Despite there being a hint of Spring in the air, we’ve noticed that many people are struggling with sniffles and coughs. It got us thinking about our fur-babies and what to do if they’re not feeling top of the pops.
A friend of the Wagworld family, Yvette van Wijk, published a helpful little book called Herbal First Aid for Pets and Other Animals. It’s a fascinating read and takes a homeopathic approach to aiding and promoting the healing of animals. We wanted to share some of the herbal remedies with you, and include what ailments they are commonly used to treat.
As with humans, the booklet suggests that “quiet, peace, warmth and correct feeding are essential for sick animals.” Creating a healing environment is a wonderful way of reminding everyone in the family that animals are sentient beings, and that we all need calm and rest in order to regenerate and recover. Although the book refers to many species of animals and even birds, we’ve only referenced remedies for cats and dogs.
The booklet is comprehensive and is information rich. For this reason, we’ve chosen to primarily include herbs and plants that are easy to come by, or are generally found in most kitchens. If herbal remedies spark your interest, we recommend that you get a copy of the book.
Commonly found herbs and what they can be used for include:
Chamomile: the flowers can be infused and used in feed for rheumatism, nervousness, vomiting, arthritis, toxin buildup, and digestive issues.
Elder: In ointment, elder flowers can be used for eczema and skin ailments.
Fennel: Fennel seeds can be scattered over feed as a diuretic. The whole herb can be chopped and added to food to aid treatment of colic, bacterial infections, and gastric ailments.
Garlic: whole bulbs can be chopped and added in bran mash with honey for fevers, gastric problems, worms, rheumatism and toxic buildup.
Ginger: chopped in feed it’s used for indigestion, sepsis and to treat chill.
Lavender: Fresh leaves and flowers can be chopped into food to treat nervousness. Infused into an ointment, lavender can assist with infections, cuts, wounds, and dry skin ailments.
Marjoram: the aerial parts such as fresh leaves can be added to food to treat colic, flatulence, and nervousness.
Mint: chopped into food, mint is used to relieve stomach pain, colic, liver ailments, chill and vomiting.
Nasturtium: leaves, seeds and flowers are used to aid treatment of worms, nervousness and bacterial infections.
Oats: aids bone health and can be used to treat rickets and broken or weak bones.
Parsley: leaves can be chopped into food and used for kidney, liver and bladder support, as well as rheumatism, arthritis and stomach pains.
Rosemary: fresh chopped leaves can aid in treatment of rheumatism, chill, heart problems, internal infections and fungal infections.
Thyme: fresh thyme added to food can assist with digestive problems, colic, liver ailments, rheumatism, arthritis, fungal infections, and nervousness.
If herbs are to be applied topically, they can be infused in a pet-safe carrier oil. Carrier oils that may be used include almond, jojoba, and apricot kernel oil. To make up the ointment, soak herbs in the oil under mild heat till the oil discolors (goes green). Once cooled, the oil or ointment can be applied to the affected areas.
If herbs are given orally, you can create an infusion using hot water. Alternatively, decoctions can be made by boiling herbs in water for 15-30 minutes. Once cooled, this herbal-infused water can be administered on its own or added to food.
Elder, fennel, garlic, geranium, lavender, rosemary, and thyme are considered insecticidal herbs and are typically used for allergies – skin allergies in particular. A diet sufficient in fat and Vitamin A is also recommended for skin issues. Skin problems can be treated with an ointment or oil made with two or more insecticidal herbs.
Herbs such as lemon balm, elder leaf, elder flower, vervain, valerian, chamomile, and foods that are high in iron can be used to treat fright, nervousness, restlessness over-excitability.
For urinary and kidney problems, cleansing, hepatic and diuretic herbs can be used. Commonly found cleansing herbs include borage, chamomile, garlic, geranium, mint, nasturtium, onion, parsley and pelargonium. Hepatic herbs include chamomile, elder, fennel, mint and parsley. Elder, fennel, garlic, ginger lavender, mint, parsley, plantain, rosemary and thyme are all considered diuretic herbs. These herbs can be infused and added to the feed.
Herbs that warm and stimulate include rosemary, ginger and cayenne pepper. These can be added to food for animals who struggle with arthritis or rheumatism. Of course, a soft and comfortable bed is essential for seniors and other dogs with these ailments.
Camel Wagworld K9 Castle
Herbal remedies are intended to aid in overall systemic support and healing. It’s always advisable to check in with your local vet to get a correct diagnosis. Supportive herbal healing can be done in conjunction with remedies prescribed by a professional and remember, if you’re in any doubt, first check with your vet.
Thank you to Yvette for allowing us to share snippets from your book. It’s always good to understand how complimentary approaches to animal health and healing can be found close at hand.
For anyone who would like to get the book, you’ll find it published via Blackwoods Herbs (ISBN 0-0583149-3-4).
(Images via Pexel.com: anastasia-shuraeva, cup-of-couple, cottonbro, lumn, magda ehlers, alesia-kozik)
Helpful herbs for hairy friends: herbal remedies for pets
Despite there being a hint of Spring in the air, we’ve noticed that many people are struggling with sniffles and coughs. It got us thinking about our fur-babies and what to do if they’re not feeling top of the pops.
A friend of the Wagworld family, Yvette van Wijk, published a helpful little book called Herbal First Aid for Pets and Other Animals. It’s a fascinating read and takes a homeopathic approach to aiding and promoting the healing of animals. We wanted to share some of the herbal remedies with you, and include what ailments they are commonly used to treat.
As with humans, the booklet suggests that “quiet, peace, warmth and correct feeding are essential for sick animals.” Creating a healing environment is a wonderful way of reminding everyone in the family that animals are sentient beings, and that we all need calm and rest in order to regenerate and recover. Although the book refers to many species of animals and even birds, we’ve only referenced remedies for cats and dogs.
The booklet is comprehensive and is information rich. For this reason, we’ve chosen to primarily include herbs and plants that are easy to come by, or are generally found in most kitchens. If herbal remedies spark your interest, we recommend that you get a copy of the book.
Commonly found herbs and what they can be used for include:
Chamomile: the flowers can be infused and used in feed for rheumatism, nervousness, vomiting, arthritis, toxin buildup, and digestive issues.
Elder: In ointment, elder flowers can be used for eczema and skin ailments.
Fennel: Fennel seeds can be scattered over feed as a diuretic. The whole herb can be chopped and added to food to aid treatment of colic, bacterial infections, and gastric ailments.
Garlic: whole bulbs can be chopped and added in bran mash with honey for fevers, gastric problems, worms, rheumatism and toxic buildup.
Ginger: chopped in feed it’s used for indigestion, sepsis and to treat chill.
Lavender: Fresh leaves and flowers can be chopped into food to treat nervousness. Infused into an ointment, lavender can assist with infections, cuts, wounds, and dry skin ailments.
Marjoram: the aerial parts such as fresh leaves can be added to food to treat colic, flatulence, and nervousness.
Mint: chopped into food, mint is used to relieve stomach pain, colic, liver ailments, chill and vomiting.
Nasturtium: leaves, seeds and flowers are used to aid treatment of worms, nervousness and bacterial infections.
Oats: aids bone health and can be used to treat rickets and broken or weak bones.
Parsley: leaves can be chopped into food and used for kidney, liver and bladder support, as well as rheumatism, arthritis and stomach pains.
Rosemary: fresh chopped leaves can aid in treatment of rheumatism, chill, heart problems, internal infections and fungal infections.
Thyme: fresh thyme added to food can assist with digestive problems, colic, liver ailments, rheumatism, arthritis, fungal infections, and nervousness.
If herbs are to be applied topically, they can be infused in a pet-safe carrier oil. Carrier oils that may be used include almond, jojoba, and apricot kernel oil. To make up the ointment, soak herbs in the oil under mild heat till the oil discolors (goes green). Once cooled, the oil or ointment can be applied to the affected areas.
If herbs are given orally, you can create an infusion using hot water. Alternatively, decoctions can be made by boiling herbs in water for 15-30 minutes. Once cooled, this herbal-infused water can be administered on its own or added to food.
Elder, fennel, garlic, geranium, lavender, rosemary, and thyme are considered insecticidal herbs and are typically used for allergies – skin allergies in particular. A diet sufficient in fat and Vitamin A is also recommended for skin issues. Skin problems can be treated with an ointment or oil made with two or more insecticidal herbs.
Herbs such as lemon balm, elder leaf, elder flower, vervain, valerian, chamomile, and foods that are high in iron can be used to treat fright, nervousness, restlessness over-excitability.
For urinary and kidney problems, cleansing, hepatic and diuretic herbs can be used. Commonly found cleansing herbs include borage, chamomile, garlic, geranium, mint, nasturtium, onion, parsley and pelargonium. Hepatic herbs include chamomile, elder, fennel, mint and parsley. Elder, fennel, garlic, ginger lavender, mint, parsley, plantain, rosemary and thyme are all considered diuretic herbs. These herbs can be infused and added to the feed.
Herbs that warm and stimulate include rosemary, ginger and cayenne pepper. These can be added to food for animals who struggle with arthritis or rheumatism. Of course, a soft and comfortable bed is essential for seniors and other dogs with these ailments.
Camel Wagworld K9 Castle
Herbal remedies are intended to aid in overall systemic support and healing. It’s always advisable to check in with your local vet to get a correct diagnosis. Supportive herbal healing can be done in conjunction with remedies prescribed by a professional and remember, if you’re in any doubt, first check with your vet.
Thank you to Yvette for allowing us to share snippets from your book. It’s always good to understand how complimentary approaches to animal health and healing can be found close at hand.
For anyone who would like to get the book, you’ll find it published via Blackwoods Herbs (ISBN 0-0583149-3-4).
(Images via Pexel.com: anastasia-shuraeva, cup-of-couple, cottonbro, lumn, magda ehlers, alesia-kozik)