# Bovine Colostrum



## Magwart (Jul 8, 2012)

Does anyone else give bovine colostrum as a supplement? I've just started experimenting with this for an emaciated foster dog and an allergy-prone personal dog -- I'm stunned by how well it's working!

My male has had a nasty food allergy since I adopted him earlier this year as an adolescent -- classic "stop sign" red anus that's always irritated. On top of this, his anal glands don't empty well without help, and he's had several infections. 

We took him off the Fromm he had been eating (since nearly all the 4-Star line contains chicken, a common allergen). We have been doing trials of Limited Ingredient Diets with novel proteins -- minimum of 10 weeks to assess. Right now he's on Venison & Sweet Potato. 

While he got _better_ on the LID food, he didn't like to eat, he was losing weight due to lack of appetite, his energy was low, and the anal gland issue kept popping up periodically -- even after adding canned pumpkin for fiber. He just seemed like he wasn't feeling good.

Everything changed once we added bovine colostrum to his diet. I give it in the middle of the day halfway between his two meals; I also started him on Glandex, which includes a probiotic. 

It's like I now own a different dog. He eats with gusto, his poops are formed, he's brighter and more energetic and upbeat, no more licking his backside, and it's not red. He feels better than he has in a long, long time.

I think it's got to be the colostrum. He is greedy for it when he sees me mixing the powder with some water for him. It's like he knows it's healing him inside. This is powerfully good stuff!


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## Packen (Sep 14, 2008)

You learn something new everyday! Bovine Colostrum sounded like a deadly disease to me!


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## misslesleedavis1 (Dec 5, 2013)

Packen said:


> You learn something new everyday! Bovine Colostrum sounded like a deadly disease to me!


Oh man that made me spit my water out.


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## wolfy dog (Aug 1, 2012)

Our grandma gave it to us (when we were kids) pasteurized but fresh from the cow from the 3rd milking, as dessert. It made your lips super soft from the fat. With a little cinnamon it was heavenly! I cannot imagine the calories....


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## Momto2GSDs (Mar 22, 2012)

"Everything changed once we added bovine colostrum to his diet." Magwart: Great to hear that you found this to work for your dog!

Another great product made from a combination of Bovine Colostrum and pre-digested fish protein is called SeaVIVE *(SeaVive is a combination of SeaCURE, Colostrum, Beta Glucan, and Vitamin C). *Cleared up a fungus on my dogs foot (twice) within two weeks! This product has helped several dogs on this blog. About SeaVive
Or here: SeaVive 90 Capsules 


My husband and I start taking it in September before flu and cold season starts to build up our immune system! Great product with many benefits for many problems! Depending on the situation, the number of capsules per day can be adjusted.Moms* 


*


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## blackshep (Aug 3, 2012)

Colostrum has been researched fairly heavily. Unfortunately, it cannot be absorbed by the gut beyond the first day or so, this is why it is critical to get a young animal (or human) up and nursing immediately. It's a phenomenon called gut closure, where the antibodies can no longer penetrate the gut wall unchanged, but rather begin to be digested. This study actually showed gut closure happens faster in puppies than in other species: Timing of the intestinal barrier closure ... [Reprod Domest Anim. 2012] - PubMed - NCBI

I do think theoretically, if your dog has leaky gut syndrome, it could be of some use and I do think there are other nutritional benefits to feeding it. I asked Dr Jean Dodds about it actually, and she confirmed what I though.

But odds are, it's not doing what you are hoping.


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## Magwart (Jul 8, 2012)

As best I can tell there's some fairly recent scientific support for bovine colostrum boosting the immune system of dogs (mean age in study was 2.5 years):
Supplementation of diets with bovine colostrum inf... [Br J Nutr. 2013] - PubMed - NCBI

One of the things I find most interesting about the study's finding is that the dogs fed colostrum had a better environment for gut bacteria at the end of the study -- they found more diversity and stability of the gut flora in the colostrum-fed dogs.

Even if the benefits aren't from the antibodies, _something_ positive is happening in the gut. The improved flora tells that story. Maybe in adult dogs that's the key, given how important a healthy gut is to all the other systems?

The Glandex contains a probiotic -- it may very well be that adding a probiotic to the colostrum is the key good results in these dogs with food allergies and anal gland issues. (Does Seacure also contain a probiotic?)


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## Kahrg4 (Dec 19, 2012)

I never even thought about using it with dogs! The only real connotation I had for bovine colostrum was as a supplement for patients recovering from nerve damage often attributed to cancer treatments. This is interesting!


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## Magwart (Jul 8, 2012)

What does it do for the cancer patients?


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## blackshep (Aug 3, 2012)

I could believe that. And I do think if your dog has a leaky gut it could theoretically help. Leaky gut can cause allergy symptoms BTW 

Leaky Gut or Dysbiosis: Root Cause of Pet Health Problems

I feed colostrum to my dog. I'm not convinced it does anything, science says it shouldn't, but I figure it's not hurting so why not.


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## Packen (Sep 14, 2008)

Where does one get the bovine colustrum from? I mean it would a somewhat impractical to wait for cow to give birth then go grab it.


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## Magwart (Jul 8, 2012)

Health food stores, Whole Foods, or online supplement retailers (Amazon, Vitacost.com, Drugstore.com, etc.).

I find much better prices online than from local stores.


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## mspiker03 (Dec 7, 2006)

Magwart - any reason you give it in the middle of the day between meals? (Too tired to comprehend reading any of the links tonight)


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## Magwart (Jul 8, 2012)

Yep, everything I found online said it's most effective given on an empty stomach, and since I feed 2x a day, that's the easiest time.


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## Momto2GSDs (Mar 22, 2012)

(Does Seacure also contain a probiotic?)

Sea*CURE *is combined with bovine colostrum, beta glucan and vitamin C to create the Sea*VIVE* . The SeaCURE contains Peptides - 

"Seacure® is a pre-digested dietary supplement made from the fillets of deep-ocean white fish by means of a unique manufacturing process. The naturally-occuring nutrients found in the fish flesh, including the Omega-3 fatty acids, are retained in Seacure®. Health care practitioners report how pleased they are with Seacure®. Through their own clinical experience they know that *the bioactive peptides work directly in the gastrointestinal tract to reduce symptoms and restore gut integrity* in patients with Crohn’s, IBS, malabsorption and other gut related problems. Seacure® has also proven to be very beneficial in wound healing and support of the immune system. Seacure® is a whole-food based dietary supplement, which *contains a total of 18 amino acids including the 11 essential amino acids.*"


We prefer using the SeaVIVE b/c it contains the benefits of both the Bovine Colostrum and the SeaCure. 

Moms


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## Kahrg4 (Dec 19, 2012)

Magwart, it doesn't do anything specifically in combating the cancer. However, I've seen it suggested several times as a follow up supplement after radiation/chemo treatments to help facilitate nerve healing and regeneration. Radiation/chemo can do some really nasty numbers on nerves and sadly nerves are slow healers. As such, several supplements can be suggested to patients with nerve damage to help optimize internal conditions to enable/maximize healing.


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