We sometimes share some pretty crazy treat ideas here on the blog, but all things in moderation. We couldn’t be more serious about the need to maintain a healthy diet and lifestyle for your pets. Today’s special guest post looks at using turmeric powder to ease pets’ aches and pains, including an easy recipe with turmeric and coconut oil for dogs (golden paste) as a homemade food topping sprinkle.
Healthy Dog Diet and Quality of Life
Today’s guest post was created for Dalmatian DIY by Jacques Duplantier of Corrina’s Corner. As the owner of two Dalmatians (notoriously sensitive) including a senior, I’m always trying to sneak in added value to their diet. I want these boys to have the best quality of life that they can, and for as long as possible. I started adding turmeric to treats a while back, so when Jacques offered to share his method of adding it to meals with our readers, I was happy to accept. So happy in fact, that I tested his recipe myself before posting. It worked beautifully. Check out my freshly grated sprinkles! Aren’t they lovely? See the pawnote at the end of the post for the full scoop and bonus tips.
DIY Turmeric Powder to Ease Your Pet’s Aches and Pains
Guest Post and Recipe Provided by Jacques Duplantier, Corrina’s Corner
Golden Milk, Golden Paste, and Golden Powder
Turmeric is a root that has been used for thousands of years by many cultures for its potent anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. You may be familiar with Golden Milk, a herbal beverage that people drink to fight colds, flus, depression and more. You may have also heard of Golden Paste, a turmeric and coconut oil based paste that offers the same healing properties.
Our lovable mutt, Corrina, is a bit of picky eater. With a severe food allergy, who can blame her! She eats a raw food diet to alleviate her allergies, but she’s no spring chicken, and we could tell her joints were bothering her. We were looking for a natural way to help ease her aches and pains when we came across the Golden Paste recipes; however; turmeric has a bitter taste and Corrina wasn’t interested. We decided to give the standard Golden Paste recipe a redux, and it’s worked like a charm!
We found that our “powdered” version of Golden Paste was easier to use, not as messy, and was more palatable for picky dogs. The results of Corrina regularly getting her Golden Powder were immediately visible. She can get up from lying down much easier, she can go up stairs quicker, and she can even jump on the bed again (something she hasn’t done in years!). Golden Powder Recipe What do you have to lose? Try the recipe now!
DIY Golden Paste Turmeric and Coconut Oil Food Sprinkles for Dogs
CAUTION: Turmeric stains everything. EVERYTHING! If you don’t wear gloves your hands will be bright yellow for a few days, and beware as it doesn’t wash out of clothes or linens.
Golden Paste Sprinkle Ingredients
- Coconut Oil
- Turmeric Powder
- Black Pepper
Making the Homemade Golden Paste Sprinkles
- Take equal parts coconut oil and powdered turmeric plus one teaspoon of black pepper per cup of other ingredients (aids in absorption of the circuminoids in turmeric).
- Put all the ingredients into a small sauce pan.
- Heat over a low flame (or low temperature on an electric stove) until it forms a runny paste.
- Pour the paste into a container that can serve as a mould.
- Place the container in the refrigerator where it will harden into a solid block.
- Remove the now solid turmeric and coconut oil block from the container.
- Grate it on the small side of a box grater.
Storage and Use
- The resulting “powder” should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator to keep the coconut oil in its solid state.
- For use: Up to 1 teaspoon per 30 lbs (13-14kg) of dog per day. Sprinkle over food and stir it in.
About the Guest Author
Jacques Duplantier owns Corrina’s Corner in Decatur, GA – a raw pet food processor and delivery service. He switched Corrina to a raw food diet years ago, and she responded so well that everyone wanted to know what his secret was. The rest, as they say, is history. Learn more at Corrina’s Corner.
Pawnotes from Dalmatian DIY on Our Recipe Test
The Recipe and Blog Dog Taste Tests
It was very warm here (coconut oil nearly liquid at room temperature) when I made my test recipe turmeric sprinkles from Jacques’ recipe. So warm that I froze my solidified paste to make sure I could grate it before it re-melted. It worked a treat, even with my larger grater. I currently have mine in a stain-resistant glass jar in the refrigerator for dinner-time sprinkles. Our dogs love it. Thanks, Jacques!
Turmeric and Coconut Oil for Dogs
Our dogs seem to really like turmeric. Personally, I haven’t given my dogs turmeric without the added flavour enticement of a treat or food, but my dogs actually seem to love it as an add-in. They come sniffing about and look for lickable used spoons in the dishwasher (which I take as a definite sign) if left ajar. They seem to be enjoying their new dinner sprinkles from this recipe, too. Coconut oil is often combined with turmeric for better bioavailability, but if you don’t give your dogs coconut oil, you can try taste testing a powder sprinkle instead. I sometimes sprinkle powder on our boys food straight up. It’s a great add-in ingredient for other homemade treats too.
Additional Tips for a Little Less Mess
Heed Jacques’ caution on turmeric and staining. It is indeed rather messy. I’ve made these sprinkles a few times since the original post, and have gotten better at it with time. Things seem to go ok for me until the grating stage, as long as I use stain resistant cookware. It’s the grating that’s really messy. I wear a pair of disposable gloves (a necessary evil) and use a big old towel to cover the counter so I can catch flying bits for easier clean up. As simple as it sounds, the towel trick saves me so much mess and frustration.
Hungry for more tasty treats? There are all sorts of homemade dog treat ideas in our blog archives. You can also use the category and tag labels to find other recipes that might be of interest or use our internal search tools to find something specific. Remember, treats (bought or homemade) are for spoiling your pup in moderation. We share ideas from treats that we’ve made ourselves for our pets, but different animals have different preferences (likes/dislikes), just like people. Some pets may have special dietary requirements and/or food allergies/intolerances. If you are ever in doubt or have questions about what’s suitable for your pet, have a chat with your trusted vet.
