How to Determine Essiac Tea Dosage for Cats

Essiac tea is a homeopathic treatment for cancer.

Essiac tea is an alternative, homeopathic remedy for people and pets with cancer. Essiac contains a mixture of herbs that include burdock root, sheep sorrel, slippery elm inner bark and Turkish rhubarb. Proponents claim Essiac may benefit the immune system, relieve pain, increase appetite, reduce the size of tumors and extend the life spans of cancer sufferers. The correct dosage for a cat depends primarily on the weight of the animal and may vary by Essiac manufacturer. Higher doses provide better results, but dosages must be balanced with Essiac's tendency to induce diarrhea.

Difficulty:

Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Bathroom scale
• 10-ml eyedropper or syringe marked in 1-ml or 0.5-ml increments

1. Brew Essiac tea according to directions. kettle and tea-pot image by Maria Brzostowska from Fotolia.com

   Purchase Essiac tea herbal mixture from any of a wide variety of online retailers. Brew 1 pint of Essiac tea according to the manufacturer's directions. Keep the tea refrigerated. Essiac tea has a shelf life of about two weeks and may spoil if it's kept longer.

2. Weigh yourself while holding your cat to figure out your pet's weight. oh! image by Tatyana Gladskih from Fotolia.com

   Weigh yourself on a bathroom scale. Weigh yourself again while holding your cat. Subtract your weight from the combined weight to figure out your cat's weight.

3. You may find it easiest to dose your cat with an eyedropper. medicine dropper image by jimcox40 from Fotolia.com

   Dose cats that weigh less than 15 lbs. with 15 ml of tea a day, using a 10-ml eyedropper or syringe measured in 0.5- or 1-ml increments. Dose cats that weigh 15 lbs. or more with 15 ml of tea twice a day. Give your cat its doses when it has an empty stomach, one hour before or two hours after meals.

4. A balance must be found between the dose of Essiac tea and its laxative effect. balance image by Blue Moon from Fotolia.com

   Increase your cat's dose by 1 or 2 ml each week. Essiac will do the most good for your cat at higher doses but it contains rhubarb, a laxative, and will eventually cause your pet to develop diarrhea.

5. Essiac tea may help combat cancer in your cat. cat image by Lori Boggetti from Fotolia.com

   Decrease the dose by 1 or 2 ml to the previous dosage level when your cat develops diarrhea. If your cat's diarrhea does not subside when you have reached the original dosing level, discontinue the use of Essiac.

Tips & Warnings

• Essiac will make your cat thirstier than usual. Keep plenty of fresh water within easy reach of your pet at all times.

• If your cat resists the taste of Essiac tea, mix the regular dose with an equal amount of chicken or beef broth to see if the cat finds the taste more appealing. Even though Essiac is more effective when taken on an empty stomach, another method to try is mixing the dose directly into the cat's food.

• Online retailers advise consumers that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has not tested Essiac tea and has not approved it as a treatment or cure for any health problem, including cancer. The disclaimer is directed toward humans, but you may wish to consult your veterinarian before beginning Essiac tea treatment on your cat.

References

• Bulk Essiac Tea: Dosage of Essiac Tea for Pets
• Rene Caisse Healing Tea: Brewing essiac tea and essiac tea dosage instruction guide for adults, children and animals
• Fresh Organic Essiac Tea For Less: "Essiac for pets is safe and can help improve their health and quality of life"

Resources

• The History of Essiac and Nurse Rene M. Caisse