Holistic Pet Care

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• Natural Remedies Could Help Summer Pet Woes

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  There are a lot of natural remedies that people swear by. While it might be more common to think of people drinking a cup of chamomile tea to relax before bed, or taking ginger to prevent car sickness, there are similar options for pets.

  Dr. Carrie Donahue, the owner and founder of Full Circle Veterinary Clinic and a graduate of the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine, said uses a range of alternative therapies to complement her traditional veterinary medical training.

  Different medical disciplines are sometimes thought of as an either-or proposition, but Donahue doesn’t think it has to be.

  “I really don’t always draw a line between the two,” she said.

  Instead, her practice “using western medicine and using alternative, or holistic medicine, often hand-in-hand. And really presenting options to pet owners so they can make the decision that’s right for them and that’s right for their pet.”

  The start of summer is welcome in many ways, but it also brings some challenges for keeping pets happy and healthy. Summer travel can involve pets, and whether it’s due to motion sickness or general anxiety, it can be a difficult situation for a cat or dog.

  Ginger is known to settling human stomachs, and the same is true for animals. Donahue said that an herbal ginger tincture is available, but that pet owners can also prepare their own remedy at home. She said to take a slice of fresh ginger root and steep it in hot water for about 10 minutes.

  “I would start giving it to your pet about an hour before the trip,” she said, “and then you can give it every hour during, and after. Ginger is really great for calming the stomach.”

  Another option is peppermint. Donahue said that a ginger mint tincture from the Animal Essentials Co. is one of her favorites.

  “It’s preserved with glycerin, so it’s a little bit sweet. So it’s very easy to give to animals,” she said.

  Donahue said that treating the anxiety that can exacerbate motion sickness is a good approach, and useful in more situations. For cats, giving them some cat nip is also a great option, because that plant is in the mint family. She said that they don’t necessarily have to eat it. Even a catnip toy in their carrier will calm them by the scent.

  “It makes them feel good, like everything’s OK, which is exactly what we want,” she explained.

  A couple drops of lavender oil on a cotton ball put in the carrier can also be calming. Donahue said that there are diffusers for essential oils that can be clipped on a car vent that are a great way to serve up lavender as well.

  For an overall calming remedy, Donahue said that Rescue Remedy by Bach Flower Remedies is a great choice.

  “It works great, especially for cats, calming them down,” she said.

  She said that it can be given orally, or put in a misting bottle and spritzed around the pet so it gets into their system. An owner can even put it on their hands and pet the animal with it.

  “You can do all of the above,” she said. “It really works well to take the edge off.”

  For pets that have a hard time with thunderstorms and loud fireworks, Donahue said that there are some natural remedies to try. One is valerian root, “one of the strongest herbal sedatives that I know,” she said.

  The best effect will be if the owner starts giving it as soon as a thunderstorm is predicted to be on the way, or earlier in the day of planned fireworks. Donahue said even the day before is fine to start the dosing, especially because animals are often tuned into approaching weather sooner than humans are.