Benefits of Cinnamon for Dogs and Recommended Amount

We all know this fantastic spice capable of giving a special smell and flavor to many dishes and desserts, but what perhaps not everyone knows is the amount of beneficial medicinal properties it can offer both us and our dog.

Recent research has shown its effectiveness against various conditions in farm animals and in our pets, thanks to the vitamins, minerals, and fiber a small amount provides in the daily ration.

Can a Dog Eat Cinnamon?

There are many varieties of this spice — Cassia or Chinese cinnamon, Saigon or Vietnamese cinnamon, Korintje cinnamon — but it's Ceylon cinnamon, also known as true cinnamon, that provides the most benefits for our dog and for ourselves.

This type of cinnamon is the most common, so we shouldn't have any problem finding it at herbalist shops or stores. It has a light appearance and can come in powder or stick form (we recommend getting it in powder, since it's easier to give).

Our dog can eat this type of cinnamon and also benefit from its many medicinal properties. Many sick dogs show improvements when using natural products like this one.

How Much Cinnamon Should I Give My Dog Daily?

"Everything in moderation, and cinnamon is no exception to this rule" — factors like age, underlying conditions, and weight can change the dose; as an example, for a dog around thirty kilos, it's a bit less than half a small teaspoon a day.

If our dog weighs fifteen kilos, then we'll give a quarter of a small teaspoon a day; if it weighs sixty kilos, almost a full teaspoon a day, etc.... We just need to use the half-teaspoon per thirty kilos as a guide and adjust based on each dog's weight. Remember these are small spoons, like the ones used for coffee or dessert (don't confuse them with large soup spoons).

What Benefits Does Eating Cinnamon Provide?

Before learning about the benefits, we should know that some dogs (very rare, isolated cases) don't tolerate cinnamon — it triggers an allergy showing up as a rash or skin irritation. Though we stress again this isn't the norm.

Cinnamon provides our dogs many benefits — it has medicinal properties very beneficial for their digestive system, reducing gas and helping digestion, and it's also very good for treating diarrhea in a dog.

Besides its digestive properties, cinnamon also acts as a regulator of blood sugar and cholesterol. But that's not all — cinnamon is also an excellent natural anti-inflammatory, so it's great for dogs with inflammatory problems such as osteoarthritis, given its high iron, calcium, fiber, and magnesium content.

Its high vitamin C concentration stimulates the immune system, especially in older dogs. It also activates healing factors, reduces fatigue, and acts as a pain reliever.

It's ideal as a food supplement in malnourished dogs, since, as you can see, its nutritional makeup allows the body to recover, and most importantly, with a purely natural additive, with no side effects.

What Happens to My Dog If It Eats Large Amounts of Cinnamon?

Keep in mind not to leave the cinnamon jar within your pet's reach — it may be drawn by its exquisite smell and end up causing short- and medium-term harm. Excessive cinnamon consumption has been scientifically shown to possibly cause liver problems, as well as trigger internal bleeding (especially if your pet regularly takes other medications).

If your female dog is pregnant, it's advisable to avoid using this spice, since it stimulates uterine contractions and could trigger early labor. On the other hand, if we're thinking just about the powder, we need to make sure the dog doesn't start "sniffing it," since it could end up in its throat and get stuck there, risking the animal choking.

We simply need to give our dog the recommended daily amount, mixed into one of its meals or split among all of them, and before long we'll start noticing its benefits in our dog.