Your Westie’s health will benefit from this versatile plant as mushrooms boost the immune system and prevent disease.
I absolutely love mushrooms, deep fried in breadcrumbs with a creamy garlic dip, sautéed and served in a delicious sauce, a yummy mushroom risotto. If it’s got mushrooms, then I’ll eat it. But that’s enough about me and my culinary tastes, let’s talk about why and how to feed mushrooms to our Westies.
Mushrooms are an incredibly powerful food as they are packed full of healing properties. They are an incredibly versatile and can help with the prevention of disease. They have been known to protect against cancer, they have been known to help with the regeneration of cells and of course they have the ability to boost the immune system.
Different types of medicinal mushrooms have a wide range of healing properties, my personal favourite for my Westies is the Turkey Tail. I tend to give this as a supplement in powdered form, but of course you can lightly cook in a pan with a little coconut oil then blitz them up. They are packed full of essential sugars that can help keep the immune system activated, they have also been known to help protect from infection and to fight some diseases.
Not every type of mushroom has a medicinal benefit, but most of them do have healing abilities, and this is down to their nutritional value. They’re a great food source for us, and they’re a wonderful addition to add to your Westie’s diet.
The other mushrooms that pack a powerful punch for Westies are Reishi, Cordyceps, Shiitake and Maitake, they all have health benefits and like the Turkey Tail have shown to improve the function of the immune system. They have also been shown to help fight cancers, pulmonary disease, kidney issues, heart disease, asthma, and allergies to name a few. They work well together so it’s perfectly fine to give your Westie a mix and get the healing benefits of every one of them!
I understand the fear of using medicinal mushrooms for pets. Westie owners are always going to worry about wild mushrooms being poisonous or toxic, but if you purchase organic mushrooms from a reliable source, then there is no reason to worry about safety.
Mushrooms are another eating experience you can add to your Westie’s bowl, they have a different texture and smell, and the more eating experiences you can offer your dog, the less likely you are to have a fussy eater. At the end of the day if there are any left you can always fry them in garlic and butter and nosh them yourself.
Sue Makepeace is the Founder of the Westie Advice Group on Facebook and is also a certified Raw Dog Nutrition Specialist
