Deep Dive: Beef Bone Broth for Dogs and Cats

 

Supplements act as a nutritional boost for dogs of all shapes, sizes and levels of health. It’s at times when dogs need it the most—after a long run, being outside in summer heat or winter cold, or recovering from a surgery or illness—that supplements can be a vital ingredient to boost health and wellness.

Adding nutritional toppers like bone broth to kibble, dry food, or even to raw food helps dogs thrive and strive toward being their best PAW-sible self.

Bones & Co. BEEF BONE BROTH IS ANTIBIOTIC-FREE with NO ADDED HORMONES

INGREDIENTS: Filtered Water, Organic Beef Bones, Organic Apple Cider Vinegar.

Guaranteed Analysis: Crude Protein (min): 3.0%, Crude Fat (min): 0.1%, Crude Fiber (max): 0.5%, Moisture (max): 97%

 

WHAT IS BONE BROTH?

Bone broth is essentially the broth that is made after simmering bones (in our case, beef bones) for 10 plus hours.

Similarly to ketogenic food, people nowadays talk about bone broth as if it is a fad, trend or “fringe diet” that popped up out of the blue. In reality, bone broth has been around for centuries, if not longer, popping up at the hearths of Victorians, in the ramen of the Japanese, and in the pots of the very first people to simmer a stew. All over the world, people have been making different variations of bone broth for hundreds, if not thousands, of years. 


Here are some quotes about bone broth and its use: 

1

"Beef tea may be chosen as an illustration of great nutrient power in sickness." - Florence Nightingale, 1866 (source)

2

“It’s not a miracle cure like some outlets talk about, but still a good-for-you food,”...“It is hydrating, contains veggie and herb anti-inflammatories and the bones provide collagen, a protein which may help with our own bone, joint and skin health.” - Dawn Jackson Blatner (RD) (source)

3

“The health of your joints depends upon the health of the collagen in your ligaments, tendons, and on the ends of your bones. Collagens are a large family of biomolecules, which include the glycosaminoglycans, very special molecules that help keep our joints healthy.” Dr. Cate Shanahan, Deep Nutrition (source)

4

“‘Chicken soup has long been recognized to possess unusual therapeutic potency against a wide variety of viral and bacterial agents. Indeed, as early as the 12th century, the theologian, philosopher and physician, Moses Maimonides wrote, ‘Chicken soup...is recommended as an excellent food as well as medication.’” (source) 

5

“Good broth can resurrect the dead” - South American Proverb 

Whether it’s beef bone broth or chicken broth, simmering bones to create a broth has a long, rich medicinal and therapeutic history. While broth is by no means a cure-all, the anti-inflammatory, hydrating, joint boosting, gut enhancing effects of bone broth make it a powerful supplement. 

 

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF BONE BROTH FOR DOGS? 

So, what specifically about bone broth makes it so nutrient-rich and good for joints? 

In the process of making bone broth, collagen and cartilage are boiled down, releasing anti-inflammatory nutrients like chondroitin sulfate, glucosamine, and other compounds that help joints stay strong. Additionally, bone broth contains amino acids like glycine, proline, and arginine that all have whole-body anti-inflammatory effects. Finally, the abundance of collagen in bone broth helps structure and strengthen bones.  

A huge benefit of bone broth is that it promotes overall gut health from glycine: 

“Since gelatin is 30% glycine, it’s one of the richest sources of glycine on the planet. Glycine has been shown to improve gut health by repairing the intestinal wall, and sealing the gut lining — which is essential for healing leaky gut syndrome and the autoimmune conditions that stem from leaky gut, such as rheumatoid arthritis and allergies. 

The benefits of gelatin for healing the GI tract also make it one of the top foods to eat on the GAPS diet, which is a gut health protocol designed to help repair the gut lining and heal digestive symptoms, leaky gut syndrome and autoimmune diseases.” (source)


To summarize, the benefits of bone broth for dogs can include:  

  • Joint rejuvenation 

  • Healthy gut 

  • Digestion support 

  • Enhanced hydration 

  • Skin & coat health 

  • Increased appetite (due to a healthy, optimally-functioning gut) 

Just like humans, when dogs experience inflammation and metabolic stress, their body is operating at a less-than-ideal state. To combat this, you can feed your pup anti-inflammatory, healthy-gut promoting, nutrient-dense whole foods to help them thrive. 

bonus for cats:

Bone broth, along with goat milk, are two supplements that are also approved for cats! Just like with dogs, bone broth is great for hydration, it promotes healthy gut functioning, and it’s delicious! Your cat will be meow-ing for more.

SERVING YOUR DOG (or cat!) BONE BROTH 

Bones & Co. bone broth can be found in the freezer section (in 16 oz bags) next to the raw bones or patties/minis! Keep your bone broth frozen until it is ready to use. Then, move it to the fridge and be sure to use it within 10 days of defrosting.

Serving suggestions:

  • For pets under 20 pounds, serve them 1 oz of bone broth a day. 

  • For pets between 20-40 pounds, serve them 2 oz of bone broth a day. 

  • For pets between 50-80 pounds, feed them 4 oz of bone broth a day. 

  • For pets 80+ pounds, feed them 6 oz of bone broth a day.

While this isn’t an exhaustive list, here are a few ideas to help you start serving bone broth:

Idea #1: Serve as-is 

Giving your pet bone broth the first time this way might be ideal. All you have to do is take the bone broth from the freezer and place it in the fridge until defrosted.  

Once defrosted, pour a bit into your pet’s bowl and voila! A happy, healthy, hydrated dog or cat awaits.  

 

Idea #2: Serve as a topper 

Adding a bit of bone broth on top of your pet’s regular meal never hurts!  

Especially if you are currently feeding kibble and can only afford to add supplements, adding bone broth to kibble or dry food during meal time will help tremendously with digestion (to help digest difficult-to-digest carbs) and hydration (since kibble lacks intracellular moisture).  

Once the broth is defrosted, pour a bit into your pet’s bowl during mealtime. Adding the broth to kibble or raw food will give them a boost of gut and joint support.  

 

Idea #3: Get creative! Broth cubes 

A fun way to serve bone broth is by re-freezing defrosted broth as “broth cubes” for your pup or cat!  

Especially helpful during hot summer days, a broth cube can be a good way to cool your pet down, keep them hydrated, and give them some good mental stimulation of chompin’ on an ice cube.  

To make broth cubes:

1. Defrost the broth

2. Pour broth into an ice tray

3. Re-freeze and serve!  

 

join our tribe for more nutrition tips & tricks 

While we understand that raw fresh foods are optimal for dogs, we know that it isn’t always possible to feed your pup all fresh, raw food all the time. That’s why we’re here to help, provide support, and meet you where you are.

Adding in even ONE supplemental food, such as bone broth, a day can help a dog tremendously overall. The less doggy “fast food”, without any “whole food”, the better.

JOIN OUR TRIBE to get more tips, tricks and information about dog nutrition.

Together, we can feed our dogs the right way... to love them longer.

Dog First, 

Your B&C Tribe Leaders

Have specific questions about your dog’s health? While B&C cannot give medical advice, we recommend seeking advice from a Holistic Veterinarian for your best furry friend (BFF). B&C is here to be a resource for you while you learn more about raw food, keto, and dog nutrition!

 
Bones & Co.