Bone broth is a savory stock made by simmering bones, joints, cartilage, and connective tissue in water for several hours. It is used as a sipping broth, soup base, or cooking liquid for rice and sauces. It provides hydration plus small amounts of protein, gelatin, and minerals, but nutrition varies widely by recipe.
Home recipes often add onion, garlic, leeks, celery, herbs, pepper, or salt during long simmering. Store products are sold in cartons, cans, concentrates, powders, and shelf-stable pouches. Labels may say low-sodium, no-salt-added, or flavored, and those differences matter for pet safety. Pet-labeled broths are also sold as meal toppers or hydration add-ons.
After chilling, broth often forms a fat cap and a jelly texture from gelatin. Straining is important because tiny bone fragments may remain if broth is poured carelessly. Concentrates and powders may be much higher in sodium per serving than ready-to-drink broth. For pets, plain unsalted broth without alliums such as onion or garlic is the lowest-risk choice.
