Boosting The K9 Immune System With Banana Kelp Dog Treats

All you need is two ingredients for these scrumptious, immune system boosting dog treats! I used two overly ripe bananas and 1.5 teaspoons of the kelp supplement we’ve been using on a daily basis for the last 3 weeks. 

Disclaimer: Kelp Dog provided us with a free bag of their Kelp Supplement in return for an honest review. Here on K9sOverCoffee, I only share information I feel is relevant to my readers & always provide 100% honest reviews. Kelp Dog is not responsible for the content of this blog post.

Update 2018: Sadly, Kelp Dog seems to no longer be in business. You can find similar pet kelp supplements on Amazon and from Raw Paws Pet Food.

How To Make The Banana Kelp Dog Treats

It’s a breeze making these banana kelp dog treats – I peeled the two ripe bananas and mashed them up in a mixing bowl. I then added 1.5 teaspoons of the kelp powder and mixed them together. The concoction was enough to fill the 12 heart shapes in my two silicone molds. 

There was a little leftover which Missy was more than happy to taste-test!

I then put the silicone molds into the freezer and was able to “harvest” the first treat by the next morning. Too easy! 

Did You Know That Ripe Bananas Fight Cancerous Cells?

Ripe bananas are rich in dietary fiber, vitamin C, potassium, vitamin B-6 and antioxidants. They are very easy to digest when ripe AND, get this, they even have anti-cancer qualities! 

Why is that? Japanese researchers Haruyo Iwasawa and Masatoshi YamazaKi have found that ripe bananas produce a substance called TNF (Tumor Necrosis Factor) that fights cancerous cells (necrosis = death).

On top of that, the antioxidants fight free radicals that can end up turning into cancerous cells, so the combination of both TNF & antioxidants is a powerful one!

By the way – I typically prefer using organic ingredients both in my dog food/treats and my own food, but the bananas used for these treats weren’t organic. I’m not too worried about their levels of pesticides because their peel is so thick. The thicker the peel of a fruit, the less contaminated it is with pesticides (also applies to pineapples).

Antioxidant-Rich Kelp Supplement

This Kelp Supplement consists of 100% pure, wild kelp as well as of the following, healing herbs:

• Celery Seed Powder
• Alfalfa Powder
• Flax Seed Powder
• Parsley

When doing my research on kelp, I found that kelp from the southern pacific ocean shouldn’t be used because of industrial pollution. Kelp from Hawaii, the Northwest USA, Canada, Iceland and Norway is considered much less contaminated.

This particular kelp is hand-harvested from the pristine ocean waters of Northern B.C. Canada.

Wild Kelp itself is a seaweed that is chock full of vitamins, minerals, trace elements, and amino acids. It reduces itchiness and keeps the skin healthy, and is a natural source of iodine, which helps support the thyroid function and overall metabolism. I also just learned that kelp repels fleas, so I’m adding it to my list of natural pest preventatives!

Celery Seeds are rich in antioxidant flavonoids protecting the cells from free radical damage, reduce swelling and provide relief from joint/arthritic pain. They also help regulate blood pressure.

Alfalfa Powder is rich in vitamins and trace minerals, and also contains high amounts of protein. It offers substantial relief from joint/arthritic pain and contains cancer-fighting components.

Flax Seed Powder is a good source of omega-3 fatty acids which helps improve skin condition & makes for a beautiful, shiny coat. It promotes intestinal and cardiovascular health and is a rich source of lignans, which are phytochemicals that promote cancer-fighting properties.

Parsley is a good source of flavonoids, antioxidants, and vitamins (C, K, iron). It soothes the digestive system and helps keep doggie breath fresh. It also relieves arthritic pain and urinary tract infections by eliminating toxins.

Small Silicone Mold – Moderation Is Key

As with all treats, feeding them in moderation is key – too much banana and kelp can cause digestive upset. Because of this I chose to make smaller treats by using the small, heart shaped silicone mold pictured above as opposed to a larger KONG puzzle that I typically like to use when making frozen, DIY food puzzle fillers.

I limit Missy’s allowance to 1-2 banana/kelp treats per day when she’s not getting the kelp dosage with her raw food. She weighs 50 lbs and can have 1 teaspoon of kelp per day. Her brother Buzz weighs 70 lbs and can have 2 teaspoons of kelp per day.

Bottom Line

I enjoyed experimenting a little with the powder by using it with the ripe bananas as a double immune system booster!

Since I feed a balanced raw meat diet with the addition of superfood supplements as preventatives for many ailments, the kelp powder was a welcome add-on to my supplement resources.