Article by Marie Cargill:
DO HERBS AND DOGS GO TOGETHER?

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Have you thought you might like to try some herbs on your dog? One of the beneficial strategies you can use to keep your pet healthy is to incorporate herbs into the diet. To use herbs, you don’t need to transform your kitchen into an apothecary. You can keep a few well-chosen extracts or tinctures on hand and use as needed. You can purchase standard tinctures through phone, mail order or email or if you live in a big city, you can purchase herbs in a specialty store. Using liquid herbal preparations makes dosing very easy. Some examples follow.

• 1 dose of Bupleurum to unblock energy and allow an uptight animal to relax

• 1 dose of He Shou Wu (Polygonatum) for an older dog, a favorite anti-aging and restoration herb

• 1 dose of He Shou Wu with the same of Gingko biloba to support the mind - both used as a brain tonic especially for an overworked or overstressed animal

• 1 dose Damiana for fatigue - the herb infuses life into a pet especially after having been in a long, chronic state of ill health

• 1 dose Gota Kola for an off balance situation such as dehydration, hysteria, heat prostration.

• 1 dose of Hops for sleeping; it calms and mellows the dog and adding a little honey counteracts the bitterness of the herb \ 1 dose of St. John’s wort for the slightly depressed individual

• 1 dose of Mint for cooling down; it refreshes the mouth and can be added to drinking water on a hot, humid day

• 1 dose Zizyphus for restlessness at night; an excellent sedative for a nervous dog

• 1 dose Valerian for its antispasmodic and calming effects

• 1 dose each of Ginger and Licorice to aid the digestive tract

• 1 dose of Astragalus for enhancing the immune system

All of the herbs mentioned are safe for dogs. One dropper is the standard dose for the average size dog. One-half dropper for a small dog and one and one half droppers for a very large dog. Most herbs need to be used on a consistent basis: that is, added daily to a diet for 2 to 4 weeks to achieve results if the dog has had a chronic problem you want to turn around. Herbs can be put into food, the water bowl, or directly into the mouth. They can be mixed with chicken broth to alter the taste somewhat. Some of the above herbs come in granuale form which is easily mixed into food.

Suppliers:

Jean’s Greens, 119 Sulphur Spring Rd., Newport, NY 13416
315-845-6500

Herbalist and Alchemist, 51 South Wandling Ave., Washington, NJ 07882
800-611-8235

Crane Herb Co. 745 Falmouth Rd. Mashpee, MA 02649
800-227-411

For other supplies and further information consult Marie Cargill.