Ginger is generally safe for dogs in small amounts and is best known for easing nausea and mild digestive upset, with a secondary role as a gentle anti-inflammatory that may support dogs with stiff, achy joints. A serving is small — roughly one-eighth of a teaspoon of fresh grated root per kilogram of body weight at the very most, capped low for small dogs. The evidence is strongest for nausea and weakest (mechanistic and borrowed from human studies) for joint pain, so ginger works best as one supporting ingredient — the way it is used inside Pure Majesty Pets Hip & Joint Chews for Dogs — rather than as a standalone arthritis remedy.
Is ginger good for dogs?
Yes, in moderation. Ginger root (Zingiber officinale) — the same knobbly root you will find in the fresh produce section of any Australian supermarket — contains bioactive compounds called gingerols and shogaols. These are the molecules behind its two most-cited uses in dogs: calming nausea and dampening inflammation. In a controlled canine study, ginger reduced cisplatin-induced vomiting in dogs, which is one of the reasons it is often suggested for motion sickness and queasy stomachs (Sharma et al., 1997, Journal of Ethnopharmacology 57(2):93–96). For joints, the picture is more cautious: gingerols can inhibit COX enzymes and pro-inflammatory signalling in laboratory and human research, but there are no published trials measuring ginger's effect on arthritis pain in dogs specifically. Considering CBD as another part of a comfort plan? The CBD oil comparison lets you compare mg per mL and testing details before discussing a product with your veterinarian.
That gap matters for expectation-setting. Ginger is a reasonable, food-based add-on for a dog who gets car-sick or occasionally nauseous, and a plausible minor contributor to a broader anti-inflammatory routine. It is not a substitute for a veterinary work-up or for the joint ingredients that do have canine evidence behind them.
Ginger benefits for dogs
Nausea, motion sickness and digestion
This is ginger's best-supported use. Gingerols appear to act partly through 5-HT3 (serotonin) receptor pathways involved in vomiting, which is the same target several prescription anti-nausea drugs use. For a dog that drools and retches on car rides — the long drive to the coast at Christmas, or a winding road up into the Blue Mountains or the Dandenongs — a small amount of ginger before travel is a common home strategy, though your vet can also prescribe far more reliable anti-nausea medication when needed.
Two travel tips that matter as much as the ginger: feed a light meal a few hours before you leave rather than just before, and in summer never leave your dog in a parked car — the RSPCA warns that car temperatures can more than double the outside temperature.
Joint inflammation and stiffness
Because gingerols reduce inflammatory mediators in the lab, ginger is frequently grouped with other botanical anti-inflammatories. On its own it is a mild lever, and it pairs logically with better-studied botanicals. If your dog is showing joint stiffness — often most obvious on cold winter mornings in Melbourne, Hobart or Canberra — it is worth reading our guide to what you can give your dog for joint pain and comparing ginger with turmeric for dogs and boswellia for dogs, which act on overlapping but distinct inflammatory pathways.
Circulation and general wellness
Ginger is also described as supporting circulation and acting as a natural antioxidant. These are gentler, wellness-level effects rather than clinical claims, and they are the reason ginger shows up in so many general "superfood" blends.
How much ginger can you give a dog? Dosage by weight
Start low and go slow. A widely used rule of thumb is no more than about one-eighth of a teaspoon of fresh grated ginger per kilogram of body weight per day, divided across meals — and in practice most owners stay well below that, which is why the table caps the amounts. The table below is general guidance for fresh grated root, not a prescription. Always confirm with your vet, especially for puppies, pregnant dogs, or dogs on medication.
| Dog size | Approx. weight | Typical fresh grated ginger (per day, divided) |
|---|---|---|
| Extra-small / toy (e.g. Chihuahua, Maltese) | Under 4.5 kg | A pinch, up to about 1/8 tsp |
| Small (e.g. Jack Russell, Cavoodle) | 4.5–9 kg | Up to about 1/4 tsp |
| Medium (e.g. Kelpie, Border Collie) | 9–18 kg | Up to about 1/2 tsp |
| Large / extra-large (e.g. Labrador, Rottweiler) | 18 kg+ | Up to about 3/4 tsp |
Fresh root, finely grated or steeped in warm water and cooled, is the cleanest form. Skip candied or crystallised ginger, gingerbread, ginger nut biscuits, and anything containing xylitol, chocolate or heavy spices. If you prefer a measured, consistent daily amount rather than eyeballing raw root, a formulated joint product is easier to give accurately — more on that below.
Ginger side effects and safety
In appropriate amounts ginger is well tolerated, but too much can cause vomiting, diarrhoea, gas or lethargy — the same digestive upset it is meant to relieve. The most important safety point is that ginger has mild blood-thinning (anticoagulant) properties. Because of that:
- Stop ginger before any scheduled surgery — including routine desexing or a dental under anaesthetic — and tell your vet you have been using it. If you are comparing a food-added dental product as well, use the dental powder evidence guide to distinguish daily plaque care from treatment of established dental disease.
- Avoid ginger in dogs with bleeding disorders.
- Use caution — and check with your vet — if your dog takes anticoagulants, NSAIDs, or other regular medication.
- Talk to your vet before using ginger in pregnant dogs or those with heart conditions or diabetes.
Introduce it on its own for a few days so you can tell whether any tummy change is from the ginger before adding it to a routine. And if a dog that is normally a good traveller suddenly starts retching, drooling and wobbling on its back legs — especially on the east coast between spring and autumn — think paralysis tick (Ixodes holocyclus) before motion sickness: check the head and neck carefully and call your vet. For time outdoors, the flea and tick treatment comparison helps you compare coverage and application choices when planning the dog’s parasite routine.
Ginger vs turmeric vs glucosamine for joints
Owners often ask which anti-inflammatory to reach for. They are not interchangeable — each works differently and has a different depth of evidence.
| Ingredient | Main mechanism | Canine joint evidence | Best role |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ginger | Gingerols reduce COX/inflammatory signalling; antiemetic via 5-HT3 | None specific to canine joints; strong for nausea | Gentle supporting botanical; nausea |
| Turmeric (curcumin) | Curcumin inhibits NF-κB and inflammatory cytokines | Limited, promising | Botanical anti-inflammatory |
| Boswellia | Boswellic acids inhibit 5-LOX / leukotrienes | One small open-label canine study | Botanical anti-inflammatory |
| Glucosamine / chondroitin | Cartilage substrate support | Mixed | Structural joint support |
| Omega-3 (EPA/DHA) | Resolves inflammation via resolvins | Strongest in meta-analysis | Evidence-leading anti-inflammatory |
A 2022 meta-analysis of joint nutraceuticals found the strongest evidence for omega-3 fatty acids, with botanicals and glucosamine/chondroitin more variable (Barbeau-Grégoire et al., 2022, International Journal of Molecular Sciences 23(18):10384). The practical takeaway: single botanicals like ginger are best used alongside the better-evidenced ingredients, not instead of them. For the full picture, see our pillar on dog joint and hip health and the roundup of the best joint supplements for dogs. If glucosamine is on the shortlist for joint support, the glucosamine buying guide helps you check form, daily amount and overlapping ingredients before choosing a bottle or chew. The separate guide, Glucosamine for Dogs in Australia: The Complete 2026 Guide to Joint Health, Dosage & Supplements, explains the choices in more detail.
Why a complete formula beats ginger alone
Given ginger on its own is a single, mild lever, the more useful question is how it fits into a routine. Pure Majesty Pets pairs ginger extract with two other botanical anti-inflammatories — turmeric extract (with black pepper) and Boswellia serrata — inside its hip and joint supplement for dogs, an 18-active joint formula that also carries the structural ingredients ginger cannot supply by itself: glucosamine HCl, chondroitin sulfate, MSM, hyaluronic acid, green-lipped mussel, eggshell membrane and UC-II undenatured type II collagen, plus quercetin, blueberry and grape seed extracts, manganese, pumpkin and probiotics. That combination targets several pathways at once and delivers a measured daily serving rather than a variable pinch of raw root. If collagen is one of the joint-support ingredients you are comparing, use the collagen comparison by type and dose to distinguish peptides from undenatured type II.
Compare that with what most Australian owners find at Petbarn, Petstock or Pet Circle: chews such as PAW Osteocare Joint Health Chews by Blackmores (300 g, A$41.99 at Petbarn) or Vetalogica Canine Joint Support (120 chews, A$33.99 at National Pharmacies) are popular, but few combine cartilage building blocks with three botanicals and antioxidant cofactors in a single chew.
Ginger, turmeric and boswellia — plus 15 more actives — in one daily chew
- 18 active ingredients for hips, joints and mobility
- A$80, rated around 4.6/5 from about 1,088 reviews
- Free worldwide shipping — ships to Australia with duties and GST prepaid (DDP), nothing to pay on delivery
Dogs who dislike chews, or who need dosing flexed to weight, can use liquid glucosamine for dogs (glucosamine, chondroitin and MSM, A$47) mixed into food instead.
Ginger is a genuinely useful kitchen remedy for the occasional queasy stomach. For ongoing joint support it earns its place as a team player — which is exactly how a good formula uses it.
Common mistakes owners make with ginger
- Using candied or crystallised ginger, ginger nuts or gingerbread instead of plain fresh root.
- Giving too much at once and triggering the digestive upset ginger is meant to settle.
- Continuing ginger right up to a surgery date despite its blood-thinning effect.
- Expecting ginger alone to control arthritis pain — it is a supporting ingredient, not a medicine.
- Adding ginger to a dog on medication without checking for interactions first.
When to call your vet instead of reaching for ginger
Ginger is for mild, occasional issues. Book a vet visit rather than self-managing if your dog has repeated or projectile vomiting, blood in vomit or stools, persistent lethargy, a suspected toxin exposure (including snail bait or rat bait), signs of heatstroke on a hot day, or joint pain that is limiting movement or getting worse. Nausea and stiffness can both be symptoms of conditions that need diagnosis — a home spice is not a substitute for that. If stiffness is the concern, learn to recognise the early signs of arthritis in dogs, and our guide to natural anti-inflammatories for dogs covers where home options end and veterinary care begins.
Frequently asked questions
Can dogs eat raw ginger?
Yes, in small amounts. Fresh raw ginger, finely grated or minced, is the preferred form. Keep the serving tiny — a pinch for small dogs, up to about three-quarters of a teaspoon for large dogs — and skip any sugared or candied versions.
How much ginger can I give my dog for nausea?
A common approach is no more than about one-eighth of a teaspoon of fresh grated ginger per kilogram of body weight per day, given before travel or with meals, staying within the caps in the table above. Start with the smallest amount, watch for any reaction, and ask your vet — prescription anti-nausea medication is more reliable for serious or frequent vomiting.
Is ginger good for dogs with arthritis?
Ginger may offer mild anti-inflammatory support, but there are no canine studies on ginger for arthritis, and it is weaker than ingredients like omega-3s. It works best as one part of a complete joint routine rather than on its own.
Can I give my dog ginger every day?
Small daily amounts are generally tolerated by healthy adult dogs, but daily long-term use is exactly the situation where a vet check matters — especially for dogs on any medication — because ginger's mild blood-thinning effect adds up alongside drugs like NSAIDs.
Can dogs have ginger tea, ginger nuts or ginger beer?
Plain, cooled, weak ginger tea in small amounts is fine. Skip ginger nut biscuits, gingerbread, candied ginger and ginger beer or ginger ale: the sugar load is unhelpful, and some sugar-free products contain xylitol, which is toxic to dogs.
When should dogs not have ginger?
Avoid ginger around scheduled surgery, in dogs with bleeding disorders, and use caution in dogs on anticoagulants or NSAIDs, because ginger has mild blood-thinning effects. Check with your vet before use in pregnant dogs or dogs with heart conditions or diabetes.
Does the Pure Majesty Pets joint chew with ginger ship to Australia?
Yes. Shipping is free worldwide, and Australian orders ship with duties and GST prepaid (DDP), so there is nothing to pay on delivery. The 18-active Hip and Joint Chews are A$80.
Want ginger working as part of a team rather than on its own? Order Pure Majesty Pets Hip & Joint Chews — free shipping to Australia, duties and GST prepaid.
References
- Sharma SS, Kochupillai V, Gupta SK, Seth SD, Gupta YK. Antiemetic efficacy of ginger (Zingiber officinale) against cisplatin-induced emesis in dogs. Journal of Ethnopharmacology. 1997;57(2):93–96.
- Barbeau-Grégoire M, et al. A 2022 systematic review and meta-analysis of enriched therapeutic diets and nutraceuticals in canine and feline osteoarthritis. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2022;23(18):10384.
This article is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional veterinary advice. Supplements are nutritional products, are not registered with the APVMA as veterinary medicines and are not intended to diagnose or cure any disease. Always consult your veterinarian before adding ginger or any supplement to your dog's routine, especially if your dog is pregnant, on medication, or scheduled for surgery.