Herbs
Herbal medicine for animals
How to
use them safely and effectively
By
Gregory L. Tilford
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Rules of Safe and
Effective Herb Use
1. Try
to think of the "bigger health picture"
when making decisions about using herbs
for your companion animal. Herbs are generally
poor substitutes for conventional drugs.
They are best used as part of a holistic
healing effort, where all aspects of an
animal's health, not just symptoms, are
considered.
2.
Use herbs carefully and with common sense.
Although herbs tend to be gentler and
safer than conventional drugs, some are
very strong medicine and can cause harm
to your animal if misused.
3.
More is not necessarily better.
Be conservative with the amount of the
herb remedy you use, especially if used
internally. No two animals are alike,
and some will require a larger dose than
others, but always start small. The desired
effects of many herbs can often be reached
in dogs or cats with very small doses,
and remember that even some of the nutritional
"food-herbs" can
cause health problems if fed excessively.
You can add a pinch of garlic, for example,
once daily to your dog's food to help
prevent worms and lend antioxidant qualities
to your animal's diet, but using too much
on a continuing basis can lead to digestive
upsets or even serious blood disorders.
4.
Avoid using a specific herbal product
until you know something about the herbs
that are in it, and learn whether they
can be used safely with your particular
animal. Remember, just because the herb
works well for your neighbor's cat, doesn’t
mean it’s appropriate for yours,
especially if your feline has a preexisting
health problem. For instance, although
safe and effective for improving digestion
and blood circulation in most dogs, ginger
root might aggravate preexisting inflammation
in the digestive tract if used improperly.
5.
Buy your products from well-established,
reputable manufacturers who are familiar
with the special requirements and limitations
of your companion animal. Although many
of the herbal remedies formulated for
humans can be safely applied to dogs and
cats, the manufacturers of human products
probably know very little about how herbs
should be used in animals. It will be
entirely up to you and your veterinarian
to determine which human herb products
may be appropriate for your dog or cat,
and the correct amount to use. It is much
better to use products formulated and
labeled specifically for the type of animal
you are treating.
6.
Always test for allergic reactions before
using any herb for the first time. In
my experiences, herb allergies are rare,
but it's best to be safe. Place a small
dab of the herb product onto your animal's
skin. If redness or swelling occurs, your
pet may be allergic to it. If your companion
passes this simple test (i.e. no redness
or swelling), proceed with a very small,
fractional dose of the product when you
apply it the first time. Watch for watery
eyes, sneezing, scratching, rashes, stomach
upset or anything else out of the ordinary.
With that said, don't be too alarmed if
your cat foams at the mouth when given
a bitter herb. This is fairly common and
seldom points toward an adverse effect.
I see this all the time when goldenseal
(Hydrastis canadensis) is used to treat
gum infections in felines. Goldenseal
is very safe in small amounts -- I use
or recommend it all the time -- but I
can always expect the cat to foam up.
Don't you just love cats?
Gregory L. Tilford
is internationally known for his work
in the field of veterinary herbal medicine.
He is a teacher, formulator and consultant
for dozens of veterinarians, manufacturers,
and publishers. He has written four books,
including "All You Ever Wanted to
Know About
Herbs for Pets" (Bowtie, 1999), which
he co-authored with his wife, Mary Wulff-Tilford.
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Published
in the Summer 2001 issue of Animal Wellness
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