TEXAS TOP K9

Garlic for dogs 🧄…let’s clear this up 👇

Garlic often gets labeled “toxic” because it’s related to onions, but here’s the nuance: garlic contains about 1/15th the amount of the compound linked to toxicity and is actually recognized as a safe ingredient in commercial pet foods (AAFCO).

In small, appropriate amounts, garlic provides allicin, which may support:
❤️ Heart health
🛡️ Immune function
🦠 Antimicrobial support

The studies often cited to claim harm? They used extreme doses…the equivalent of feeding a 70 lb dog ~245 cloves of garlic in one week (yes, really). Even then, no dogs showed outward symptoms, just minor microscopic changes in some red blood cells.

The amounts in this graphic fall well within safe daily feeding guidelines 👍

🐈 For added context: the National Research Council has even set a historical safe intake for cats at 17 mg/kg of body weight, further highlighting that dose matters.

Bottom line:
Garlic isn’t the villain - it’s the amount that matters.

📌 Save this for reference & always stick to proper serving sizes 🐶🐱

A new peer-reviewed study by the American Veterinary Medical Association found that many commercial dog foods contain more copper than dogs actually need. Researchers emphasized that the main concern is long-term exposure, not a single meal. While copper is essential in small amounts, excess intake can gradually overwhelm the liver’s ability to clear it. Over time, copper accumulates in liver cells, generates oxidative (free-radical) damage, and can trigger inflammation, cell death, and eventually scarring. In this analysis, some diets delivered copper levels about 30% to more than 100% above the researchers’ identified safe upper range for dogs.

⚠️Low-copper diets: The total daily copper intake from all food sources (including main meals, toppers, and treats) should provide approximately 0.15–0.24 mg of copper per 100 kcal. Carefully managing copper intake may help support liver health and potentially extend your pet’s lifespan.

Most companies though don’t disclose copper amounts on a “mg per calorie” basis, making it difficult to ever know if the amount you are feeding your animal is safe.

This morning at 12pm EST on the Inside Scoop, we will teach you how to calculate how much copper is in your dog’s food. Join us for this important episode. Downloadable Copper Calculator and PDF of chelation options will be ready for you in the group files.

👉 Comment SCOOPERS and we’ll send you the link to join our subscription group and watch today’s episode Live on Facebook. And when you subscribe to our community website, you’ll also get access to the entire 6+ years of past episodes, expert interviews, ebooks, and more.

Systems That Determine Senior Dog Health 🧠

As dogs age, the most common conditions we see - arthritis, cognitive decline, anxiety, digestive issues - don’t happen randomly. They’re driven by underlying biological processes:
• Chronic low-grade inflammation
• Oxidative stress
• Immune dysregulation
• Mitochondrial (cellular energy) decline
• Microbiome imbalance

Protect the systems, and you influence the outcome. That’s why it’s important to focus on:
🐕 Mobility (inflammation & joint support)
🧠 Mind (brain health & emotional wellbeing)
⚡️ Energy (mitochondrial support & systemic vitality)
🦠 Gut (microbiome & immune resilience)

🍄‍🟫Functional mushrooms studied for these pathways include: Reishi, Lion’s Mane, Cordyceps, Turkey Tail (beta-glucans), and Chaga.

And these changes don’t suddenly appear in the senior years. Immune balance, mitochondrial function, and microbiome resilience are shaped early in life, meaning support can matter from puppyhood through the golden years. Healthy aging doesn’t start at seven.

Join us today at 12pm EST on the Inside Scoop as Dr. Rob Silver and Lee Carroll discuss the best mushrooms to support your senior dog, at every age.

👉 Comment SCOOPERS and we’ll send you the link to join our subscription group and watch today’s episode Live on Facebook. And when you subscribe to our community website, you’ll also get access to the entire 6+ years of past episodes, expert interviews, ebooks, and more.