Can Dogs Taste Aloe Vera Juice?

Aloe vera juice has a ton of health benefits, but it is often overlooked in the health food industry. Aloe vera is a cactus-like plant that has thick leaves filled with a gel and liquidy substance. This substance can be squeezed from the leaves and used externally or internally for so many things. You may have been wondering if your dog can have aloe vera juice and if it has any health benefits for your dog. 

In short, aloe vera juice is safe and non-toxic for your dog to consume. It can help with a wide variety of conditions. However, keep in mind most low-quality aloe vera juices on the market are filled with added sugar, chemicals, and fillers that can indeed harm your dog. 

Aloe vera juice is not known for its delicious taste, so giving your dog this juice to help with a condition they have won't be the easiest. Aloe juice is a food you may have to disguise the flavor of to get your dog to like it. 

You can buy aloe in many forms, such as a topical gel, juice, or even as a whole plant. The juice from the leaves can be squeezed to get the purest form of aloe vera juice for your dog. If you want your dog to reap the most benefits from the aloe plant, using the pure juice is the most potent form that you can use. Most of the aloe juice in the supermarket is filled with added water, sugar, and other harmful fillers your dog doesn't need. 

Your dog may not love aloe vera juice, but you can tell if they can tolerate the taste through some of the following common signs.  

If you give your dog the juice from the plant to drink or lick and they seem to have no reaction to the aloe or seem like they tolerate the flavor well, this means they are okay with the flavor and texture and it is not something they hate. If they lick their lips a lot, run around, rub their face, mouth, and snout on the floor, or go straight for the water bowl, your dog probably doesn't like aloe juice very much and you may need to find another way to add aloe juice to thier diet in a more conspicuous way. 

The aloe plant and aloe vera juice have a long and rich history, dating all the way back 6,000 years. The first recorded history we have of this plant was found in Ancient Egypt where it was seen a sacred because it could heal the body, better a person's health, and even promote immortality...or so they believed. This plant was commonly used in beauty and skincare products as well. 

Depictions of the aloe plant have also been found in Nippur from around 2,200 BCE that were carved into rocks. Again, aloe was used for its healing properties and was used to help clean out the body's intestines and to cure a variety of other illnesses. They believed it cured illness by taking out the demons attached to the body, which they thought made a person sick. 

We also know the Romans used aloe vera for its healing properties. They used aloe vera juice to help treat skin irritations, wounds, burns, stomach issues, acne, hair loss, and so much more.  

Aloe made its way to the Americas down the road as well. Columbus traveled with aloe vera plants on his boats to help treat wounds and injuries the sailors would get during their travels. 

Although we do not know whether aloe vera juice was used to treat sick dogs or other animals, it is possible this healing juice may have been used in medicine for animals. 

Aloe vera juice has very concentrated levels of amino acids, calcium, folate, iron, magnesium, phosphorous, potassium, and zinc, along with vitamins A, C, and E. Aloe vera juice is also antibacterial, antifungal, and great for treating and reducing common allergy symptoms in both humans and animals. 

Aloe vera juice and gel is used on dogs externally if they are suffering from any common skin irritations. Aloe juice works to help relieve itching if they have any hot spots, eczema, or bites and stings. It is great for itch relief when your dog is suffering from hot spots and eczema that cause intense itching. It helps soothe the sore and painful spots on the skin. 

If you have a new puppy and they are going through their teething phase, you can rub the fresh aloe vera juice from a plant on their gums to help reduce any pain or discomfort. Another great way to give them aloe vera juice is to squeeze the juice from an aloe vera plant and pop it in the freezer. Take the frozen aloe vera cube and give it to your puppy to chew up. They will get relief from the aloe vera juice and the cold. 

Since pure aloe vera juice is antibacterial, the juice will help clean the wound and make sure it does not get infected. Rub the juice on the wound very gently and let it sit on the wound as long as possible. You may need to distract them so they don't lick the juice off of their wound. 

If you would like to incorporate aloe vera juice into your dog's diet, you must use an organic plant and squeeze out the fresh juice yourself so you are getting the purest and most concentrated juice possible. 

Most of the aloe vera juice you find in the supermarket is filled with sugar and water, which is not healthy or beneficial for your dog.

Furthermore, a lot of aloe vera juice can also contain fillers, colors, artificial preservatives, and other toxic ingredients that are not healthy for your dog to ingest. This means that that fresh juice from an organic aloe is the healthiest alternative to store-bought aloe vera juices.

You always want to make sure you do not overfeed aloe vera juice to your dog. Too much of anything has the potential to cause issues such as vomiting, diarrhea, and an upset stomach. Aloe juice should be given to your dog in small quantities and as directed by your trusted vet.