Do-it-yourself, natural, herbal remedies to use when you are feeling a bit down have become fairly common.
There are plenty of delicious and effective natural remedy for colds and flu available, but there’s not a lot of information out there about natural and herbal pet remedies, and as a proud pet owner I have made it my mission to, ahem, remedy this situation.
Here are my top four herbal and DIY remedies for pets and domestic animals.
Epsom Salts
If you’ve noticed a small wound on your pet, it’s almost always best to deal with it sooner rather than later, to prevent infection.
Epsom salts are a traditional way to prevent wounds from becoming infected, as well as to act as a balm to irritated and itchy skin.
Unlike ordinary salts, placing Epsom salts in the wound of a pet will actually feel rather soothing – I’ve tried this on my skin too, and it works!
You can also soak a splinter-ridden paw in a solution with Epsom salts to draw out the splinter with minimal fuss, and also treat extra-oily hair.
Canned Pumpkin
Canned pumpkin is more common in America than in the United Kingdom, but it’s invaluable for certain pet problems wherever you are.
If your pet is constipated, attempt to feed it canned pumpkin for a slow and natural way to relieve its pain and suffering. Be sure that you take the necessary precautions to protect your valuable belongings first though!
If your pet refuses to eat canned pumpkin, first make sure that it’s unspiced pumpkin – the canned spiced pumpkin that goes in pumpkin pie is not appealing to most pets in the slightest. If it is unspiced, use a half and half mixture of canned pumpkin and pet food.
Scrambled Eggs
Scrambled eggs are a great treat to mix in with a dog’s wet or dry food, as it helps keep their coat nice and shiny.
Obviously, you should avoid raw eggs — salmonella is a threat to dogs as well as humans — but as long as you don’t overdo it, one scrambled egg a week should offer a natural treatment for a glossy coat.
An unhappy side effect keeping a shiny coat in this way is the smell — since doggy tummies sometimes react to eggs in interesting ways. If this happens to your dog, simply reduce the amount of eggs you feed them to one a month instead, or add plain yogurt to their diet, which can help relieve a gas.
Herbal Sprays and Shampoos
There are some great herbal sprays designed to protect against infection, keeping animal skin moisturized and healthy.
Different natural animal products use different ingredients, of course, but look for herbal ingredients like sea buckthorn, sandalwood and tea tree oils in the mix, known for their healing and antiseptic properties.
The great thing about these herbal remedies is that they help the pet out without any nasty chemicals getting in their mouths when they try to lick or bite at their wounds or eczema.
If in doubt, though, and especially if you have the money to pay for it, visit your veterinarian for advice.
Are there any natural pet remedies that you always keep on hand?
[Photo: Powi/Flickr]
About this author: Louise Blake is currently playing mum to a Boxer puppy, Harley, and is an avid animal lover. She writes for companies such as Anicura in her spare time.
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