Beef broth is an increasingly popular meal choice among dog owners, but there are still some that doubt the nutritional efficacy of this meal for pooches, which is what has brought about this article.
So, can dogs eat beef broth? Yes, not only can dogs eat beef broth, but we also strongly recommend that you make this meal a regular part of your dog’s diet. Beef broth is good for dogs to eat because it contains lots of nutrients that will enhance your dog’s health.
We’ve inferred that beef broth can be of immense help, healthwise, to your dog, and this article contains the several health benefits that your pooch stands to gain from being fed with beef broth. Also, in addition to detailing how helpful beef broth can be to your dog, we’ve also included a handy guide to assist you with preparing this tasty meal for your furry friend. However, before we go into all this, let’s see why it is safe for dogs to eat the beef broth.
Can Dogs Eat Beef Broth?
Yes, beef broth is absolutely safe for dogs to eat and contains nutrients that can be beneficial to your furry friend in several ways.
Beef broth is prepared in a way that involves deep cooking of beef bones alongside certain herbs and spices for a considerable period. And it is this method of preparing beef broth, along with the nutritional value of the ingredients used in preparing it, that makes this meal highly recommended for dogs.
And as an added plus to feeding your dog with bone broth, this diet is relatively inexpensive, and apart from being time-consuming, is also easy to make.
How Much Beef Broth Should You Feed Your Dog?
This is a commonly asked question among dog owners looking to feed their pooches with beef broth. And as a rule of thumb, you should feed your dog with 1 ounce of beef broth per 20 lbs of body weight.
This means that if you have a small, 10-pounder dog, you should feed no more than 0.5 ounces of beef broth to the pooch per day. And if you have a large 70-pounder dog, such a dog can comfortably eat 3.5 ounces of beef broth per day.
What Are The Benefits Of Feeding Beef Broth To Dogs?
Benefits attached to feeding your dog with beef broth include easier digestion and absorption of nutrients, improvement in bone and muscle health, appetite boosting, and better coat and skin quality.
Beef Broth Aids Digestion
Top on the lists of benefits attached to feeding your dog with beef broth is the fact that this diet makes the digestion and absorption of food nutrients relatively easier for dogs.
Beef broth is rich in glycine, and this impacts positively on metabolism within a dog’s body. In the same vein, by feeding a pooch suffering from diarrhea with beef broth – after fasting such a dog for between 24 to 48 hours – you can replenish vitamins and minerals that might have been lost from such a dog’s body.
Beef Broth Improves Joint Health
Another health benefit your pooch can derive from being fed with beef broth is an improvement in the dog’s joint and muscle health.
Beet broth contains a healthy amount of glucosamine and gelatin, which, apart from helping to form and maintain strong bones, also ensure that bones in the dog’s body glide smoothly over each other.
Appetite Boosting
Most dogs find beef broth to be quite tasty, and this meal is perfect for dogs that are picky eaters, have trouble with their digestive systems, or just can’t work up an appetite.
For dogs that are experiencing difficulties eating and retaining solid food, beef broth provides a ready alternative as it is easier for dogs to just lap up the broth compared to kibble.
And if you must feed a pooch that is reluctant to eat with kibble, soaking the kibble in beef broth before feeding it to such a dog may help boost its appetite.
Better Skin And Coat Quality
Beef broth contains a rich amount of vitamins that are beneficial to skin and coat development.
Vitamins such as vitamin C, vitamin B-6, vitamin B-12, and Riboflavin (vitamin B-2) which are commonly found in beef broth, are known to promote healthy skin and fur growth, as well as shinier coats.
Beef Broth Strengthens The Immune System
Another health benefit attached to feeding your pooch with beef broth is that this diet contains vitamins and nutrients that strengthen a dog’s immune system. And a stronger immune system makes it easier for a dog to fight off infections and diseases.
How Can You Prepare Beef Broth For Your Dog?
Beef broth for dogs is typically prepared by slow-cook beef broth in water for a considerable amount of time.
Generally, the process of preparing the beef broth for dogs is straightforward, but to ensure that your pooch will get optimum nutrition from being fed this diet, you should be ready to spend hours cooking the broth.
The ingredients that you’ll typically need to prepare the beef broth for your dog include:
- Between 1 to 2 lbs of beef bone gotten from high-quality sources
- One tablespoon of apple cider vinegar; Lemon can be used instead.
- Water
You also have the option to add vegetables such as carrots and seasonings like turmeric to make the meal tastier for your pooch.
Preparing Beef Broth For Your Pooch
Once you’ve collected all the ingredients listed above, follow the steps detailed below to prepare a tasty beef broth meal for your furry friend:
- Place the beef bones in a pressure cooker and add enough water to cover the bones; You can also make use of a large stockpot or slow cooker.
- Add two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar to the mixture of beef bone and water; Apple cider vinegar is needed to help with nutrient extraction from the bones.
- Boil the resulting mixture.
- Once this mixture of beef bones, apple cider vinegar, and water is boiling, turn down the heat and allow the broth to simmer for at least 6 hours.
- Skim off any ‘scum’ that may have collected at the top of the broth after allowing it to simmer for 6 hours.
- After this, slow cook the broth on low heat for between 24 to 48 hours – It is important to note that cooking time varies according to the type of cooker you’re using.
- Once the broth is done cooking, skim off any ‘scum’ that may have, once again, gathered on top of the soup before feeding it to your pooch.
It is also worth noting that excess beef broth can be stored in the refrigerator for up to five days without losing nutrients or value.
If, however, due to work or other engagements, you don’t have the time to wait through the process of preparing the beef broth for your dog, you can always purchase ready-made beef broth from a reputable pet store.
These ready-made beef broth products typically come in the form of an easy-to-apply powder that just needs the addition of water or, in liquid form, refrigerated, of course! Also, when purchasing pre-packaged beef broth, you should ensure that the product doesn’t contain ingredients such as onions which can be harmful to your dog.
Beef Broth As Treats For Your Dog
To provide even more nutrition for your dog, you have the option of making bone broth into treats that can be fed to your pooch outside of its regular meal times.
These treats can be prepared in a number of ways. But you have to ensure that the treats are prepared with stuff that your pooch enjoys eating and with beef broth as a major ingredient!
