Kombucha for your Pets
October 15th, 2011 | Cultured Foods, D.I.Y., antibiotic, dog, healing, Kombucha, mange, pets, probiotics, puppy
One of my favorite bloggers has just done it again! The KombuchaMama has just written an article about her experience with her dog and how she got her off some serious antibiotics by feeding her kombucha! Full article here.
Have you ever considered what Kombucha might do for your pets?
Well, I had that exact question about my dog, Sydney. I have to say, the results have been very pleasing for both of us. Sydney my dog, shortly after she was rescued, still showing bad signs of mange and skin conditions.
When we first got Sydney, she was not in good health. About 6 months old, undernourished, a little runty and with a bad case of mange, Sydney had clearly lived a rough early life like so many other dogs. However, she was incredibly sweet natured, despite being very nervous, and simply wanted to find a loving home.
The veternarian prescribed a very powerful monthly antibiotic medication that literally knocked this little dog off her feet for days at a time after it was administered. Her mange started to improve, though the effects of the medication seemed to worsen each month.
Still, I was informed that Sydney would continue to require this treatment. “For how long?”, I asked. “Forever, or it might come back.” What?!?! That seemed like a terrible idea, considering how much the medication impacted her activity level.
I headed for my local Co-Op and found a homeopathic medication for her mange, which was basically a probiotic mix for dogs. Lo and behold, she continued to improve without the heavy duty medication. Not having to poison her each month was a great relief, and her vitality also improved weekly.
I really feel a bit silly that I hadn’t considered Kombucha at the time. The bacteria and yeasts of Kombucha are healthful not just for humans, but for many other animals as well. Depending on your dog’s diet (I have a friend who feeds her dogs a strictly brown rice and veggies!), your pet may be subsisting on processed food that may not digest well and can cause issues, just like processed food does to humans. This can lead to many ailments – halitosis, overweight, skin conditions and more.
Kombucha may help to restore balance to your pet’s digestive system. Especially after being administered anti-biotics, Kombucha can restore a healthy balance of flora to your pet’s gut. But remember, they aren’t people and the dosage isn’t going to be the same. For smaller pets, you will want to keep the portion size small (1-2 teaspoons), once a day.
Sydney’s coat is looking smoother and more even here, her mange has been reduced, but she’s not better yet. Read More.
What kind of Kombucha can a dog drink in the safest one to give him??
Reply
Plain kombucha is best.
If there is some caffine and alcohol in Kombucha how is it safe for dogs?
Yes, good question there is some caffine in kombucha, not much alcohol usually unless it has been through a second ferment for extended time. According to Kombucha Mama who wrote this article. Kombucha can be very helpful for balancing your dog’s microflora.