How to Use Herbs as Substitutes for Conventional Drugs to Treat a Dog

Always consult your veterinarian before altering any medications that your dog is taking.

In many instances, your dog may have minor health issues that can be treated with prescription drugs and medicines. However, you may be wary of placing him on too many medications at once particularly if he is still a young dog. Also, dog medication can be just as expensive as human treatments if not more so, and some pet owners simply cannot afford to treat their animals with conventional medical treatments. Fortunately, you can use many herbs as substitutes for conventional drugs in order to treat your dog.

Things You'll Need

• Licorice extract
• Black walnut
• Valerian
• Passion flower
• Senna extract
• Low-salt chicken broth

Instructions

1. Use licorice root extract as an anti-inflammatory. Dosages will vary by the size of your dog. You can use licorice extract topically or your dog can eat it with his food to reduce allergic reactions.

2. Mix black walnut extract with your dog's food as a natural dewormer. You must consult your veterinarian before attempting this treatment as your pet's size will determine how much extract he needs. Furthermore, you need to be extremely careful when dosing puppies because their systems can be very delicate. However, some people actually prefer to give their puppies natural supplements for this very reason.

3. Treat your dog with valerian or passion flower to reduce anxiety. Valerian root or passion flower extract can help calm down a panicky dog or reduce periodic stress and anxiety due to environmental issues like thunderstorms or moving homes. The dosage must be approved by your veterinarian before you begin using the treatment. You may wish to add these components to chicken broth to make a soothing "tea" for your pet.

4. Relieve constipation with senna. Many humans drink senna tea to fight this problem, and it turns out so can your dog. Senna does not cause the same serious cramping that more medicinal laxitives can cause. Your dog can drink it in chicken broth, also. Make sure to monitor the dosage and her subsequent behavior carefully in order to avoid a nasty accident.

Tips & Warnings

• Never give your dog any treatments without first consulting your vet. If you do, you run the risk of an overdose, an allergic reaction and even death.