Just as you have begun to take a more active and holistic approach to your health, many pet owners are now discovering the benefits for their pets too.
A diet that reflects improved nutrition by paying attention to what you eat and what your pet eats on a daily basis is important. The addition of natural herbal supplements not only strengthens your health, but also that of your pet! Herbs also fight disease!
Your pet relies on you to take care of their needs including attention, quality food, fresh clean water, exercise and their general health. As an integral part of your family, you want your pet to stay healthy over the long term, and this month I want to give you some simple prevention tips for every day and for limited periods of time for any specific condition or symptom.
- Healthy pets usually do not incur expensive vet bills
- Healthy pets have more energy and live longer
- Healthy pets enjoy a better quality of life into old age
“So what can I do to help my pet?” “Can I really use herbs for pets?”
Your pet will respond very well to the right selection of quality herbs because our herbs are natural plant-based products that your pet’s body system recognizes as food. (Your system will benefit for the same reasons)
Pets are like us, and they benefit tremendously from the addition of a few herbs
Nutritional supplements for optimal health and vitality. Herbs can be used in liquid or capsule format, simply open and mix with your food. Tablets can be crushed and mixed with food. Chewable, they usually love them as a treat.
The dosage is based on weight. Typically 1 capsule per day/25lb (note liquid extracts can also be applied directly to the paws and abdomen).
Tip 1 – Offer quality pet food
Just as we humans are discovering that highly refined foods are unhealthy, our pets experience similar reactions to the commonly processed foods that are widely available in most supermarkets. In the wake of massive pet food recalls, it’s important to pay attention to the ingredients in pet food.
It’s fun to share our table food with pets, but when you do, you’re introducing foods that your pet has a hard time digesting. I do not represent or sell pet food products, but I encourage you to consider natural products based on natural, wholesome ingredients. The cost is a little higher, but your pet will be much healthier and the medical costs will be much lower.
This applies to people and pets alike: avoid any products that contain by-products, chemical preservatives, artificial flavors or artificial colors.
I feed our 10 year old beagle (Stanly) Performatrin Ultra which is available in Canada and the US. If they’re not available in your city, they’re a good reference. There are a number of good quality suppliers out there, so do a little research to find what works best for your pet
Tip 2 – Make sure you have fresh, clean water
Always make sure your pet has fresh, clean drinking water available. I like
add a few drops of liquid chlorophyll to drinking water. she
like it too!
- The spearmint flavor helps reduce “doggy breath.”
- Provides daily nutrients and minerals
- Very mild cleaning
- Improves digestion and colon, purifies and replenishes blood
- Restore the alkaline balance and it’s great not to burn the lawn
Tip 3 – Daily nutritional support
A well-rounded herb that you can think of as a general multivitamin mineral is Morinda (aka Noni), my go-to choice for pets of all ages
and specifically for puppies up to 3 years and older animals as it supports the immune, nervous, respiratory, muscular and skeletal systems.
- Help for the pets who are excited
- Provides bone support for growing puppies
- Supports for older pets who need help climbing stairs or sofa, or who just want to breathe better
A great daily powerhouse of health-promoting herbs is Zambroza or Thai Go for its remarkable ability to boost and build the immune system. With over 138 anti-inflammatory properties, it is the top choice for antioxidant properties that fight the effects of stress and fatigue, as well as its antiviral, antifungal, and antibacterial properties.
Tip 4 – Natural heartworm care
Spring through fall is heartworm season and the combination of our powerful garlic and black walnut extract works wonders. I do this for 6 months, from the time the ground thaws to the first frost.
Our high potency garlic is odor controlled, not odorless. It is important to have the odor caused by one of the active ingredients called allicin in order to get the maximum therapeutic benefit. To control garlic odor, the garlic is coated with chlorophyll. This way you get the full allicin potential and therapeutic benefits. (I grind this up in a mortar and mix it in with the food and my dogs never have “garlic” breath) The black walnut extract is liquid and a few drops mixed into the food is enough
takes.
- Supplies the blood with oxygen
- Controls parasites, tinea, worms and toxins
- Restores tooth enamel
- Antiseptic and healing properties
- Supports the thyroid
CAUTION: NEVER GIVE BLACK WALNUT TO A HORSE – IT IS TOXIC!
Tip 5 – Combating Digestive Bloating (Gas)
It works for humans and it’s great for the pets. For indigestion/bloating (bloating), Garden Essence and/or Stomach Comfort are great choices that will provide you and your pet with instant relief. Even if they eat good quality food, some pets get that much gas
By simply adding Garden Essence (open and sprinkle over food) it really helps them digest their food better and therefore eliminates gas.
Our dog Stanley loves the Chewable Stomach Comfort, we use it as a treat,
and he will do his “tricks” to get one. They also help with gas and digestion.
On the other hand, Elmo does better with marshmallow and pepsin
while Isaiah has great success with Garden Essence.
Just like with humans, there is no one right answer, so you may need to experiment to find which works best for you. Keep in mind that these are plant-based herbs and since they are real food, your pet will be sure to ingest them.
Tip 6 – Small wet accidents
It happens, and when it does, there are steps you can take to help your pet overcome the problem. In younger animals, the Chinese combination KB-C helps to strengthen the urinary tract internally if they have to urinate frequently and it is not due to an infection. It can also be rubbed onto the puppy’s tummy in a circular motion.
For older animals with leaky bladders, Cornsilk strengthens their bladders and eliminates inflammation. If your pet has an infection, Cranberry and Buccu plus Echinacea Golden Seal will clear the infection and help prevent further recurrences.
- Strengthens the urinary system in young pets
- Strengthens bladder in older pets
- Eliminates infection and helps prevent further recurrence
Tip 7 – Natural cleaning around the house just got easier
No matter how hard we try to take care of our pets, accidents do happen and for natural cleaning there is no better product than Nature’s Fresh Spray. In fact, this product is excellent for a variety of typical home and car cleaning needs.
- Eliminates pet odors as well as odors from food, smoke, urine, feces, vomit and mold
- Eliminates stains from food, juice, blood, pets, urine and other organic substances
- Safe for all fabrics and not damaged by water
- Unscented, non-irritating, hypoallergenic
- Environmentally friendly
Thanks to Diane McLaren
