Proactive Paws

10/08/2026

🫐🐶🐱 BLUEBERRIES ON THE BAG DOESN’T ALWAYS MEAN BLUEBERRY BENEFITS IN THE BOWL!

A peer-reviewed 2025 study published in the Journal of Animal Science examined 40 commercial dog and cat kibbles listing blueberries as an ingredient.

The surprising finding? 🤯

Researchers found very low to undetectable levels of certain beneficial plant compounds, including antioxidants associated with blueberries.

🫐 THE BIGGEST SHOCK: One kibble listed blueberries as its 4th ingredient, yet had the lowest measured level of quercetin, a beneficial antioxidant, in the entire study!

Just because blueberries appear high on an ingredient list doesn’t guarantee your pet is getting their expected antioxidant benefits.

🫐 WHY FRESH BLUEBERRIES MATTER

Blueberries naturally contain powerful antioxidants, including anthocyanins, that help protect cells from oxidative stress.

These compounds are being studied for their potential to support:

🧠 Brain health and healthy aging
❤️ Heart and cardiovascular health
🛡️ Healthy immune function

And here’s the best part: You don’t need to replace your pet’s food to add a little fresh nutrition!

Simply add a few fresh or thawed, unsweetened blueberries to their bowl.

🐶 HOW MANY BLUEBERRIES CAN PETS HAVE?

As a simple occasional topper:
🐾 Cats and Small dogs: 1–2 blueberries
🐾 Medium dogs: 3–5 blueberries
🐾 Large dogs: 5–8 blueberries
🐾 Extra-large dogs: 8–10 blueberries

💡 BLUEBERRY HACK: Mash or crush blueberries before serving, especially for smaller dogs. This breaks open the skin and makes the fruit easier to eat.

Sometimes the simplest nutrition upgrades are the freshest ones! 🫐

10/06/2026

86% OF SENIOR DOGS SHOWED SIGNS OF BETTER BRAIN FUNCTION WITH VIOLET LIGHT, SHOWS NEW PEER-REVIEWED RESEARCH. 🔦 🟣🧠🐶

Could LIGHT someday help support the aging brain?

In a fascinating new pilot study published in Frontiers in Veterinary Science, researchers exposed very old dogs, ages 14–16, to violet light for one month.

The surprising finding?

🧠 86% showed a trend toward cognitive improvement.

🔴🔦In another tiny study, senior dogs with cognitive dysfunction received red/near-infrared light therapy. After 30 days, 4 of 5 improved. By 60 days, ALL 5 improved, with cognitive dysfunction scores improving an average of 43.4%.

Violet and red light are different wavelengths and may work through different biological pathways.

These were small pilot studies and more research is needed, but together this research raises an exciting question:

How many ways can we support the aging brain BEFORE serious decline begins?

A 2025 systematic review identified 29 unique dog and cat cognition studies with omega-3’s demonstrating clear cognitive benefits, especially at higher doses. This means if you aren’t adding Omega’s to your pet’s diet at mealtimes, they’ll never reach adequate levels that nourish the brain.

That’s one reason Dr. Becker formulated highly bioavailable Roe Mega DHA/EPA, combining omega-3s from sustainably sourced herring caviar, packaged in glass (because the brain doesn’t need more micro plastics!).

🎉 And right now we’re celebrating Proactive Paws’ 1st Anniversary!

Get 25% OFF with code 1YEAR through October 12.

👇 COMMENT “ROE” to learn more.

10/03/2026

🥥MCTs CUT SEIZURES BY 50% OR MORE IN SOME DOGS WITH EPILEPSY, WITH SOME BECOMING SEIZURE-FREE, RESEARCH SHOWS.🐶🧠

If your dog struggles with seizures, MCT oil🥥 is one nutritional strategy worth discussing with your veterinarian.

In a randomized, double-blind controlled trial, 3 dogs became seizure-free and another 7 had their seizures cut by at least 50% while eating an MCT-enriched diet. That’s 10 of 21 dogs, nearly half.
Another randomized trial added C8/C10 MCT oil directly to dogs’ regular food and found significantly fewer seizures and seizure days. Two dogs became seizure-free.

🥄 HOW MUCH?

In that study, MCT oil provided about 9% of daily calories. The average dog weighed about 56 lb and received roughly 1½ teaspoons per day, divided between two meals.
This isn’t a universal dose. Researchers calculated it based on each dog’s calorie needs, and you should introduce MCT oil slowly with food.

🧠 AND MCTs AREN’T JUST FOR SEIZURES.

As dogs age, their brains become less efficient at using glucose. MCTs can provide an alternative fuel source through ketones.

Controlled studies in senior dogs have found MCT-enriched diets can improve learning, memory and cognitive performance.

So even if your dog doesn’t have seizures, MCTs are an interesting nutritional tool for supporting the aging brain.
Look for an MCT oil rich in C8 and C10, which is different from regular coconut oil.

10/02/2026

🦷🐶 NEW STUDY: DOGS GIVEN A PROBIOTIC HAD 50% LESS PLAQUE, 75% LESS TARTAR & 86% LESS GUM BLEEDING AFTER 8 WEEKS.

Most people think about probiotics for their dog’s gut. But your dog has another important microbiome too: the one living in their mouth.

Plaque is actually a sticky bacterial biofilm, and researchers are now looking at whether beneficial bacteria can help support a healthier oral microbiome.

And this is why this new research is so exciting. 👇

Dr. Karen Becker ’s Primitive Probiotics™ contains probiotic species that are being investigated for oral health, including L. reuteri and P. acidilactici.

In fact, another recent dog study tested L. plantarum + P. acidilactici and found significantly less dental plaque, along with beneficial changes in oral bacteria and inflammatory markers, after just 21 days.

In the new 8 week study, all dogs first received a professional dental cleaning. Half were then given probiotic powder in their food or water twice daily.

No tooth brushing, dental chews, toothpaste or other oral hygiene products were allowed.

By 8 weeks, the probiotic dogs had approximately:

🦷 50% less plaque
🦷 75% less tartar
🩸 86% less gum bleeding

The study was a 2026 randomized controlled pilot study published in the peer reviewed journal Life.

What makes this especially exciting is that we usually think of probiotics for the gut, but emerging research suggests beneficial bacteria may have an important role in the mouth too.

🦠 COMMENT BETTERBELLY to learn more about Dr. Becker’s Primitive Probiotics™.

10/01/2026

🐶 COOKING AROUND YOUR DOG? CHECK YOUR PANS.

A study found scratched nonstick cookware may release thousands to millions of Teflon microplastic and nanoplastic particles during cooking, with damaged coating estimated to release up to 2.3 MILLION tiny particles.

Microplastics can also be encountered through food, water and household dust, where they can settle around pets and their bowls.

🤯 AND THEY’RE MAKING THEIR WAY INSIDE OUR PETS.

Researchers detected suspected microplastics in dogs’ and cats’ lungs, kidneys, liver, intestines and even blood clots. Among animals testing positive, 71% had particles in more than one tissue.

🧬 A new 2026 laboratory study found nanoplastics got inside dog cells, increased oxidative stress and weakened SOD, an important antioxidant defense.

In simpler terms, they increased the kind of cellular “wear and tear” associated with aging.

🐾 WHAT ABOUT ITCHING?

Veterinary dermatologist Dr. Rosanna Marsella recently highlighted how environmental pollutants, including plastics, may affect protective barriers, inflammation and the microbiome, potentially contributing to the bigger picture of allergic and itchy skin disease.

🌿 WHAT CAN PET PARENTS DO?
Reduce unnecessary exposure by replacing badly scratched nonstick cookware, avoiding overheating coated pans, reducing plastic food storage when practical and keeping feeding areas clean of dust.

Dr. Karen Becker formulated Liver Lift™ with NAC, milk thistle, glutathione, SOD, TUDCA, broccoli sprouts, glycine and carnosine to support liver function, antioxidant defenses and natural detoxification pathways.

Interestingly, the nanoplastic study found SOD activity was suppressed in exposed dog cells, and SOD is included in Liver Lift™.

🐾 Reduce what you can. Support what you can’t avoid.

👉🏻COMMENT “CLEANUP” TO LEARN MORE ABOUT DR. BECKER’S LIVER LIFT™.

09/29/2026

🐶 DOG GETTING STIFF OR SLOWING DOWN? THIS COMMON KITCHEN SPICE HAS SOME FASCINATING RESEARCH BEHIND IT. 🫚

In a peer reviewed randomized controlled study published in the Iranian Journal of Veterinary Surgery, researchers found dogs given ginger root powder had significantly lower levels of several inflammatory markers linked to cartilage degeneration and osteoarthritis formation.

But it’s very important to remember that controlling inflammation is only half the battle: if you don’t supply the raw materials for cartilage repair and maintenance, natural anti-inflammatories alone don’t slow down the degenerative process .

💜 That’s exactly why, when Dr. Karen Becker formulated Mobility Matrix™, she wanted to support the whole mobility system including joints, cartilage, connective tissue, joint lubrication AND muscle.

Mobility Matrix™ combines UC II® undenatured collagen, eggshell membrane, glucosamine, MSM and hyaluronic acid to support healthy joints and connective tissue, plus creatine to support the muscles aging dogs rely on to stay strong and mobile.

🫚 WANT TO TRY GINGER as a natural anti-inflammatory adjunct? In the canine study, dogs received 250 mg of ginger root powder for every 10 pounds, roughly ⅛ tsp. (Check with your vet first, especially if your dog takes other NSAID medications).

Supporting mobility from multiple angles can make a big difference for our aging dogs. 🐕💜

👇 COMMENT MATRIX and we’ll send you more information about Dr. Becker’s Mobility Matrix™.

09/28/2026

🐶 DOG STRUGGLING WITH ANXIETY, REACTIVITY OR TROUBLE SETTLING? THEIR GUT MAY BE PART OF THE PICTURE. 🦠🧠

A new 2026 peer-reviewed review is shining a spotlight on something most pet parents would never connect with their dog’s behavior:

The gut microbiome.

The researchers highlight a randomized, placebo-controlled study of dogs given the specific probiotic strain Lactiplantibacillus plantarum LP815™ for four weeks.

And what changed wasn’t just their gut.

🤯 Dogs receiving LP815™ showed significant improvements in anxiety and aggression compared with placebo.

Even more interesting, activity monitors showed they settled faster after their owners left and had more consistent sleep.

And LP815™ is one of the specific strains we chose for Dr. Becker’s Primitive Probiotics™.

Why does that matter?

Because with probiotics, STRAIN MATTERS.

You can’t assume every L. plantarum—or every probiotic—will produce the same effects. The review itself points out that probiotic research varies by strain, dose and duration.

This is why we didn’t formulate Primitive Probiotics™ by simply chasing the biggest CFU number possible.

We selected specific researched strains in dogs that were designed to support the microbiome from multiple angles—including LP815™, a strain now being studied for something that goes far beyond digestion.

🦠 GUT → BRAIN → BEHAVIOR 🧠🐶

For years, most pet parents have thought about probiotics for p**p and digestion.

Now scientists are investigating how specific probiotic strains may also influence the gut–brain axis, behavior, stress and sleep. And that’s a fascinating new chapter in canine microbiome research.

👇 Want to learn more about Dr. Becker’s Primitive Probiotics™?

Comment “BETTERBELLY” and we’ll send you the link.

🐶 DOG STRUGGLING WITH ANXIETY, REACTIVITY OR TROUBLE SETTLING? THEIR GUT MAY BE PART OF THE PICTURE. 🦠🧠

A new 2026 peer-reviewed review is shining a spotlight on something most pet parents would never connect with their dog’s behavior:

The gut microbiome.

The researchers highlight a randomized, placebo-controlled study of dogs given the specific probiotic strain Lactiplantibacillus plantarum LP815™ for four weeks.

And what changed wasn’t just their gut.

🤯 Dogs receiving LP815™ showed significant improvements in anxiety and aggression compared with placebo.

Even more interesting, activity monitors showed they settled faster after their owners left and had more consistent sleep.

And LP815™ is one of the specific strains we chose for Dr. Becker’s Primitive Probiotics™.

Why does that matter?

Because with probiotics, STRAIN MATTERS.

You can’t assume every L. plantarum—or every probiotic—will produce the same effects. The review itself points out that probiotic research varies by strain, dose and duration.

This is why we didn’t formulate Primitive Probiotics™ by simply chasing the biggest CFU number possible.

We selected specific researched strains in dogs that were designed to support the microbiome from multiple angles—including LP815™, a strain now being studied for something that goes far beyond digestion.

🦠 GUT → BRAIN → BEHAVIOR 🧠🐶

For years, most pet parents have thought about probiotics for p**p and digestion.

Now scientists are investigating how specific probiotic strains may also influence the gut–brain axis, behavior, stress and sleep. And that’s a fascinating new chapter in canine microbiome research.

👇 Want to learn more about Dr. Karen Becker’s Primitive Probiotics™?

Comment “BETTERBELLY” and we’ll send you the link.

09/25/2026

🐶 DOGS WITH LOW VITAMIN D HAD NEARLY 4X THE RISK OF CANCER.

Vitamin D is much more important to our dogs’ health than many pet parents realize.

In a peer-reviewed study published in Veterinary and Comparative Oncology, researchers measured vitamin D levels in nearly 350 dogs and found a striking association: the lower the dogs’ vitamin D, the greater their relative risk of cancer.

Dogs with vitamin D levels below 40 ng/mL had 3.9X the relative risk of cancer. For hemangiosarcoma, one of the most aggressive cancers in dogs, the relative risk was 4.1X higher.

As vitamin D levels increased, the relative risk progressively decreased.

Researchers also found changes in markers related to inflammation and parathyroid hormone as vitamin D increased.

☀️ And here’s what makes this especially important for dogs:

Unlike humans, dogs cannot make adequate vitamin D from sunshine. They depend getting D from their food.

🐟 Fatty fish such as salmon, trout, herring and sardines are natural dietary sources of vitamin D3 and can be healthy toppers.

But this does NOT mean we should blindly start giving dogs high-dose vitamin D supplements.

🩸 TESTING MATTERS:

A blood test measuring 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] can tell you your dog’s vitamin D status. If levels are low, you and your veterinarian can look at the diet and determine whether dietary changes or carefully controlled supplementation are appropriate.

Vitamin D is fat-soluble, so more not better: unnecessary supplementation can cause organ failure.

Considering dogs depend so heavily on healthy food for vitamin D, it raises an important question:

Do you know your dog’s vitamin D level? 🐶☀️🐟