Hi furiends, it's me Luna again! Days are getting shorter and temperatures getting colder. It's the time of the year that the humans start bringing out their tea maker on cold mornings and evenings.
But... Did you ever tried sipping some tea on a cold day?
!!! Very impawtent disclaimer: we doggos should NEVER drink tea that contains CAFFEINE since it can harm us!!! ALWAYS check the ingredient list to see if the tea is decaffeinated. Drink tea 🍵 in moderate amounts.
Several herbal teas that the humans brew can also positively impact dogs health. Tea can help to improve digestive and immune system, alleviate inflammation, calm itchy skin, help with anxiety, etc..
Tea contains substances called catechins. They protect the plant from environmental toxins and repair damage and can play a similar role in our bodies when consumed. Antioxidants help slow down damage of our cells caused by the action of free radicals. Free radicals get formed when we expose ourselves to UV rays from the sun and environmental pollutants which happens to us (humans and animals) every single day.
Do's & don'ts
Don't: drink hot tea, always let it cool down or add lots of ice to bring it to room temperature if you want your dog to instantly try it
Don't: drink tea that contains caffeine, always double check the ingredients. High amounts of caffeine are extremely toxic for dogs.
Do: use a glass cup, mug or bowl to serve, incase you want to use plastic check if it is BPA-free so that it doesn't release any carcinogens.
Do: If your pup needs to get used to the taste or likes sweet stuff you can add half a teaspoon of natural raw honey 🍯
Do: Check in with your veterinarian (even by phone call) if you dog is ok with drinking tea, some medications may react badly if you add new things to your dogs diet.
Do: Add some herbal tea as a topper over your dogs daily meal (over the kibble or raw)
Top list of herbal teas for pups:
- Chamomile tea: Know as the top tea for stress relief and relaxation , great to help heal upset stomach and indigestion. When applied to the skin it can help speed up the the healing process of wounds since it has antimicrobial properties.
- Echinacea tea: echinacea helps the immune system to naturally fight viruses and bacteria. It also gives a boost to the lymphatic system to drive toxins out of the body.
- Lemongrass tea: packed full of antioxidants, helps in cooling off the body by activating the organism to sweat.
- Rooibos tea: Another one full of antioxidant which contribute in slowing down the process of aging effects and contribute to prevention of certain cancers. Just like the others it helps optimizing the immune system and has great anti inflammatory effects.
- Peppermint tea: Great one to fresh up your dogs breath, also helps to relax the muscles and improve breathing by relaxing the nasal activity.
- Ginger tea: Popular remedy for nausea, helps to lower the blood pressure and blood sugar levels. To prepare this tea you can just add hot water to slices of raw ginger and let it sit for a couple of minutes.
Which one would you try first? Or do you have a favorite taste of tea already? Mine is Chamomile.
Paw Luna🐶🐾
