Did you know that Herbal Medicine can safely treat over 50 common conditions suffered by cats and dogs? Herbal Medicine is becoming increasingly popular and more and more pet-owners are turning to it as a safe and gentle alternative to pharmaceutical drugs with their sometimes unpleasant side-effects.
Many of the common health problems, which you would normally take to your veterinary surgeon, can usually be effectively tackled with a drug-free approach. Common complaints 
ranging from allergies to arthritis can be helped by using extensively researched veterinarian herbal medicine and cutting-edge herbal supplements, licensed by the Veterinary Medicines Directorate. For example, the common problem of anxiety, excitability, nervousness and apprehension, which are the most common cause of travel sickness in cats and dogs rather than true motion sickness, can be helped by giving Skullcap (Scutellaria lateriflora)and Valerian (Valeriana officinalis) to relieve anxiety, calm and relax your pet and to reduce excessive salivation during the journey.
Herbal medicines have proved to be particularly effective in controlling non-specific skin conditions by dealing holistically with the problem. However, it is important to try to deal with the cause of the problem and this can often be the diet. It is advisable to avoid high protein foods, red meats, vitamin and mineral supplements and foods containing colouring and flavouring agents. All of these have been found to be responsible for an allergic reaction in some animals. The most common forms of skin problems are dermatitis, eczema and pyoderma. The symptoms are typically inflamed hot skin, itchiness and hair loss resulting from scratching. To treat the condition, the herbs Garlic (Allium sativa) and Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum) are given to deal with any minor infections alongside a powdered formulation containing watercress, celery seed, horseradish, parsley and celery plant to relieve the irritation and cool the skin. Such a treatment should be continued for at least a month, reducing to a lower maintenance dose as the condition improves.
Evening Primrose Oil (Oenothera biennis) is excellent for skin problems and should be given alongside the herbal medicine to encourage coat regrowth and continued afterwards to help maintain healthy skin. Comfrey (Symphytum officinalis) and Calendula (Calendula officinalis) in the form of a balm soothes dry, sore, scaly or damaged skin during the treatment. For cats and dogs, who have a susceptibility to skin problems of this kind, it is advisable to keep to a chicken and fish diet to reduce the likelihood of the condition recurring. If hair loss has occurred as a result of scratching, this can be improved by giving Kelp (Ascophyllum nodosum) to encourage good coat growth, but this should only be given after all irritation has subsided. Regular shampooing can make the skin more sensitive and so, unless advised by your veterinary surgeon, don't bathe an animal with a skin condition more often than is necessary.
For older cats and dog, the herbs Fenugreek and Garlic are particularly effective in the treatment of arthritis. Glucosamine and Chondroitin are recommended to help maintain joint health in older animals, where wear and tear is becoming evident or after an injury. If your pet is overweight, this will naturally place more stress on the joints. If your pet needs to lose weight, give a low calorie diet along with Kelp to assist weight loss.
Valerian and Skullcap act quickly to calm and control hyperactivity and anxiety in both dogs and cats. It is ideal to give on those occasions when 'over the top' behaviour may be a problem or during thunderstorms, gunfire, visits to the vet and moving house. Cats in particular often have difficulty settling into new surroundings and becoming familiar with new territory. Give Valerian drops on the day before and the day of the move. Follow this for two to three weeks with a daily dose of Skullcap and Valerian to keep them calm, while they adjust to new surroundings. Cats find the smell of Valerian particularly attractive and if a few drops are placed on the cat's bedding, a reduction in anxiety is quickly apparent and even unmanageable cats become calmer and easier to handle.
Raspberry Leaf (Rubus idaeus) is a traditional herbal remedy for the symptomatic relief of problems associated with whelping and kittening and an aid in the prevention of phantom pregnancy in dogs and cats. Due to its action as a uterine tonic, this well known birth aid has been used for hundreds of years to help ensure an easy and straightforward delivery. Many cats and dogs, who have previously experienced problems, have subsequently had normal easy births with the aid of this herb. Raspberry Leaf tablets should be given from the third week of gestation and continued until one week after delivery to help ensure complete afterbirth expulsion. Bitches, who are prone to this condition, should be given a preventative dose from the first sign of coming into season and continued for twelve weeks as a preventative measure.
Herbal medicine can also boost the immune system of your pet. When Fenugreek, which has anti-inflammatory properties, and Garlic are given regularly, it increases resistance to infections by stimulating the immune system. Garlic has long been renowned for its antibiotic, antiseptic and anti-viral properties and this has been confirmed by modern scientific studies, which also show its ability to help with the removal of toxins from the system.
Our cats and dogs should have the benefit of a happy, healthy life and when common health ailments occur, they can now be safely treated with specifically formulated veterinary herbal medicines and herbal supplements, not least to save on expensive veterinary bills for common minor ailments. Herbal Medicines are not always appropriate for more serious complaints, for which you should seek the advice of your veterinary surgeon.
See list of health conditions here