Head to Tail Canine Nutrition is Donna Middleton's company in Winnipeg. She is an Advanced Certified Canine Nutritionist (Companion Animal Sciences Institute, 2015) who got into this the way most of our customers did: a rescue dog, Sadie, with health problems that food and a few well-chosen additions helped more than anything else had. Her range includes three mushroom blends, an organic spirulina and a repellent spray, which are the ones we stock: made here, tested, and priced sensibly.
Cognitive Support Blend (Lion's Mane, Tremella, Cordyceps). The one we reach for when a senior dog or cat seems confused, paces at night, or is just not themselves. Lion's Mane compounds (hericenones and erinacines) stimulate nerve growth factor in lab and animal studies; in dogs the evidence is owner reports, and the owners who like it describe "brighter" rather than dramatic, building over four to six weeks. For a diagnosed condition such as cognitive dysfunction, epilepsy or degenerative myelopathy it goes alongside the vet's plan, never instead of it.
Super Immune Blend (Turkey Tail, Lion's Mane, Cordyceps, Red Reishi). Hot-water extracted, with each batch tested for microbes, heavy metals, pesticides and beta-glucan content. Used for everyday immune support and, with the vet's knowledge, alongside treatment for serious illness. The most-cited piece of evidence is a University of Pennsylvania study (2012) that gave a turkey tail extract to fifteen dogs with hemangiosarcoma; the highest-dose group lived longest. Fifteen dogs and no control group make it a reason to ask your oncologist, not a treatment.
Skin Support Blend (Tremella, Reishi). For dry, flaky, itchy skin and dull coats, always alongside omega-3, because that is what does most of the work for skin. Reishi triterpenes have reduced histamine release from mast cells in lab studies, and Tremella polysaccharides hold many times their weight in water, which is why the mushroom shows up in skin products. It does not find the itch trigger; that is still the job of the food plan.
Each blend comes in 25 g and 100 g. Prices are on the product cards.
Two things separate a good mushroom supplement from a cheap one. First, what part of the fungus is in the jar: the immune-active compounds (beta-glucans, triterpenes, ergosterol, cordycepin) are concentrated in the fruiting body, the mushroom itself, while many products are mycelium grown on grain, which brings a lot of grain starch along for the ride. Second, how it was prepared: beta-glucans sit inside chitin cell walls that mammals digest poorly, and hot-water extraction pulls them out. Head to Tail uses organic fruiting bodies, hot-water extraction, and batch testing, which is the combination to look for from any maker.
A 100 g bag of certified-organic spirulina, tested free of BMAA. It is the greens layer for a raw bowl at 1/8 tsp per 10 lb, and the supplement our yeasty-dog owners ask about most. The dog evidence is for gut and immune support; the honest answer on yeast, the dosing table and the cautions are in Spirulina for dogs.
An essential-oil spray used as a repellent: five drops on a bandana or collar before a walk. It is a repellent, not a prevention. Southern Manitoba has blacklegged ticks that carry Lyme disease, so talk to your vet about tick prevention and treat this as an extra layer, not the plan. Not for cats, which cannot process many essential oils safely.
Mushrooms are what we add after omega-3 and gut work, not before. One new thing at a time, half the label dose for the first five days, and a weekly note so you can tell what did what. If nothing has changed in six weeks, stop and tell us; that is useful information too.
Ask the vet first if the pet is on immunosuppressants or chemotherapy, has an autoimmune condition, is on blood thinners, or has surgery coming up (reishi can add to bleeding risk, so integrative vets usually pause it two weeks before). A store can help you choose; it cannot see what the vet sees.