The Nutrient Powerhouse: Adding Seaweed To Your Hounds Diet

For  a few years now, the pet food industry has been slowly turning around  from food that’s made to keep your dog alive, in the cheapest possible  way, to food that will keep your dog alive and healthy…the only problem  is foods that are of a better quality inevitably come with a higher  price tag.  
Which we all know, given the current  climate, is not necessarily sustainable when many people are having to  cut their spending and make sacrifices where they can.

Though,  whether you have had to resort to buying lower quality food for your  hound, or you are able to manage them on the good stuff, introducing  botanical supplements can be a great way of improving their health  without breaking the bank.

Botanicals  can be used as a dietary supplement to address nutritional gaps in the  diet, for preventative health by improving digestion, immune systems,  joint health or beyond, or they can assist in treating specific medical  conditions!

For centuries,  humans have utilised the natural world to treat numerous medical  conditions. Countless plants are known for their medicinal, or  therapeutic, properties which are still used today in various forms.
Be  it teas, oils, tinctures, topical treatments, capsules, granules or any  other format, these natural products are often utilised in conjunction  with modern medicine. Which is ironic since many modern medicines were  originally created from said plants. That is before scientific advances  moved onto synthetic pharmaceuticals!

When  it comes to animals, like humans, botanicals have long been utilised  across history in supporting horses, livestock, and other domestic  animals, but it’s use declined due to the development of commercial dog  food (and the assumption of nutritional completeness) and furtherments  in veterinary medicine.

As a  result, the general knowledge and use of botanicals has long fallen by  the wayside but thankfully due to human, and pet owner, health trends,  they are once again getting the spotlight! Pet food producers have taken  note of the trends and preferences of owners looking to take a more  natural stance in their dog’s care in recent years and have started  integrating more botanicals into food production.

However,  the world of botanicals is vast and you need to know what you’re doing  before throwing random plants into your dog’s food bowl…but there is one  thing that is guaranteed to make a difference to your hounds health  without having to deep dive into the depths of the internet and research  the subject to death…and that is seaweed!

This  nutritional powerhouse can make a massive difference to your hound in  quick order by filling the nutritional gaps in your hound’s diet.  With  high concentrations of several key vitamins such as A, B1, B2, C, D, and  E, and minerals like iodine, magnesium, calcium, iron, and  potassium…you have yourself a superfood!

Seaweed  helps with digestion by being a source of prebiotics, and improves the  immune system, and according to a 2023 study ‘is a good source of many  bioactive compounds with antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal,  antioxidant, antitumor and anti-inflammatory properties.’

But  the most noticeable difference you will find in supplementing your  hound with seaweed is the difference it makes to your hound’s skin, coat  and dental health.  With all the various vitamins and minerals, iodine  and omega-3s…you will find that your hounds coat will become healthier,  shiner and smoother.  The dandruff will clear up and say goodbye to bare  thigh syndrome!

And, while we  don’t understand the science behind it, certain types of seaweed can  help reduce plaque and tartar build up!  So, adding seaweed to your  hound’s diet is a great way to maintain their dental health.

There  are also various other benefits such as weight management and natural  detoxification within the body…but we’re sure you get the point!   Seaweed is amazing!

If there is  one thing that we would say is an essential addition to your hound’s  diet, especially if money is tight, it’s seaweed!

You  may have considered adding seaweed to your hounds diet before and in  googling ‘seaweed for dogs’, seen the price of it and thought ‘it’s a no  from me’ because those little 250 – 500g pots won’t last five minutes  when you have a 30kg noodle horse.

But we’re going to give you a little life hack here…

As  soon as anything is labelled ‘for dogs’, people rack up the price, even  if what they’re selling is relatively inexpensive.  You can be paying  upward of £10 - £15 for a 500g pot of the stuff and that’s just  ridiculous.  

What you should do, is go and hit up the VioVet website and look for seaweed…for horses!

You’ll  be getting a 2kg bucket of the stuff for a tenner, or a refill back of  even less!  It’s exactly the same product, just in a much more  affordable and sustainable fashion.  We have used the Gold Label Seaweed  For Horses, but there are numerous other ones available.  Just make  sure to read the label and get only pure Ascophyllum nodosum, nothing  else mixed in.

Also, side note.  This post is in no way sponsored!

When  it comes to adding the seaweed into your dogs diet, most of them quite  like it because it smells and tastes a bit fishy and we all know that  fish is like crack to greyhounds…but add the seaweed to your hounds diet  in small amounts and gradually increase it to the recommended amount to  ensure your hound tolerates it and it doesn’t upset their belly.   Although we’ve never heard of one having any reaction to it!

Seaweed is a proper game-changer, and it will absolutely help improve your hounds overall wellbeing!