Buckaroo’s Cool Down K9 for Dogs!

Buckaroo’s Cool Down K9 is the first canine supplement to provide dogs with the patented quercetin phytosome extract Quercefit®, the same quercetin extract we use in our Aller-X equine formula. Quercefit® is twenty times more bioavailable than quercetin powder. Bioavailability of this potent flavonoid is very important for dogs dealing with allergies and an overly active histamine response.

We have also added sprouted quinoa, shiitake mushrooms and goat whey protein, plus organic kale, apples, celery, and whole eggs.

Buckaroo’s cool story

Buckaroo is my 7½ year-old Aussie. When we created Buckaroo’s Cooling Stew in 2016, it was for him. He is a heavy-coated Aussie, who needed cooling foods in the summer, and he’s perpetually on a diet. My partner, Peter, argues that Buckaroo is “just big boned.” But in truth Buckaroo looks like a walking ottoman. He is not my most active Aussie. If he were a human he’d spend most of his time lying on a couch flipping through TV channels. BioStar’s Buckaroo’s Cooling Stew was based on the Ayurvedic principles of cooling and neutral foods. Dogs who suffered in summer heat did very well on the Cooling Stew. However, I felt it didn’t address other factors that create heat. The most obvious sufferers of excess heat in the body at large are dogs with allergies and skin issues, as well as dogs with excess heat in their GI tract. Think of Buckaroo’s Cool Down K9 as “Buckaroo’s Cooling Stew 2.0.”

Last spring, Buckaroo developed a constant itching. I thought it was a food intolerance, so first I eliminated chicken for 3 weeks, then beef, then turkey, yet there was no change, he just kept itching. I also tried various herbs. Bovine colostrum helped, yet it didn’t completely stop the chewing and licking. I took him to the vet, who did blood work, which came back normal. He was prescribed Apoquel, which I reluctantly gave him, and the itching stopped. But I knew this wasn’t a long-term fix. I decided to try the equine product we were working on called Aller-X EQ with Quercefit® extract. I added the equine formula to his meals and slowly stopped the Apoquel. His itching didn’t return. With the cool nights and mild days of late fall, I stopped the Aller-X, and there was no itching or licking.

As we were working on Buckaroo’s Cool Down this spring, I noticed Buckaroo starting to itch again. I started him on the new formula, and I’m happy to report that he is not itching at all.

On some of these very hot days we’ve had recently, I now give all my dogs some Buckaroo’s Cool Down to help them with the heat.

Eastern Medicine Foods: cooling, warming, neutral

In Eastern Medicine, plants, seeds, grains, dairy, and meats are each categorized as warming, cooling, or neutral. Applying this approach to seasons means that in the summer one would choose cooling foods like watermelon, mangoes, cucumbers, squash, quinoa, oats and red lentils. In winter, one would favor oranges, cranberries, artichokes, carrots, corn, tomatoes, brown rice, miso, navy beans, and tempeh.

Warming, cooling, and neutral apply to conditions of the body.

Cooling or Neutral: If a dog has too much heat in the GI tract or excess inflammation, cooling and neutral foods would help “reduce the fire.”

Warming or Neutral: If a dog is weak, thin, has a poor appetite, or moves stiffly, it would help to add warming and neutral foods for better circulation, and to increase digestive fire. A large dog with a well-developed skeletal frame that is overweight with a sluggish metabolism can benefit from edibles that are warm, light, dry, and easy to digest.

Buckaroo’s Cool Down K9

This formula supports dogs during summer heat, dogs needing to regulate excess heat year-round, and dogs who need a little boost to maintain a healthy inflammatory response. It can be given dry or soaked, every day or as needed.

Ingredients:

Quercetin Phytosome (Quercefit®): is a patented extract from the buds of Sophora japonica (Japanese Pagoda tree). This extract of Quercetin Phytosome is twenty times more bioavailable than quercetin powder. Due to its high bioavailability, we don’t have to feed high amounts of Quercefit® for efficacy and results.

Quercetin is a powerful flavonoid that has been shown to inhibit the release of histamine, decrease proinflammatory cytokines, and support a balanced immune response. (1)

Shiitake mushrooms (Xiang Gu) have been a part of Traditional Chinese Medicine for thousands of years. It is a neutral: not cooling or warming. It is used traditionally to replenish Qi, and support spleen, stomach and lung meridians. Research has shown shiitake mushrooms provide immune support and bioactive components for anti-oxidative defense in the body.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25866155/

Quinoa sprout powder: this seed is native to South America and is classified as cooling. Quinoa was the staple diet of the Incas. Quinoa is phytonutrient-dense, including flavonoids such as Quercetin, tocopherols and tocotrienols, and carotenoids like lutein and zeaxanthin. Sprouted quinoa provides the extra advantages of easier digestibility, increased nutrient bioavailability.

Goat whey protein: goat and cow milks are considered cooling in Ayurvedic Medicine. However, goat’s milk is considered tridoshic (balancing for all three doshas) while cow’s milk is not. BioStar uses non-denatured goat whey for better bioavailability.

Organic kale is classified in Ayurveda as a cooling vegetable. It provides antioxidants, carotenoids for eye health, plus quercetin and kaempferol. It is an excellent source of chlorophyll.

Celery is classified in Ayurveda as a cooling vegetable. It’s low in calories, provides vitamins K and A, and is high in fiber.

Whole eggs are both cooling and warming. The yolks are warming, while the whites are cooling. Most of the lipids, vitamins, and minerals are concentrated in egg yolk. It’s also the yolk that provides specific proteins and glycoproteins such as immunoglobulins, serum albumin, and apolipoprotein.

Pumpkin meal is classified in Ayurveda as cooling to the body system. The fiber content of pumpkin is supportive to digestive regularity, from mild diarrhea to constipation.

Cooling meats and proteins for dogs

If you want to feed your dog during summertime from an Ayurvedic and Eastern Medicine perspective, offer cooling proteins such as:

• Buffalo
• Chicken (white meat)
• Freshwater fish
• Rabbit
• Turkey (white)
• Venison
• Egg whites
• Cottage cheese
• Cow’s milk
• Goat’s Milk

Buckaroo’s Cool Down is a useful supplement for summertime heat, and helps counter heat imbalances in the body system at large.

References:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6273625/

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/341385902_Quercetin_with_the_potential_effect_on_allergic_diseases

https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2021.689044/full