Dog food with turmeric
Turmeric turns up as an ingredient in some dog foods and joint supplements because of curcumin, the compound most associated with it, which is marketed for its anti-inflammatory properties. It's included as one ingredient among many in a formulated recipe, not as a medicine, and it isn't something to add to a dog's food yourself in any specific amount.
What turmeric is doing in a recipe
When a manufacturer includes turmeric in a complete food or a joint supplement, it's usually there for curcumin, the active compound the spice is best known for. It's included as part of a formulated recipe alongside other ingredients, in amounts the manufacturer has decided on, rather than as a stand-alone treatment.
You'll most often see it in recipes aimed at older dogs or those marketed around joint support, sitting alongside more established ingredients like glucosamine and chondroitin rather than replacing them.
How to spot it on a label
Turmeric will appear in the ingredients list, sometimes alongside 'curcumin' listed separately if the manufacturer has added a concentrated extract rather than the whole spice. Where it sits in the list gives a rough sense of how much is included relative to other ingredients.
It's worth remembering that inclusion of an ingredient on a label is not the same as a health claim about what that food will do for your dog. A recipe containing turmeric is not a treatment for a diagnosed joint condition, whatever the marketing around it suggests.
What it isn't
Turmeric in a formulated dog food is not the same thing as giving your dog turmeric powder from your kitchen cupboard, and it isn't a substitute for a diagnosed condition being properly treated. If your dog has a joint problem, that's a conversation for your vet rather than something to address through ingredient selection alone.
A dog with digestive sensitivities can sometimes react to turmeric the same way they might to any new ingredient, so introduce a new food containing it gradually, the same as you would with any change of diet.
With it, and in stock
Everything below is in stock with us, priced with delivery worked out, and packed and posted by hand in the UK.
Forthglade Soft Bite Grain Free Joints & Bones Treats
Grain-free salmon dog treats with salmon oil, glucosamine and chondroitin
£2.45
Pooch & Mutt Salmon Oil
Scottish salmon oil for dogs, dosed by weight from toy breeds to giants
£13.99
Forthglade Cold Pressed Natural Turkey
Cold-pressed turkey kibble for dogs from 2 months, soft enough to mix with water for young pups
£45.99
Forthglade Cold Pressed Grain Free Salmon
Cold-pressed grain-free dry food for dogs, built on fresh and dried salmon
From£16.99
Forthglade Cold Pressed Grain Free Duck
Cold-pressed grain-free duck food with fruit and botanicals, in two bag sizes
From£16.99
Forthglade Cold Pressed Grain Free Chicken
Cold-pressed grain-free chicken food with fruit and botanicals, in three bag sizes
From£16.99
Forthglade Complete Meal Lightly Baked Turkey
A lightly baked complete dry food, 50% turkey, for adult dogs of any breed
From£12.49
Forthglade Complete Meal Lightly Baked Chicken
A grain-free complete dry food for adult dogs, lightly baked and built on 50% chicken
From£12.49
Forthglade Cold Pressed Small Dog Turkey
Cold-pressed grain-free dry food for small dogs and puppies, built on turkey
£16.99
Forthglade Complete Meal Lightly Baked Lamb
A lightly baked complete dry food, 50% lamb, for adult dogs of any breed
From£12.49
Forthglade Cold Pressed Grain Free Turkey
Grain-free cold-pressed turkey kibble for dogs, gentle on sensitive stomachs
£69.69
Forthglade British Classics Chicken Family Lunch
Complete Forthglade wet dog food with 75% chicken in a 395G tray
£2.45
Common questions
- Does turmeric help dogs with joint pain?
- Turmeric is included in some recipes and supplements because of curcumin, which is marketed for anti-inflammatory properties, but a food containing it is not a treatment for a diagnosed joint condition. If your dog has ongoing joint pain, that's worth discussing with your vet.
- Can I add turmeric powder to my dog's food myself?
- It's better not to guess at this yourself. A formulated food or supplement includes turmeric in amounts the manufacturer has tested as part of a balanced recipe, which is different from adding kitchen turmeric at home without knowing what amount is appropriate.
- Is turmeric safe for all dogs?
- Most dogs tolerate a formulated food containing turmeric without any issue, but any dog can react to any new ingredient. Introduce a new food gradually and watch how your dog gets on, and speak to your vet if your dog has an existing health condition.
- Why do some joint supplements include turmeric alongside glucosamine?
- Manufacturers often combine several ingredients marketed for joint support, such as glucosamine, chondroitin and turmeric, in a single formulated product. Combining them doesn't mean the product is proven to work better than any one ingredient alone — it's a formulation choice, not a guaranteed outcome.
Related
Written by Matt Garnett, who runs Giddy Pets and is a lifelong pet owner — not a vet. This is general information, not veterinary advice, and it cannot replace an examination by the vet who knows your animal. How we write these guides.