Herbal remedies are just as appropriate for your pet as
they are for you.
Two good reasons for herbal pet care are Dr. Pitcairn's Complete Guide
to
Natural Health for Dogs and Cats (St. Martin's Press, 1995) and The
Encyclopedia of Natural Pet Care by CJ Puotinen (Keats Publishing,
1998).
However, see your veterinarian if you're uncertain about your animal's
illness
or for problems that don't improve with home treatment within a couple
of days.
~ EAR MITES: Dribble several drops of garlic oil in to
the ear twice a day.
Use as often as needed for severe cases. Garlic oil can be bought at a
natural food store.
~ EYE INFECTIONS: Wash the eye with a tea made from
calendula and
goldenseal. To make the tea, pour 2 cups of boiling water over 2
tablespoons
of dried calendula flowers and 1 tablespoon of powdered goldenseal.
Steep
until cool, and strain through a clean coffee filter. Rinse the eye
several times
a day. Give liquid echinacea extract internally 3 times a day (doses
range
from 2 drops for a 10-pound animal to 1 dropperful for a 100-pound dog).
~ FLEAS: Bathe your pet regularly with a mild shampoo.
If possible, keep your
pet in warm bath water for 10 minutes to drown the fleas. Rinse with
eucalyp-
tus leaves, cover, and steep until cool. Strain, and use as a final
rub-in rinse
after bathing. Make a flea powder by combining 1 cup of diatomaceous
earth
with 2 tablespoons of citronella oil, 4 tablespoons of eucalyptus oil,
and 4
tablespoons of orange oil. Mix well, and store in an airtight container.
Sprinkle
on your pet as needed.
~ WOUNDS: Clean injury with mild soap and water, and
spray with an anti-
microbial solution of 1 part liquid echinacea extract and 5 parts water.
Apply calendula or comfrey salve to speed healing. Sprinkle powdered
yarrow to stop a cut from bleeding. Then sprinkle powdered comfrey to
heal.
[Editor's note: Your veterinarian should examine pet for
injuries or illnesses.]
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