5 reasons: Why brewer's yeast is so healthy for dogs
- Veterinarian Mag.med.vet. Emin Jasarevic
- Updated: 2024-02-06
You want to know what brewer's yeast for dogs can do? Brewer's yeast not only causes a shiny coat. Where you can use it and what exactly it does, I have summarized for you in this comprehensive guide. Also, for this article we have chosen Advice from veterinarian Mag.med.vet. Emin Jasarevic obtained. Note: This article is written for the german country. So be excited 🙂
What is brewer's yeast?
Brewer's yeast consists of spherical, unicellular yeast fungi. These are microorganisms that reproduce by sprouting.
Brewer's yeast is a waste product that is produced during beer production. After fermentation, it floats on the beer as beer sludge. Nowadays, manufacturers filter out the brewer's yeast from most types of beer. The yeast particles created during fermentation cloud the beer and make it less durable.
But even today there are types of beer that contain yeast. These include yeast-clouded wheat beer or Zwickel beer.
History of a natural remedy
In 1725, the physician Dr. J. F. Heckel opined, "Breweries are the most distinguished pharmacies."
He knew about the healthy effects of beer, as did so many scholars and physicians before and after him.
It is not the beer itself that is so healthy, but the yeast it contains. People were already aware of its many valuable properties 5000 years ago.
The use of brewer's yeast as a medicine is as old as beer brewing itself. In Mesopotamia and Ancient Egypt, people used beer sludge to treat wounds and skin diseases.
Knowledge of the effects of yeast continued in ancient Greece. Even Hippocrates, the founder of modern medicine, appreciated the remedy.
From the late Middle Ages, doctors also used brewer's yeast as a medicine and anti-ageing agent. It was an integral part of the recipes of Paracelsus and Hildegard von Bingen.
Scientific studies drew the attention of manufacturers to the healthy effect of brewer's yeast. Therefore, it is no longer processed as a residual product, but is specifically produced and marketed as flakes, powder or tablets.
Today, the range of brewer's yeast products is growing. As a cosmetic or dietary supplement, it has convinced many people. Dog owners can share the benefits with their four-legged friends.
Ingredients
Brewer's yeast is a purely natural product and contains no chemical additives. The main groups of ingredients are:
- B vitamins
- Amino acids
- Minerals
- Antioxidants
Effect and areas of application
Brewer's yeast is an all-round talent. As brewer's yeast contains so many valuable substances, it is an ideal supplement to dog food. No matter how hard we try to provide our four-legged friends with the best food, hardly any diet plan is perfect. And even the best diet cannot protect against every illness.
Brewer's yeast can do both: prevent or compensate for a deficiency. If you feed it regularly to your four-legged friend, its effect unfolds.
The main areas of application are:
- Skin and coat problems
- diabetes
- Gastrointestinal complaints
- Liver problems
- Small wounds
1. fur and skin
Dry or shaggy coats become softer and shinier just a few days after the first dose. Brewer's yeast is particularly suitable before the change of coat, in addition to regular coat care.
Yeast also helps with flaky skin, lichen, itching or rashes. If your pet is prone to sweet itch, for example, the condition can be alleviated or disappear completely by administering yeast as a preventative measure.
2. ticks
As a dog owner you come around the topic Tick protection not around. Among all the annoying parasites that can infest our dogs, the tick is particularly unwelcome. In the warm months, they lurk in every meadow and woodland. Since they can transmit dangerous diseases, they are a serious threat to animals and humans.
Brewer's yeast helps against these parasites. The ticks avoid your furry nose because they do not like the smell of the yeast. If a tick nevertheless gets lost in the fur, it often does not bite immediately and you can simply remove it.
Nevertheless, brewer's yeast is not a perfect protection against the little beasts. Unfortunately, there are few scientific studies on most natural means of tick defense.
It could not be found out in the studies carried out which ingredient in the yeast the ticks do not like. Probably an interaction of several substances is responsible.
Despite incomplete data, we can draw on testimonials. Many dog owners do not want to miss the yeast anymore.
Moreover, as a natural product, yeast can be combined with other natural means to be on the safe side. Thus, it is absolutely recommendable as a gentle and natural method to get the tick problem under control.
If brewer's yeast is not effective in combating ticks, you are welcome to read our article on Black cumin oil or Coconut oil study
3. diabetes
Brewer's yeast contains no sugar and is suitable as a supplement for dogs with diabetes. It stimulates the production of insulin in the dog's body.
4. problems with stomach and intestines
Thanks to the fiber, brewer's yeast helps with constipation or an unbalanced intestinal flora. You can give it as a support for a stressed intestine, for example after the administration of antibiotics.
5. liver problems
In the case of liver dysfunction, brewer's yeast helps stimulate the healing process.
6. small wounds
For dry spots or smaller wounds, you can use brewer's yeast for external application. Mix the yeast with a little water to make a paste and apply to the wounded area.
Taste and administration
Brewer's yeast has a bitter-spicy, slightly cheesy taste. Most four-legged friends tolerate the taste and accept the yeast well. The product is available in various forms, so there is something for every furry friend.
Whether tablets, flakes or powder: Simply mix into the dog food and you're done! Some dogs also eat the tablets as a treat.
You can buy brewer's yeast in large supermarkets, health food stores, drug stores, pharmacies, over the internet, or in pet stores.
Correct dosage
In principle, the manufacturer's recommendations should be followed for the dosage. The amount depends on the weight of your protégé.
You can give fewer tablets or powder the first day and increase the dose the next few days. Some dogs get mild flatulence, but as soon as the body gets used to the yeast, they disappear again.
Dosage orientation:
- Small dogs from 5 to 10 kg: from 1 g per day.
- Medium dogs from 11 to 20 kg: from 1.5 g per day
- Large dogs from 21 to 40 kg: from 2 g per day.
- Very large dogs from 41 kg: from 3 g per day
If the yeast is used during the change of coat or as a tick remedy, the dosage can be a little higher for the desired period.
Disadvantages and side effects
Except for the above-mentioned flatulence at the very beginning, very sensitive dogs may react with diarrhea.
But this problem also normally resolves after the body gets used to the yeast. Otherwise, no side effects are known.
Please note that the use of brewer's yeast is not recommended for four-legged friends with kidney disease. You can find out more about this in the guide to kidney diets for dogs.
If you pay attention to the dosage recommendations of the manufacturer or veterinarian, your protégé will not have any further difficulties.
However, if you experience unexpected side effects or a noticeable change in your pet's behavior, you should call your veterinarian immediately.
Frequently Asked Questions
Brewer's yeast consists of spherical, unicellular yeast fungi. These are microorganisms that reproduce by sprouting. It can be used in dogs as a dietary supplement.
Brewer's yeast is a purely natural product and contains no chemical additives. The main groups of ingredients are:
- B vitamins
- Amino acids
- Minerals
- Antioxidants
Brewer's yeast is an all-rounder. Because there are so many valuable substances in brewer's yeast, it is an ideal supplement to dog food. The main areas of application are:
- Skin and coat problems
- diabetes
- Gastrointestinal complaints
- Liver problems
- Small wounds
Basically, the manufacturer's recommendations should be followed for the dosage. Decisive for the dosage is the weight of your dog. Here is an orientation.
- Small dogs from 5 to 10 kg: from 1 g per day.
- Medium dogs from 11 to 20 kg: from 1.5 g per day
- Large dogs from 21 to 40 kg: from 2 g per day.
- Very large dogs from 41 kg: from 3 g per day
Brewer's yeast can cause diarrhea and flatulence in sensitive dogs. However, this can be quickly remedied by a slow habituation to brewer's yeast. Apart from this, brewer's yeast has no side effects. Only dogs with kidney problems should not be fed with it.
My Conclusion
Brewer's yeast is particularly suitable as a dietary supplement and for coat and skin care. As an additive in the feed unfolds its effect from the inside.
Many dog owners who give their pets brewer's yeast are convinced of the effects. I started feeding brewer's yeast to my dog about a year ago and have also been positively surprised. His coat has been particularly shiny since then.
Since you can't go much wrong with brewer's yeast and there are no problematic side effects, I recommend just giving it a try.
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I am a veterinarian and writer on animal health topics. Animals are my passion, and it is my personal goal to create medically accurate articles and videos to educate pet owners as much as possible.
