Medicinal Mushrooms for Dogs

What they are, why use them, and how to use them 🍄🐾

I used to feed mushrooms to Dixon fresh from the farmers market.

At first, I tried tinctures, powders, and different blends for his allergies, and dementia — hoping something in the supplement world would make a noticeable difference. But over time, I kept coming back to the same truth: the thing that actually supported him the most was whole, fresh food.

I’d bring them home and gently prepare them for him, not thinking in terms of dosing or protocols, but in terms of real food and nourishment. It felt simple in a way nothing in the supplement aisle ever really did.

There was no label to decode. No regimen to follow. No pressure to “get it right.” Just food in a bowl and a dog I loved.

After my last post about how overwhelming the pet supplement world can feel, so many of you messaged me saying the same thing:

“How do I know what’s actually good? What if I don’t want to cook myself?”

And honestly? That’s the hard part! Every brand claims to be the best. Every ad promises miracles. Every rabbit hole somehow leads to another supplement your dog “needs.”

It can make even the most intentional dog parent feel frozen.

That’s why I’ve been trying to approach supplements differently — less from a place of panic and more from a place of curiosity, observation, and long-term wellness support.

One category I’ve always been interested in, is medicinal mushrooms for dogs.

Not because I think they’re magic. Not because I think every dog suddenly needs an eight mushroom blend. But because there’s growing interest around how certain mushrooms may support immune health, vitality, cognitive function, and overall aging support for only for humans, but for our pets!

And when you have senior dogs like me or dogs dealing with lumps & bumps, inflammation, lower energy, or chronic wellness issues… those conversations become really interesting.

The Truth: There Is No “Perfect” Supplement

This is probably the biggest thing I want dog parents to hear: You do not have to use only one brand.

Some dogs thrive on one formula and not another.
Some dogs do better rotating products.
Some dogs need less.
Some dogs need more support during certain seasons of life.

A huge part of holistic wellness is learning to listen to your dog’s body — while also staying open to conventional veterinary support when needed.

That’s also why I don’t think supplements should become another source of fear or guilt.

The goal is NOT perfection.
The goal IS support.

Mushroom Brands I’ve Personally Used

Transparency note: I may receive products and/or compensation from the brands I feature. However, I only share products I personally use and trust.

The brands that consistently come up in my world—and in conversations with other pet parents and professionals—include:

• Buddy Guard

• Real Mushrooms

• MycoDog

• Animal Essentials

• Super Snouts

• Adored Beast Apothecary

• Pawse

• Four Leaf Rover

• Canine Matrix

• Earth Buddy

• Green Juju

Each of these brands approaches mushrooms and functional wellness a little differently. And honestly, the space changes fast— new products launch, formulations shift, and some brands evolve or even disappear just like we saw with Noni Pup. So instead of trying to keep up with everything on the market, I want to focus on the ones I’ve actually used myself and can speak to from real experience.

Buddy Guard

This product caught my attention because it’s specifically designed for aging dogs with lumps/bumps and uses a blend of organic fruiting bodies only.

The formula contains:

• Organic Turkey Tail

• Organic Agaricus Blazei

• Organic Shiitake

• Organic Reishi

• Organic Chaga Sclerotium

• Organic Lion’s Mane

• Organic Maitake

• Organic Cordyceps

Inactive ingredients: none.

No fillers.
No synthetics.
No binders.
No capsules.
No silicon dioxide.
No microcrystalline cellulose.

Just active ingredients only.

One of the biggest things they emphasize is high beta-glucan content, which matters because beta-glucans are considered one of the most beneficial compounds naturally found in medicinal mushrooms.

Buddy Guard is also a NASC (National Animal Supplement Council) member product, and the company states that every batch is third-party tested for quality, purity, and safety.

However, they’ve shared that they do not currently have a COA (Certificate of Analysis) available publicly yet because they’re still building out that process.

They’ve also shared that a pilot study has been underway for nearly two years involving two Harvard Medical School researchers alongside a veterinarian leading the study, with anticipated publication around the end of next year.

I personally appreciate transparency like that — especially in an industry where vague marketing is everywhere.

Real Mushrooms

They are probably one of the better-known companies in the wellness space overall. A lot of people like them because they focus heavily on fruiting bodies instead of grain-heavy mycelium products, and they publicly discuss beta-glucan testing and extraction methods.

They also offer single mushroom options, which can be helpful for dogs who may benefit from targeted support instead of large blends.

For example:

• Lion’s Mane for cognitive support

• Turkey Tail for immune support

• Reishi for calming and immune balance

Some dog parents appreciate the flexibility of using individual mushroom ingredients instead of an all-in-one blend, and these products are also commonly vet recommended, including by Dr. Judy Morgan.

That said, some have raised questions about the inclusion of inactive ingredients such as silicon dioxide in certain formulations, even though they were developed under the guidance of Dr. Rob Silver.

MycoDog

They tend to appeal more to pet parents who are specifically looking for medicinal mushroom formulations designed for both dogs and cats.

One thing I consistently notice — and really appreciate — is their strong focus on education around functional mushrooms and overall canine wellness, rather than relying purely on modern marketing hype. They’ve also conducted a senior dog study, which adds to the conversation around their use in long-term wellness support.

Their Clarity Blend is my personal favorite. It didn’t seem to make a noticeable difference for Dixon toward the end of his life, but most recently with Darla, I’ve been really happy with the results—especially in how she’s become more confident navigating her fear of heights and is now comfortably using her pet stairs. Plus it passed her Chiropractor’s Kineslogy Muscle test!

Animal Essentials

They’re known more broadly for herbal tincture-based support.

Some dogs do really well with liquid herbal formulas versus powders or capsules — especially picky eaters or those with digestive sensitivities.

I did have Dixon on their Brain Awake tincture whenever I was in a pinch and couldn’t make it to the farmer’s market, but honestly I think it was more the herbs in the formula that helped soothe him than the added Lion’s Mane.

That said, their standard mushroom products are popular because they’re designed to be simple, accessible, and easy to incorporate into a daily routine— especially for pet parents who want a straightforward way to add functional support without overcomplicating things.

Brands Overall

Adored Beast Apothecary, Canine Matrix, and Green Juju have all been part of my integrative journey at different points. When I first started leaning into a more holistic lifestyle, Canine Matrix was actually one of the first supplements I used with The Pugstables after seeing it featured in Dogs Naturally Magazine. Over time, I transitioned into Adored Beast Apothecary and incorporated Green Juju’s mushroom probiotic into my rotation-based approach, but more recently I’ve shifted to their newer fermented probiotics, which I like pairing alongside MycoDog depending on what each dog needs at the time. And for my fosters, I’ve stuck with Buddy Guard as a consistent and affordable go-to, especially when I’m thinking about setting them up for their future owners with something simple, reliable, and easy to continue once they transition into their new homes.

Why Rotation Can Matter

One thing I’ve learned over time is that wellness doesn’t always have to look rigid. Sometimes rotating supplements seasonally or based on your dog’s needs make sense.

Maybe your dog does well on one mushroom blend for a few months, then benefits from switching to another formula. Maybe you use more immune support during stressful seasons. Maybe your dog’s body simply responds better to one company’s sourcing or extraction style.

There isn’t always one universal answer.

And I think that’s important to normalize because social media can make wellness feel weirdly black-and-white—especially with influencers on both sides of the spectrum.

How To Use Mushrooms

At this point in my journey as both a dog mom and pet professional, I care less about finding “miracle products” and more about:

• Ingredient quality

• Transparency

• Sourcing

• Functional support

• How the dog actually responds

I also think it’s okay to try things thoughtfully, observe, pivot, and adjust.

That’s not failure. That’s being an intentional caregiver.

Because at the end of the day, holistic wellness isn’t about chasing perfection.

It’s about building a toolbox that supports both you and your dog in a sustainable way!

And if you do want to incorporate mushrooms through real food, there are some great resources out there. You can refer to The Forever Dog Life cookbook for guidance, and I’m also a big advocate for community-driven tools like The Doggy Dish Database, which just launched post-beta. Cookbooks like Dr. Judy Morgan’s collection often includes practical recipes and ways to safely incorporate functional foods into your dog’s routine.

P.S. I’d love to hear what’s working for your dog right now—drop it below!