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MEDICINAL HERBS HAVE been used since time immemorial for healing purposes. In recent years medical research and clinical usage of herbs have soared as modern science validates many of the traditional applications and explores new ones. Today herbal supplements are riding high atop a huge consumer wave of interest in natural healing.
Experts say the natural compounds in herbs—called phytochemicals—may offer the best protection we know of against the diseases that plague society. There is much yet to learn about the tissue-specific way these compounds work. But in time they are expected to play a major role in antiaging medicine and how we prevent and treat disease.
Use whichever form of a recommended herb is easiest for you to administer. Herbs are available as tablets, capsules, and liquid tinctures.
Herbs are best given apart from a meal. Most are absorbed better this way. However, medicinal herbs often have a bitter or unpleasant taste. It is okay to mix them into food if that is the only way your pet will take them.
Some herbs have the potential to cause slight nausea. If there are signs of that, or an animal loses appetite when on herbs, administer on a full stomach.
Unless you are knowledgeable about herbs, be very careful when mixing herbs. Stick to tried-and-true formulas.
In part 2 you will find many herbal recommendations among the natural remedies offered by veterinarians. The recommendations include Chinese herbs, Ayurvedic herbs from India, South American herbs, and North American herbs. Each recommendation includes directions on how to dose the herb and where to get the specific herbal product used by the veterinarian. Be sure to follow the instructions. In the current boom of interest in holistic health, people are jumping on the herbal bandwagon. However, it is advisable to be cautious when giving herbs to pets. Even though herbs are natural and can do a lot of good, there is still potential for harm if they are given inappropriately or excessively.
There are no precise doses for animals. Many veterinarians extrapolate their dosage from human usage. Generally speaking, if a human takes a whole capsule for a particular herb, then give a small dog a quarter capsule and a medium or large dog a half. For herbal tinctures, use considerably less than the capsule or tablet form. In a dog, 4 to 8 drops twice a day should suffice.
Start with a small amount and work up slowly to avoid the possibility of stomach upset. Decrease or increase the dose depending on the size of the animal. Many times a low dose is enough and you don’t have to go higher. An animal will resonate with the frequency of the herb, or the herb just isn’t giving the animal what it needs. Giving more doesn’t necessarily enhance the effect. Herbs heal by their frequency, not necessarily by their quantity.
THE “HEALING CRISIS”—MARK HAVERKOS, DVM
Herbs are capable of creating powerful healing effects in the body and may trigger a “healing crisis.” This term, used by holistic healers, refers to a wave of purification generated by the natural medicine. Unlike conventional drugs, which suppress symptoms, herbs activate and fortify the body, like recharging a battery, helping it to cleanse itself of toxins and pathogens. In this process symptoms may temporarily intensify as a result. Things may get worse before they get better. It is then advisable to back off from the herb and let the body do the job it has now been activated to do. Improvement usually follows. You can then resume the remedy at the same or lesser level, depending on the situation. However, if the animal doesn’t get better when the remedy is stopped, then you should seek professional advice, preferably with a holistic veterinarian familiar with herbs.
Contact the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association, 2214 Old Emmorton Rd., Bel Air, MD 21015 (phone: 410-569-0795). If you have Internet access, use the directory of veterinarians on the alternative veterinary medicine Web site at www.altvetmed.com.