Is Bone Broth Safe for Fido?

Bone broth can be a great addition to various dishes across your recipe book, but what about your dog’s? As with most human food, we have to pay close attention to the ingredients of what we serve our pets to avoid any accidental damage to their internal organs. 

What’s Bone Broth?

Bone broth is made by boiling bones – chicken, beef, or other – in spice-filled water until the collagen and connective tissues drain from the marrow. Typically, you boil the bones for a day. This way you’re able to pull as many nutrients as you can. If you cook them for a shorter time, then you get bone stock, which is much thinner and won’t have the nutrients you’re looking for. Essentially, bone broth is bone soup.  

Boney Benefits

As mentioned, the goal is to pull as many nutrients from the bone as possible. These nutrients include collagen, calcium, magnesium, and potassium, which are recycled by your pet’s body to support bone strength. It also provides a variety of nutrients that can help improve or sustain your dog’s digestive system. That’s helpful for all dogs, especially older ones. 

How to Serve

You should aim to make your own bone broth at home so you have more control over seasoning and additives. Make sure to avoid any harmful spices, like garlic and onion. Avoid using fish bones, too, as they won’t provide as many nutrients as pork, chicken, or beef bones will. Once your make your broth you can start getting more creative. Typically, serving it as an addition to their regular meal works wonders. Try pouring a little bit on top of their kibble to add a flavor boost. Freezing them into a tasty cool treat is a great way to cool your dogs off during the summer months. Of course, if your short on time there’s nothing like bone soup for dinner – just serve it as is!