20/05/2025
Fantastic Fungi
For centuries, Medicinal Mushrooms have been used in traditional medicine!
You can't go wrong using medicinal mushrooms for natural healing for your dog, and they are prescribed in holistic vet practices for treating different ailments worldwide. There have been fantastic results using fungi as remedies for many health issues, from treating cancer to regulating blood pressure. Mushrooms are versatile natural plants and serve four significant healing functions, disease prevention, cell regeneration, cancer, radiation protection and treatment intervention.
These are miracle plants; no other plants can help as much as mushrooms. They're great for us, and they're great for our pups as well. Not all mushrooms are medicinal; however, most edible ones have medicinal properties.
The healing abilities come from their nutritional value. They contain minerals such as phosphorus, potassium, sodium, selenium, zinc, sulphur, and geranium. Vitamins: B complex, folic acid, pro-vitamin D Sugars: mannitol, xylose, glucose, galactose, mannose. Enzymes: antibacterial, proteolytic. Protein: essential amino acids. Lipids: free fatty acid, phospholipids, sterols, sterol esters, mono-, di- and triglycerides. Polysaccharides: glycogen, beta-D-glucans, chitin. Essential oils: triterpenes.
Mushrooms contain natural polysaccharides (simple sugars); the essential polysaccharides for cancer patients are called beta-glucans. According to Cancer Specialist Dr Demian Dressler, "Beta-glucans have a wide variety of effects on the body. Beta-glucans bind to the outside of natural killer cells and other immune system cells, which are responsible for destroying cancers and helping turn them on and increase their activity. Beta-glucans may also increase overall white blood cell activity in the body."
Mushrooms don't kill cancer, but they can boost the immune system and help the body fight against it! New research shows that some mushroom extracts can help chemotherapy drugs better find and identify cancer cells, making chemotherapy more effective.
The most beneficial medicinal mushrooms for dogs are Shiitake, Turkey Tail, Cordyceps, Reishi, Maitake and Lion's Mane. Studies show they can improve immune system function and have many other essential health benefits for your pooch. In addition, you can combine different mushroom species to get their various healing properties.
Shiitake Mushrooms
Shiitake mushrooms have ten amino acids and 30 different enzymes. They also have minerals like calcium, iron, zinc, magnesium, and selenium, making them impressive for your dog's health. They improve circulation and stimulate white blood cells. They can also inhibit tumour growth. Shiitake mushrooms reduce the side effects of chemotherapy and radiation, help relieve bronchial inflammation, treat Cushing's disease, reduce allergy symptoms and regulate urinary incontinence.
Turkey tail Mushrooms
Full of beta-glucan polysaccharides ( essential sugars in the body), which aid in activating the immune system and helps to fight off disease and protect the body from infection. A recent study by the Vet School at Penn State University looked at turkey tail mushrooms for dogs with hemangiosarcoma (a common cancer found almost exclusively in dogs). The longest survival times of dogs with this disease were treated with a compound derived from the turkey tail mushroom. Other benefits of turkey tail mushrooms include helping heal pulmonary disorders, treating the inflammation of the digestive and urinary tract systems and decreasing the effects of chemotherapy and radiation.
Cordyceps Mushrooms
Wild cordyceps mushrooms grow on caterpillars, making them expensive to harvest; luckily, they're also cultivated. Cordyceps have antifungal and antibacterial properties and have three protein-bound polysaccharides and several amino acids.
Studies show that cordyceps mushrooms have unique antitumour properties and protect against heart and liver disease. Cordyceps are also suitable for treating: Leaky gut syndrome, Lung carcinoma, Chronic liver disorders, Kidney failure, Hyper-lipedema, Cardiac arrhythmias, Hypercholesterolemia, Asthma and Geriatric diseases.
Reishi Mushrooms
Reishi mushrooms are known as the mushrooms of immortality. They have antitumour effects, anti-viral, anti-inflammatory, and immune-stimulating properties, which make them great for boosting overall health. Reishi mushrooms are used to treat: Cancer, Heart disease, Compromised immune systems, Allergies, Arthritis and upper respiratory viral tract infections.
Maitake Mushrooms
In Japanese, Maitake means "dancing mushroom"; these mushrooms stimulate t-cells, lower cholesterol and inhibit tumour growth. Maitake mushrooms are suitable for: Preventing cancer, helping to manage diabetes, liver problems, and supporting the body during chemotherapy and other cancer treatments.
Lions Mane Mushrooms
Lion's Mane is especially well known for its ability to stimulate nerve growth factor (NGF). Challenging health issues can be managed through their neurotrophic properties. Also known as "Nature's nutrient for the neurons". Lion's Mane are amazing mushrooms for boosting brain function, memory and the nervous system. It can even help regenerate damaged nerves and stimulate nerve growth. Other benefits of adding Lion's Mane supplements for your dog are: supporting your dog's digestive health, which supports their immune health. It promotes cardiovascular health by reducing chronic inflammation and limits oxidative stress to the arteries; both can lead to heart problems and diabetes. Lion's Mane may also help control obesity and boosts metabolism.
How To Feed Medicinal Mushrooms To Your Pooch
Mushrooms come in either whole (fresh), powdered or capsule form. You can make a tea or broth using dried mushrooms. If you want to give your dog whole mushrooms, it's best to give them a good wash and cook them thoroughly. Raw mushrooms can be challenging for your dog to digest and may be toxic. They're safe when cooked.
If you buy mushrooms in powdered or capsule form, follow the directions on the package. If the product is for us, assume the dosage instructions are for a 68-kilo person. Adjust the amount according to your pup's weight. It is recommended to start with a lower dose and increase the dosage gradually to avoid any digestive upset.
Here's just one example of how to use the power players together.
Mushroom Mix for Liver Disease
If your dog suffers from liver disease, this mushroom mix can help support the liver. Combine the dried mushrooms (or powder) – 2 Tbsp of reishi, maitake, shiitake and turkey tail. Mix with 120 ml hot water, Add Amino-b-plex (available at many online vendors), and store in the fridge. Dosage: Give your dog ½ ml per 2.25 kilos of body weight twice daily.
If purchasing powder or capsules for the best results, choose a mushroom supplement with no fillers. Make sure the supplement is produced from whole fruiting bodies and not mycelium. If the supplements are just mycelium, it is lower in beta-glucans (the good stuff) and higher in starch. The research cited above was done with extracts from whole fruiting mushrooms