Seeing our beloved dogs in pain crush us from inside. No one knows it better than me. I am currently
semi- fostering 9 dogs who live in my locality. Two of them have a sprained leg (Guy and Oreo),
one of them has hair shedding off her body (Momma Gal), one of them suffered a stroke (Anne) a
joint aches and pain. If you haven’t then I urge you to have a look at those herbal remedies too. The
following article covers the other 10 (from numbers 7 to 16) herbal remedies people use for dogs, with what to watch out for:
Before you try any herb: “natural” doesn’t mean safe. Some herbs are toxic, many interact with medicines, and products made for people can contain other ingredients such as xylitol or alcohol, which are toxic to dogs. Please talk to your vet before giving any herb or supplement, especially if your dog takes other medicines (including NSAID pain relievers or steroids), has liver, kidney or heart disease, is diabetic, or is pregnant or nursing. Never give your dog human painkillers like ibuprofen, naproxen or acetaminophen (Tylenol).
If you think your dog has eaten something harmful, call your vet or ASPCA Animal Poison Control at (888) 426-4435.
7. Alfalfa (Medicago sativa):
Besides being one of the best treatments for arthritis, Alfalfa also has other nutritional benefits. It is safe for
daily consumption as a dietary supplement for relief from arthritic pain. It is also known to
act well with yucca, liquorice and dandelion.
Alfalfa has been genetically modified. Thus, make sure that you buy the certified organic product. For your dog, add a pinch of the dried herb per 10 lb body weight to your dog’s food daily. Don’t give alcohol-based tinctures, and don’t work out a dose from a product made for people. Ask your vet if alfalfa is right for your dog and how much to give.
Caution: Use alfalfa before flowering, Do not use the seeds of this plant as they contain L-canavanine,
which can lead to blood disorders. Alfalfa can also cause hypersensitive (allergic) reactions in dogs
sensitive to pollen.
8. Horsetail (Equisetum arvense):
Horsetail has been known for its amazing ability to heal connective tissue injuries and bones. It has
been observed to help heal bone and joint injuries as well as help in recovery post-surgery. In the
case of joint pain, it is known to act well with nettle or comfrey as well as chondroitin and glucosamine
ingredients.
There’s no proven safe dose of horsetail for dogs, and tinctures usually contain alcohol, which is toxic to dogs. Only use horsetail if your vet recommends it.
Caution: Do not use horsetail in case your dog is suffering from cardiac disease, hypertension or is
lactating (can cause breast milk to change its flavor).
9. Turmeric (Curcuma longa):
This is another household ingredient with many medicinal uses. This small orange root is a highly
effective pain reliever and also shows antioxidant as well as anti-inflammatory properties. It is a very
common component of the Ayurvedic medicines used for the treatment of arthritis and other pain
management options.
The turmeric root can be bought from any grocery store. You can grate some and add it to your dog’s food. It has been observed that dogs absorb turmeric better when fed with fat and black pepper. You can also make a paste of the turmeric powder and add ¼ tsp of the paste to your dog’s food per 10 lbs body weight of your dog.
Turmeric also has the tendency to stain everything it touches. Thus, avoid using
it near light-colored clothing or rugs.
10. Cayenne (Capsicum spp)
Cayenne is a component of the hot chili pepper. The main compound of this drug is capsaicin which
has been observed to block pain and enhance circulation to the joints and connective tissues. These
properties make this herb a pretty effective pain reliever. Cayenne can irritate a dog’s stomach when eaten, and capsaicin can interact with several medicines, including some blood-pressure and heart drugs and cyclosporine (Merck Veterinary Manual). Don’t add it to your dog’s food or put capsaicin creams on your dog unless your vet recommends it: dogs lick creams off and can get them in their mouth and eyes.
11. Arnica (Arnica montana)
Arnica is a very common homoeopathic medicine. It is a small alpine plant having yellow blossoms.
Never give arnica tea, tincture or herbal arnica products by mouth: arnica can cause vomiting, diarrhea, weakness, high blood pressure and heart problems in animals (Merck Veterinary Manual). Highly diluted homeopathic arnica is unlikely to poison a dog, but there’s little proof it helps. Read more in my arnica for dogs post.
12. Meadowsweet:
This is a perennial herb which has anti-rheumatic, rubefacient, analgesic as well as anti-inflammatory
actions. The roots, leaves, flowers, as well as rhizomes of this plant, contain volatile oils. These
components get oxidized into salicylic acid which undergoes further metabolization in the gut to
develop into a compound which resembles herbal aspirin.
Caution: because it works like aspirin, meadowsweet can upset the stomach and shouldn’t be given with NSAIDs or steroids. Ask your vet first.
13. Melatonin: Sleep is a very important component of healing. In pain, it is difficult to get proper
rest or sleep which aggravates the irritated behavior. Also, the body heals itself better during sleep.
Melatonin is a neurohormone naturally produced by dog’s pineal glands in the brain and acts as a
sedative. Melatonin can help regulate the sleep cycle in your dog which might be disrupted due
to the pain.
Ask your vet for the right dose for your dog. If you use a product made for people, check the label: some contain xylitol, which is toxic to dogs, and slow-release (sustained-release) melatonin shouldn’t be used in pets (VCA). Melatonin can cause sleepiness and weight gain.
14. Cannabidiol (CBD) oil:
CBD oil is the superstar of the holistic health community right now. Despite the limited availability of
research regarding its long term health benefits, recent studies have implicated that CBD may have
a positive role in reducing pain in both humans and dogs.
In a small 2018 Cornell study of 16 dogs with arthritis, CBD oil at 2 mg per kilogram of body weight twice a day improved comfort and activity, but it also raised a liver enzyme in the blood. There are no FDA-approved cannabis products for animals, and some products contain THC, which is toxic to dogs. Talk to your vet before trying CBD. Read more in Is CBD oil good for dogs?
15. Cinnamon:
Another very commonly available household spice is cinnamon. Anecdotally, cinnamon has shown to
reduce pain and joint inflammation in dogs.
To administer cinnamon, adjust the dosage according to a 50 lb dog (¼ teaspoon of cinnamon powder added to the food twice every day for a 50 lb dog).
Caution: Stop administering cinnamon powder two weeks before any surgery as cinnamon can
cause blood thinning and can increase bleeding risk.
16. Hawthorn (Crataegus oxyacantha):
This particular herb has been observed to have a positive effect on collagen in arthritis dogs. The
bioflavonoid and vitamin c present in hawthorn can stabilize the collagen which is found in joints and helps reduce joint ache.
Caution: Hawthorn can interact with prescription drugs given to dogs suffering from heart
diseases.
One final cautionary advice:
Before starting your dog on any of the above mentioned herbal remedies, consult and discuss with
your vet about the dosage and which herb to use. Don’t forget to mention if your dog is already on
a particular drug. Every bit of information you can provide can be very crucial and might help save the life
of your dog.
PS: If you like this article, please comment and share the article with your friends so that more
people can know about the benefits of herbal remedies for pain management in dogs.
