Dill is put in tzatziki sauce, a Greek yogurt dip that is great with pita, meat, and charred vegetables. It is also added in pickles and potato salad.
Dill is one healthy herb that is a stomach-soother and breath freshener, says Jessica Peralta in “A Tasty Herb, Dill Also Offers 3 Handy Health Benefits for Your Dog” in Dogs Naturally website.
But the best part is the fact dill has antibacterial properties.
“But that’s the beauty of food, isn’t it? If you find the right one, it might just be the thing that fixes what ails you – or in this case, your dog,” Peralta says.
Peralta adds that a sprinkle of this herb, which is part of the parsley family, can benefit dogs in many ways:
Digestion
If your dog picks up any food seconds after it falls on the ground or if your dog rummages through the garbage can for food, is his idea of a buffet, dill is a herb you must have in your kitchen. Dill is an overall digestive aid, helps with gas, and addresses conditions like nausea, cramping, and lack of appetite.
Breath Freshener
Being a member of the parsley family, it’s really not dill also works as a breath freshener. This breath freshening action” comes from its antibacterial powers that work well in the mouth for foul breath caused by bacteria and even gingivitis,” says Peralta.
Antioxidant
Dill also contains antioxidant flavonoids, including kaempferol and vicenin. “Kaemperol has been linked to health benefits, including anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, cardio-protective, neuro-protective and anti-diabetic; whereas vicenin helps protect cells and chromosomes from oxygen-based damage, radiation and damage caused by free radicals. Free radical damage can lead to chronic disease like cancer, joint and organ diseases. And antioxidants are the antidote to out-of-control free radicals,” Peralta says.
Dill also has volatile oils like limonene that may help increase production of cancer-fighting enzymes.
How To Feed Dill
You can put 1 teaspoon of dill seed to 8 ounces of hot water. You can give 2-8 ounces of this mixture to your dog once it has cooled. If your dog does not like the taste, you can use unsalted broth instead of water.
Unless suggested by the vet, it is best not to give new food like dill to a pregnant or lactating animal.
“If you’re a fan of dill and keep it handy in your kitchen, consider it the next time your dog gets gassy after garbage surfing or is in need of a little bit of breath freshening,” Peralta says.
Dill is one of three herbs that are helpful to dogs, says Monica Segal in the article “3 Must-Have Herbs For Your Dogs” in Monica Segal Nutrition Solution for Dogs website.
“Fresh, or dried herbs can be a bonus for your dog, and some have helpful properties for specific body functions.These simple kitchen herbs bring old world traditional wisdom to the bowl. They may not replace more specific and powerful herbs with other actions, but they’ve helped an awful lot dogs!” says Segal.
Fresh dill is antispasmodic. Dill helps ease bowel spasms, and calms the gastrointestinal tract in general. “You can add it to a veggie mix for your dog, or make a tea out of it, and add it to food. If your dog is really picky, add some of the dill tea to broth, or warmed food. It doesn’t take much to do the trick,” Segal says. About 1 teaspoon of dill tea for every 10 pounds of body weight has a soothing effect, she adds.
Mint tea helps make the stool firm, and is also antispasmodic. “The fresh herb can be used to brew tea, but I find that having the dried herb on hand is more convenient. You can use tea bags as well, of course, but purity is best when the dried herb is used. Mint has a strong smell, so adding the tea to warmed food, or broth works well,” Segal says.
Parsley helps address gastritis, and contains antioxidants, Segal says. Just add a few parsley leaves to your dog’s meal.
“Have these simple herbs on hand. You can freeze teas in ice cube trays for use as needed, or keep chopped herbs in ice cubes to thaw and use within a veggie mix. Reducing inflammation and soothing the GI tract should always be a goal to keep in mind, “ Segal adds.