Dr. Jones’ Best 11 Holistic Remedies to Treat Common Pet Ailments
Natural Home Remedies for Your Dog or Cat: A Simple Way to Start
As a veterinarian who strongly believes in the power of natural remedies, I often get asked how pet owners can begin using them to improve their pet’s health. If you’re interested in natural home remedies for your dog or cat but aren’t sure where to start, I’ve got a suggestion for you!
Start with Natural Supplements
In my experience, natural supplements can be a great starting point to address common pet health concerns. Whether your pet is struggling with itching, joint pain, or needing immune support, there’s likely a natural supplement that can help.
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Now is the perfect time to start your pet on the path to better health. We are offering a special Boxing Week Sale with 20% OFF everything in our store! It’s a great opportunity to stock up on supplements and give your dog or cat the natural care they deserve.
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Don’t wait to start your pet’s journey toward natural health. Visit the Dr. Jones’ Veterinary Secrets Store and check out our range of supplements that can help your furry friend feel better today!
Dr. Jones’ Top 11 Holistic Pet Home Remedies
As a veterinarian, I’ve come across many natural and effective remedies that can help improve your pet’s health at home. Some of these remedies involve using ingredients you might already have in your pantry, while others are easily accessible. Here are my top 11 pet home remedies that I’ve found useful for treating various common ailments in dogs and cats.
1. OTC Ear Infection Remedy
Although this isn’t strictly a “natural” remedy, it’s highly effective. Most ear infections in dogs are caused by yeast, often secondary to allergies. This simple over-the-counter (OTC) remedy can bring quick relief.
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon of antifungal cream (Canesten/Clotrimazole)
- 1 tablespoon of 1% hydrocortisone cream
Instructions: Mix the creams thoroughly and apply about 1/4 inch into the ear twice daily for 5 days.
2. Natural Ear Infection Remedy
For a more natural approach to treating ear infections, this recipe uses easily available ingredients that are gentle on your pet.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup of green tea
- 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar (ACV)
- 1 tablespoon of coconut oil (make sure it’s at room temperature and melted)
Instructions: Mix the ingredients and use it as a flush to clean the ears. Then, apply 5 drops into each ear twice daily for 5 days, as needed.
3. Dog Dandruff Shampoo
If your dog suffers from dandruff, this simple shampoo remedy can help alleviate the issue. It’s perfect for treating yeast-related problems and leaves your dog’s coat smelling fresh.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup of green tea
- 2 tablespoons of Castile soap
- 10 drops of lavender essential oil
- 2 tablespoons of ACV
Instructions: Mix the ingredients and leave it on your dog’s coat for 10 minutes before rinsing thoroughly. Use at least once per week. Alternatively, you can use Selsun Blue Botanical Shampoo, which is also effective for treating yeast issues.
4. Stop Dog Coughing/Kennel Cough Fast!
When your dog is coughing or suffering from kennel cough, this remedy can help soothe their throat and reduce inflammation.
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup of green tea
- 1 tablespoon of dark, unpasteurized honey
Instructions: Mix the ingredients together and administer 1 teaspoon per 10 lbs of body weight. This remedy is safe, natural, and effective.
5. DMSO (Dimethyl Sulfoxide) for Topical Pain Relief
DMSO is a powerful remedy that helps relieve pain, especially for arthritis, and can be used with other treatments like CBD oil for additional benefits.
How to Use: Apply topically to a painful joint (wear gloves). DMSO rapidly penetrates the skin and helps deliver medications like CBD or Traumeel into the joint or body.
6. Natural Antibiotic – Propolis
Propolis, also known as “bee glue,” is an incredibly effective natural antibacterial that can be used to treat infections in pets.
Dosage:
- 100mg per 10 lbs of body weight twice daily.
Propolis can be a life-saver for tough-to-treat infections, such as Tula’s nose infection, which responded well to this remedy.
7. Quercetin for COVID and Allergies
Quercetin is a powerful anti-inflammatory and natural antiviral found in foods like apples, red wine, onions, and blueberries. It has been studied for its effectiveness in treating allergies and viral infections like COVID-19.
Dosage:
- Approximately 3mg per lb of body weight, twice daily.
This supplement is also an excellent choice for pets with seasonal allergies or those battling viral infections.
8. How to Quickly Stop a Bleeding Nail
It’s common for pets to bleed when their nails are accidentally cut too short. Don’t panic! There are two quick solutions.
What to Do:
- Apply pressure to the bleeding nail.
- Use cornstarch (a small amount in a bowl works wonders). Let it sit on the nail for 3 minutes.
- Apply an ice cube to constrict blood vessels.
These simple steps can quickly stop bleeding and save you from a trip to the vet.
9. Slippery Elm for Digestive Health
Slippery Elm is a natural remedy from the bark of the tree and is known for its soothing properties, making it beneficial for pets with digestive issues like vomiting, diarrhea, or IBD.
Dosage:
- 100mg per 10 lbs of body weight daily.
Slippery Elm can help coat the throat and intestinal tract, providing relief from chronic gastrointestinal issues.
10. Castor Oil for Constipation and Other Issues
Castor oil offers a range of benefits, from alleviating constipation to helping with wound healing. It’s safe for dogs and cats and can be used topically for minor arthritis pain or skin issues.
Dosage:
- 1/2 teaspoon per 10 lbs of body weight.
Castor oil works by stimulating the intestines and can be used to treat constipation in both dogs and cats.
11. Beta-Sitosterol for Dog Allergies
If your dog is suffering from itching, scratching, or hair loss due to allergies, Beta-Sitosterol can be a helpful remedy. Derived from soy, it has been shown to be effective in reducing allergic reactions in pets.
Dosage:
- 1-2mg per lb of body weight, twice daily.
Use this for at least 4 weeks to see its full effects, and note that it works well in combination with flax oil.
BONUS: Panacur for Cancer
Fenbendazole, the active ingredient in Panacur, has shown promise in treating certain types of cancer. It works by destabilizing the cell walls of cancer cells, leading to cell death.
Dosage:
- For deworming: 50mg per kg of body weight, once daily for 3 days.
- For cancer: 50mg per kg of body weight, once daily for 3 days on, followed by 4 days off.
It’s worth considering a month-long trial to see if it helps your pet.
Heal Your Pet at Home!
I hope these remedies help you support your pet’s health at home. Many of these natural solutions can alleviate common issues without the need for expensive treatments or harsh medications.
P.S. About Our Boxing Week Sale…
Don’t forget to check out our complete range of supplements to support your pet’s overall health, from skin and joint care to digestive and immune support. We’re offering 20% off during our Boxing Week Sale!
Hi.
I was wondering if there is a treatment for travel sickness for our pup.
She is a 1y/o mastiff, approx 45kg.
She loves going in the car, no anxiety or nervousness but the longest she has lasted without throwing up is half an hour.
We love taking her out with us but we feel bad for her and it restricts our ability to take her out for any longer trips to the beach etc.
Any advice would be much appreciated.
Dog has diaper rash. Wears a rap.
Here’s a video that can help:
https://youtu.be/yws2bW8XOsU
Hi Dr. any remedies for warts? My dog has a wart on her face and she is rubbing it as I’m sure it is itchy. Now it seems to be spreading on her face. Help
Yes, here;s an articles that can help:
Warts… known as papillomas in dogs and cats, are surprisingly common… in most cases caused by a virus.
Confession… I have had warts… the herpes virus (cold sores) popping up on my lips, and then don’t mention my feet (plantar warts).
When cold sores appear, one of the things I use is CBD (cannabidiol), as it works so well for topical pain relief.
Garlic Removes 100% of Warts in Clinical Study
Source: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1365-4632.2004.02348.x
A fat-soluble extract of garlic removed 100 percent of warts and almost all corns in one to two weeks in a clinical study published in the International Journal of Dermatology.
A water extract of garlic removed small warts and reduced the size of larger ones, but was not as effective as garlic dissolved in chloroform and methanol.
The study was conducted by Iranian researchers from Shiraz University in 2005.
33 participants with multiple warts were divided into three groups. In the first group, researchers applied a water extract of garlic to the warts twice a day. In the second group, they applied a fat-soluble extract of garlic twice a day.
In the third group, patients were treated with the lipid solvent (chloroform and methanol) without garlic to eliminate the possibility that it was the solvent, rather than the garlic removing the warts.
After 2 months of the garlic-water extract treatment, only small warts disappeared and larger ones were only partially improved.
The chloroform/methanol control group showed no improvement.
The fat-soluble garlic extract caused every single wart (on 23 patients with between two and 96 warts each) to disappear completely in less than two weeks. Seven out of nine patients with corns showed complete recovery from this treatment.
Selected participants had no wart treatment for at least two months before the study and many of them had failed to respond to conventional treatments in the past.
Dermatologist Farzaneh Dehghani, who led the study, noted that conventional treatments including electrocautery, cryotherapy or keratolytics are not always successful and that warts often reappear.
There was no recurrence of warts in a follow-up 4 months after the garlic study.
Removal of corns usually involves painful, costly surgery.
“Treatment with garlic extract appears to be a more convenient modality, ” Dehghani said.
Researchers attributed the success of garlic on warts and corns to its following properties:
Anti-viral – HPV virus is the primary cause of the common wart. Garlic’s anti-viral properties are well established.
Anti-tumor – warts are actually HPV-associated growths, not unlike benign tumors. Garlic has been found to destroy a wide range of cancer cells. You can view a list of over 160 diseases garlic has been studied to have potential therapeutic value in, including over a dozen different forms of cancer.
Immune modulatory – The researchers noted that while the mechanism of garlic’s anti-wart and anti-corns activity is unknown, “…enhancement of immunological responses elicited by garlic may be responsible.”
Fibrinolytic activity – The researchers observed: “Application of garlic extract on a corn caused the removal of the corn from its place. It seems that because of the fibrinolytic effect of garlic, the surrounding fibrin tissue of the corn capsule was lyzed and the capsule was separated from the main tissue.”