Herbal Treatment for Dogs

Herbal treatment for dogs? Is it just some kind of "new age" stuff?

If you are one of those skeptics who think that herbal treatment for dogs is just a fad, consider this:

Have you noticed that many dogs these days are plagued by various, sometimes strange, diseases (such as allergies, cancer, aggression and depression) - a lot more often than their predecessors not too long ago?

I have; and in my research on dog health and conventional treatments, I have also noticed that many holistic veterinarians are pointing out, quite rightly, that instead of curing our dogs of diseases, overuse of some conventional medicines (e.g. antibiotics, vaccines) is actually causing an increase in dog chronic diseases.

Don't get me wrong: I am not suggesting that we should totally give up on conventional treatments. In many cases, conventional treatments are effective and can relieve our dogs from a lot of agonies. However, in some cases, alternative remedies, such as herbal treatment, work better. In other cases, herbal treatment can be used as a complementary treatment for the overall wellbeing of our dogs.

How is Herbal Treatment for Dogs Different from Conventional Medicine?

The main difference between herbal treatment and Western medicine is how diseases and/or symptoms are being viewed. Doctors and vets who use solely Western medicine usually look at a disease in isolation, and a "cure" is to remove or suppress its symptoms as quickly as possible. In other words, a "quick-fix" is the norm. Very often antibiotics are prescribed to treat not only bacterial infections, but viral as well. However, frequent use of antibiotics can greatly weaken our pets' immune system, which will lead to more health problems down the road.

On the other hand, herbalists (and other holistic veterinarians) look at our pets as a whole (including body, mind, and "life spirit") in order to determine the deeper underlying cause or causes of a disease. Instead of just suppressing the symptoms, herbs are usually used to:

• strengthen the weakened or diseased organ system(s);
• regulate and boost the immune system;
• return out-of-sync body functions to a state of normalcy, resulting in long-lasting health.

Herbs contain numerous chemical constituents which can have medicinal effects on our pets' bodies. When used appropriately, the medicinal properties of specific herbs can regulate and normalize specific activities of one or more organ systems.

Further, when several herbs are used in combination, they can have synergistic effects and have immense long-term benefits on our dog's health. Specifically, herbs can:

• boost the immune system and generally balance, or "harmonize", the body's organ systems;
• detoxify;
• be nerve-calming;
• add nutritious value to our dog's diet.

Herbs have been used by people since thousands of years ago. Many animals, including our pets, instinctively feed on certain types of plants when they are suffering from, say, indigestion or upset stomach. They appreciate the medicinal properties of herbs!

Are you willing to give herbal treatment for dogs the benefit of the doubt?

Important Things to Remember