Tips for a Happy & Healthy Christmas - Turkey Bone Broth

It’s beginning to feel a lot like Christmas!!!

With Santa Paws imminently coming to town, this year’s festivities needn’t be dampened by the cost-of-living crisis.

The truth is your pooch doesn’t know it’s Christmas, but of course they certainly know something is going on!!

We all want our dogs to enjoy Christmas as part of the family, but it could be said that Christmas is the single most non-dog friendly event ever!

Keeping costs down doesn’t mean you have to compromise on having fun with your dog. There’s so many fun Christmas gifts that you can make for your dog, saving on expensive toys.

Recycling old sweaters or T shirts can be transformed into tug toys, old plastic water bottles encased in an old sock becomes a super fun crackling enrichment toy.

Save some cardboard boxes filled with toilet roll tubes and treats makes a simple, eco enrichment toy.

Whilst we should never offer dogs cooked bones ever - they splinter and can cause choking.

But this year’s turkey carcass can be ‘transformed’ into a cost-effective, super nutritional health boost called Bone Broth.

Known as the age-old remedy for the immune system a recent research project called the Biome Broth study analysed dogs’ microbiomes before taking bone broth and after taking bone broth for four weeks.

Microbiologist, Dr Carol Hughes, in conjunction with Aberystwyth University conducted the study, with Boil and Broth, which revealed that all of the 33 dogs taking part revealed staggering health improvements.

In all cases the bad bacteria markers, Clostridium and Helicobacter reduced dramatically, with a huge increase in the good bacteria marker of Bifidobacterium along with an increase in the microbial diversity.

It’s as if the Bone Broth works as a probiotic creating Homeostasis or natural balance, which is the cornerstone of optimum health.

Super easy to make simply place the turkey bones into a slow cooker. Cover with cold filtered water and leave on the lowest heat for 12 hours minimum. Add a splash of organic apple cider vinegar (complete with the Mother!)

Allow to cool, sieve the liquid from the bones. Discard the bones very carefully so there is no chance your dog can snaffle them from a kitchen bin!

Decant the Bone Broth into ice cube trays and thaw as needed. As science concurs there’s a relationship between the gut and the brain, known as the gut / brain axis, adding a dose of bone broth to your dog’s daily diet could improve their cognition and their behaviour too.

But perhaps the greatest gift for your dog this Christmas is keeping them away from the emergency vets.

Every year Vets see emergency visits double through December and into the New Year. It’s estimated that a third of Britain’s dogs will have some emergency and a vet visit costing over £3,000 over the christmas period.

Apart from adding to what is already a very expensive time of year, the advice is to be extra vigilant and pragmatic this year!

Tinsel can be misconstrued by your dog for a fun rope toy and cause a serious throat or stomach blockage. Similarly pine needles from the Christmas tree in the right quantity can be toxic.

Rather than glass or plastic decorations, opt for paper ones instead, and be very mindful about chocolate and raisins. Both of which in the right quantity can be very dangerous. Both have the potential to induce sickness and in extreme cases kidney failure.

By far the most common Vet emergency at Christmas is ingesting chocolate. This accounts for approximately 30% of emergency cases. With raisins found in mince pieces, Christmas cake at 20%. Consuming a new Christmas toy is also high on the list at 12%.

Anna Webb – as a Canine Nutrition and Behaviour expert, Anna combines her psychology degree, with study at the College of Integrated Veterinary Therapies (CIVT) and over 20 years of experience. Host of the award-nominated A DOG’S LIFE podcast, she lives in London and is owned by Prudence, a Miniature Bull Terrier, and Mr Binks, a re-homed English Toy Terrier.