Our customers sometimes ask if they could obtain the same great results they get with Dog-Wa by simply mixing dried herbs together and sprinkling on their dog’s food.

In a nutshell, the answer is no.

There are several reasons why Dog-Wa provides superior nutritional benefits in a form that is more bioavailable to your dog than eating dried herbs.

No matter what you eat, you do not get 100% of the nutrients, due to the digestive process.  When a substance, like a food or drink, is consumed, the nutrients decrease due to incomplete absorption.  We ensure an adequate amount of nutrients by consuming the correct amount of foods to compensate for these lost nutrients.  One way we do this is by consuming whole and minimally processed foods that are high in the nutritious elements we need for optimal health.  Another help is to eat foods that enhance the body’s digestive functioning, or at least do not add challenges to proper digestion.

Fresh herbs are the best herbs

One of the best ways to ensure that we maximize the nutrients from our food sources is to consume fresh foods.  Herbs and vegetables that are dried, baked, dehydrated, or pasteurized experience significant nutrient loss.  Delicate phytonutrients, acids, and other supernutrients may be diminished or eliminated by drying, baking, dehydration, or pasteurization.  That’s why the herbs in Dog-Wa are fresh.  We cold press with a patented technology to maintain the nutrient value of fresh herbs in the same ratios as are found in the actual, whole plants.  So Dog-Wa contains more of the goodness of fresh, whole leafy greens.

Concentration is the key to success

If you’ve ever made fresh-squeezed orange juice or lemonade, you know how many fresh oranges or lemons it takes.  You can go through a dozen of them before you know it.  Now imagine trying to “squeeze” parsley and peppermint.  A little peppermint goes a long way for flavor, but imagine trying to squeeze a cup full of mint juice.   Obviously, it would take bushels and bushels of these herbs to do it.  When we make a batch of Dog-Wa, it’s more like rooms full of herbs.  That’s what it takes to obtain the concentration of our herbal blend.  So with Dog-Wa, you can provide your dog a superabundance of leafy green nutrients in just a few tablespoons.  In order to match the nutritional benefits of Dog-Wa with dried herbs, you would have to provide more dried herbs than your dog could ever ingest.  And those dried herbs would not contain all the nutritional benefits of fresh herbs.

It’s not just the nutrients you consume, it’s the nutrients you absorb

Generally speaking, the goal of providing nutrients is to ensure absorption across the lining of the digestive tract and into the body.  A dog’s digestive system, while similar to yours and mine, is different in many ways.  One way in which a dog’s digestive system differs is a reduced ability to digest fiber and vegetable matter.  So the question is, how do we provide the necessary nutrients found in beneficial herbs without contributing to problems in digestion.  One way is through the use of liquids.  The superior absorption of many nutrients in a liquid form is well documented, both in humans and dogs.  Because Dog-Wa is a highly palatable, liquid concentrate, the beneficial components of these herbs are readily available for digestion and absorption.  So your dog gets more benefit from Dog-Wa than he would from dried herbs.

The joy in life depends on good digestion

Because digestion is critical for absorbing nutrients, problems with digestion result in obvious symptoms of distress, including diarrhea, bloating, excess gas, and failure to thrive.  These problems occur so frequently in our pets that they cause many, many visits to veterinarians.  Typically, gastrointestinal problems rank among the top five reasons that dogs are brought in to see their doctors.

The herbs in Dog-Wa have a long history of success in addressing common digestive problems.  These benefits result from the vitamins, minerals, trace elements, and compounds found in our perfect blend of parsley and peppermint.

But here’s the thing:  dogs that suffer from common digestive problems such as gas, diarrhea, bloating, and grass eating and vomiting tend to have problems digesting their food as well.  Poorly digested foods then contribute to the problem further, and your dog is caught in a vicious circle.

Giving your dog beneficial herbs to improve his digestion can help a lot.  But you don’t want to supply them in a form that will also challenge their digestive tract by being difficult for your dog to digest.  Due to the way a dog’s digestive system functions, the foods most likely to be poorly digested are usually carbohydrates and fiber.

And this, of course, brings us back to the difference between giving your dog dried herbs or opting for Dog-Wa.  Dried herbs are basically stems and leaves.  Or, carbohydrates and fiber, depending on how you look at it.  With Dog-Wa, your dog gets the benefits of fresh herbs without consuming the indigestible parts of the green plants that can contribute to digestive distress.