4 BIG Reasons Why Ginger is an Essential Herb for Your Aging Dog

No pet owner likes to see their dog sick or in pain. For whatever reason, this feeling of empathy is ten-fold when the dog is older. Like elderly people (or any living being for that matter), aging dogs tend to have more ailments and health problems than younger dogs. Fortunately, there are many uses of ginger that can be used to help the aging dog. 

There are many benefits that ginger brings to the table where older dogs are concerned. Ginger comes in several different forms to make dosing and supplementing simple: dry powders, teas, capsules or tablets, and tinctures (liquid form).

Stomach Pain/Nausea

When dogs get older, their digestive system simply does not work as it used to when they were younger. Aging dogs can experience stomach problems for a number of reasons, many times without a true diagnosis. The smallest inconsistency can cause bloat, constipation, diarrhea, or even vomiting. Constipation is the most common stomach issue that older dogs deal with. Ginger is great for this because it promotes healthy movement of the bowels. This remedy also works with car or motion sickness in dogs. You can either add ginger to your dog’s diet daily or give them a dose when they are feeling down and out. For stomach ailments, you could also use the essential oil form of ginger. In this form, it is not to be ingested, but instead, place 1 to 2 drops on your dog’s paw or stomach when sickness occurs.

Immune Support

Ginger has anti-viral, anti-toxic, and anti-fungal properties. Older dogs have weaker immune systems, leaving them much more susceptible to bugs and viruses. Ginger can be used to strengthen a weakened immune system. This herb also promotes blood circulation, flushes out toxins, and also helps to level out low blood pressure, which are all common health conditions in older dogs. As an owner of an aging dog, you should also consider keeping your pet up to date on all of their vaccinations to ward off unwanted diseases. 

Anti-Inflammatory

If your elderly pooch suffers from arthritis, ginger can help your dog to move more freely. Arthritis can be a crippling disease, causing your pet to become immobile, which in turn causes a loss of muscle mass. Ginger is a natural anti-inflammatory, easing any inflammation of the joints your aging pet might experience. Unlike other pain relievers, ginger is a natural resource, so is is not hard on your dog’s stomach. Contrastingly, it is good for your dog’s stomach as mentioned above. A caution you should be aware of is, that because ginger is an anti-inflammatory, it can thin the blood and should not be used prior to surgery. Please be sure to consult your veterinarian right away if your dog sustains any cuts or bleeding while ginger is part of their diet.

Cancer

Several studies have shown that ginger is a preventative for cancer in dogs. If your dog already has cancer, ginger can work as a dual purpose remedy because the anti-inflammatory agent helps the circulation, and ginger also boosts your dog’s immunity, both which are large factors in canine cancer.

Safety First

Remember to consult your veterinarian any time that you start administering home remedies, especially if your dog does not react well to the treatment. Whether you believe in holistic treatment for your dog or not, ginger is a low cost, low-risk treatment for several ailments. Almost all medicinal substitutes for ginger have some type of side effect or risk associated with its use, while ginger is relatively safe, yet still effective for treating your older dog’s health issues.