Natural remedies for your pet
You love your pet, so you want to take good care of him. If you’ve been thinking about natural remedies for common pet conditions, we applaud your thoughtfulness. You’ll find a growing list of natural products online and in pet supply stores. You can buy commercial preparations and supplements or grow some items in your garden.
Of course, we love your pets too, so we urge caution in experimenting with unproven treatments. Still, we believe that some natural remedies can complement traditional veterinary medicine and enhance your dog’s health. Here are a few worth considering.
Gluten sensitivity
Oats boost your pet’s diet with amino acids, fiber, and nutrients. It’s also a great grain replacement when your pet suffers from gluten sensitivities. Oats are gluten-free. That’s especially important when your pet can’t tolerate wheat and other grains.
Be sure to read pet food labels to make sure they have oats instead of gluten-containing grains. Also, look for products with oats that haven’t been processed in the same locations as other grains. If your pet’s food is grain-free, you can always add a few oats.
Cats have minimal carbohydrate needs, but you can still add nutritious oats to their diet. PetMD recommends growing your own oat grass from organic seeds or preparing oat tea.
Skin Care
Oats are a multipurpose remedy for pet skin conditions as well. Oat shampoo minimizes your pet’s dry hair issues. You can also relieve irritated skin by adding oats to your pet’s bath. Avena Sativa products are made with the “post-flowering” tops of oats. Wipes infused with the preparation naturally soothe and cleanse irritated skin and ears.
Arthritis Pain and Inflammation
Pets suffer from the same joint issues as their human family members. According to PetMD, 25% of dogs over age 10 and 61% of cats over age 6 show signs of arthritis. Owners have found that their pets find relief by using some of the same natural remedies that are popular with human patients.
- Curcumin, the active ingredient in turmeric is known to reduce joint inflammation.
- Syrup from the Boswellia tree prevents inflammation and stops pain through a process similar to prescription anti-inflammatories.
- When used as a topical preparation, wintergreen and cinnamon oil relieve pain.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids, a multipurpose remedy
Omega-3 fatty acids provide many benefits for you and your pets. It reduces inflammation, improves skin, heart, and joints. You can give your pet natural omega-3 sources by including salmon, tuna, sardines, and other cold-water fish in their diets. You can also supplement your pet’s diet with fish-oil capsules. Flaxseed oil supplements provide a vegetarian.
What about Cannabis?
With all the national focus on Cannabis products, it’s natural to be curious about whether or not it will help your pet. At present, except for medicinal use in humans, it’s still an illegal substance.
It’s not legal for pets and there hasn’t been enough research to show that it would be an effective remedy. CBD is a legal form of Cannabis. You can find it easily enough but, again, there is little research to confirm its effectiveness.
Call Us
We want your pet to be healthy and natural. Before you commit to changing your pet’s diet or adding new supplements, talk to us. Call Hebron Veterinary Hospital at (860) 228-4324. We can help you decide which natural remedies are right for your pet.