Diabetic Dog Owners University , graciously sponsored by PetTest.

Be sure to join the PetTest family on Facebook and Instagram. PetTest has fun, interactive posts AND they have fabulous giveaways every week!

Do you need a blood glucose meter kit for your diabetes arsenal? Click here to purchase one today!