Is it a mushroom extract or ground up dried mushrooms?

When choosing a mushroom supplement for dogs, you want to choose a mushroom extract (liquid or powdered).

Should I use a tincture or powder/pill?

For a mushroom’s medicinal values to be activated and bioavailable, they need to be extracted. Liquid extracts are able to hold and preserve the many bioactive compounds that are released during extraction. Liquid extractions are also easier to absorb than powder, as the body doesn’t need to digest anything, and therefore the medicinal properties of the mushroom can be absorbed right into the body.

Is the mushroom product from mycelium or the fruiting body?

Choose a mushroom extract that is hot water extracted from the fruiting body, where all the medicinal properties live. Stay away from products that include mycelium, grown on medium (like grains) or fillers.

Where are the mushrooms grown?

Mushrooms are bio-accumulators, which means the absorb toxins from polluted air and earth. Although China has been known for its mushroom cultivation methods, it is one of the most polluted countries in the world. Mushrooms growing in their natural environment in the United States’ Pacific Northwest region* are not exposed to these pollutants and toxins, which is an important factor to consider when choosing mushrooms for dogs.

How are the mushrooms being grown?

This has a HUGE impact on the benefits of mushrooms for your dog. Did you know mushrooms can be grown on things like grain and rice? It’s a cheap and quick way to mass produce. The problem is, well, you are what you eat. So mushrooms that are grown on grains take in the nutrients from those grains, which are severely lacking in the health benefits your dog needs. If the mushroom is grown on a tree, in the wild (where they naturally grow), it’s able to absorb all of the important vitamins and nutrients your dog needs to thrive.

A lot of people don’t realize this, but there are actually mushrooms growing, wild-harvested, extracted and packaged in the United States! If you do a little research, you’ll see that the Pacific Northwest is a mushroom heaven that’s been supplying us with naturally grown mushrooms for over 2,400 years. It’s America’s little secret, but so important to know about to make sure we aren’t only finding the best mushroom sources for ourselves and our pets, but that we continue to support our local farmers.