How to Use Lime Juice to Treat Animal Bites

Lime juice can be a natural health aid both at home and in the wilderness. This juice is especially effective if it is taken directly from a lime at the time of application. However, processed, bottled juice is a fine substitute as long as the juice is 100-percent natural, undiluted and free of added chemicals.

Difficulty:

Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Lime or 100-percent pure lime juice
• Honey
• Castor oil
• Curry leaves
• Cream containing lime juice as an active ingredient

1. Use pure lime juice to soften the pain of insect bites. To cover a large area or multiple animal bites, use lime juice mixed with honey to create a paste thick enough to stay in place over the wound.

2. Mix lime juice with castor oil and use the concoction to treat the area affected by animal bites. Massage the mixture slowly and as deeply as you can stand. Lime juice kills the burn of the bite, while castor oil acts as a natural antibiotic, flushing out toxins and helping the body to fight infections and inflammation.

3. Drink lime juice to help your body get a quick-absorption dose of vitamin C. This is especially useful in the first days following animal bites, when the risk of infection is high. Lime juice acts as an antibiotic, fighting toxins from the inside and preventing germs from getting into the bloodstream.

4. Mix lime juice with mashed curry leaves to treat the bites of poisonous animals, especially spiders. While not a perfect treatment, the mix can help delay the effects of the poison until you are able to seek proper medical attention. Curry leaves can be bought dehydrated at specialty stores and can be kept for years at home.

5. Treat insect bites and small wounds with a cream that contains lime juice. Natural health food stores and homeopathic medicine shops sell a variety of gels made with natural ingredients, such as lime juice. They can be used safely in both kids and adults.

Tips & Warnings

• Limes are available year around in most parts of the country, and they can be kept fresh for weeks in the refrigerator. Bottled juice also lasts for a long time if the cap is tightly closed.

• If you are pregnant or nursing, stick to natural lime juice rather than the bottled version or consult your doctor to make sure it is safe to use.