Homeopathic Remedies For Dogs

Homeopathic remedies for dogs

Homeopathic treatments and remedies have become increasingly popular over the years. They are especially popular for our pets. Many people hate the idea of filling our cats and dogs with drugs and all sorts of not-so-natural chemicals. This is especially true when so many of them can potentially be dangerous to our beloved fur babies. However, many people still do not fully understand homeopathic treatments, or at least those that are best for animals. We have briefly explained homeopathic remedies. We also listed some of the most common ailments in dogs and the best homeopathic remedies for dogs.

What Are Homeopathic Remedies?

Homeopathic remedies are created based on the ideology that our bodies can usually heal themselves. However, they may need a little occasional help or relief from some of the symptoms as they do so. Homeopathic, or all-natural, remedies are made from things found in nature. Minerals, trees, plants, etc., can all provide compounds and ingredients used to make homeopathic remedies for dogs.

As we mentioned above, this all-natural approach makes these homeopathic remedies for dogs especially appealing. Nature provides many useful, effective treatments, especially for animals. Homeopathic remedies for dogs offer easier AND healthier methods for treating your dear pet.

Chronic Ailments in Dogs

All homeopathic remedies work for many kinds of ailments, illnesses, and issues. However, homeopathic remedies for dogs have proven particularly effective in chronic illnesses.

Chronic illnesses are those with which dogs can be born, develop after extreme trauma or illness, or come about as your dog ages. Below are articles on some common chronic dog ailments and the best homeopathic remedies for dogs for some of the chronic ailment symptoms.

 

Joint Pain/Arthritis

Older dogs often develop joint and bone pain and/or arthritis as they age, or with time after broken or badly bruised, sprained, strained, or otherwise severely injured bones and joints. Symptoms and correlating remedies include:

  • Symptom: Abnormal stance or gait. If your dog seems to be leaning to one side, limping, holding up a paw, or walking funny, this could be an early sign of problem bones and/or joints.
  • Remedy: Diet. One of the most natural homeopathic remedies for dogs that are suffering with arthritis and joint issues is to gradually ease them onto a diet. Losing extra weight will remove pressure from sore joints and make it easier for your dog to move.
  • Symptom: Restlessness. Your dog may start walking in agitated circles for no apparent reason. Perhaps they cannot get comfortable, or have difficulty staying still, even when relaxed. He or she may be experiencing pain and discomfort in their joints and bones.
  • Remedy: Light exercise. Exercise that is not overly exerting can be a form of physical therapy for dogs with joint issues. It can also help them become more relaxed. This will take the tension out of their bodies and off those problem joints. This is another one of the easiest homeopathic remedies for dogs.
  • Symptom: Trembling. Animals do not often get cold (although they CAN during the winter) thanks to their lush fur coats. If you notice your pet trembling or shaking uncontrollably, and he or she is not cold or frightened, keep an eye out for a few days. If the trembling persists, especially after a little extra TLC, he or she may have joint issues.
  • Remedy: CBD oil. CBD, like THC, is a component of marijuana. However, unlike THC, CBD oil does NOT have any psychoactive impact, which means that your dog will not get “high.” Your dog will, however, benefit from the relaxing and pain relieving properties of CBD as one of the homeopathic remedies for dogs.
  • Symptom: Inflammation/swelling. A dog’s bones, while not especially delicate, are also a bit easier to injure or break than ours. Ours are thicker and larger, and we have a bit more muscle (and fat) than many dogs do. It is also possible for dogs to injure themselves, short of breaking a bone, and us not even realize it. If you notice any swelling in your dog’s joints, and you are sure that he or she has not suffered a recent injury, this could be an early sign of arthritis or other joint problem.
  • Remedy: Acupuncture. Yes, even dogs can get, and benefit from, acupuncture. A skilled professional knows the correct pressure points to work with to ease the uncomfortable swelling in your dog’s joints. Note: DO NOT try this at home yourself, NOT without consulting a vet or specialist and taking the advice or guidance they give you! This offers new options regarding homeopathic remedies for dogs.
  • Symptom: Sensitivity to the touch. Dogs always love being petted. It is a great way for them to bond with their humans. And, frankly, they cherish the affection and attention. However, if your dog suddenly begins flinching, snapping/biting, whimpering, or dodging whenever you pet him or her, especially in certain spots, he/she could be experiencing joint pain.
  • Remedy: Turmeric/Ginger. Adding a little turmeric or ginger (from the same group of plants) to your dog’s diet can naturally alleviate the sensitivity and soreness emanating from troublesome joints. These, and other pure herbs make great homeopathic remedies for dogs.
  • Symptom: Disinterest or hesitation in normal play or other activities. Some dogs are naturally more laid back and, as such, are content with minimal physical activity or playtime. However, if your dog has always been one that enjoys long walks and extensive exercise, and could never resist a good game of fetch, but suddenly shows little or no interest in these things, he or she may be developing problems in his or her joints.
  • Remedy: Hot and cold compresses. As with us whenever we injure a bone, muscle, or joint, alternating between heating pads and ice packs or cool compresses can make great strides toward relieving pain and swelling. This can improve activity for your dog if he/she suffers with joint problems. This is one of the most natural homeopathic remedies for dogs.

 

Skin Problems

Skin dryness, itchiness, and splotches are not unique to human beings. Dogs can suffer from all kinds of skin conditions, including hot spots, mange, skin allergies, and old-fashioned dry skin. You can identify these, and similar, skin conditions, by symptoms such as:

  • Symptom: Pimples/rashes. Dogs do not get pimples as humans do. If you begin to notice bumps that resemble pimples, or rashes ANYWHERE, it may indicate a skin problem.
  • Remedy: A good bath. Some people prefer to start with a simple rinsing with clean, warm water. However, if that does not work, you can try bathing your dog with all-natural oatmeal shampoos. Or, you can use oatmeal that you grind yourself. You can also try bath water infused with a combination of skin soothing herbs. Any of these options make great homeopathic remedies for dogs.
  • Symptom: Discolored/red and/or swollen skin. Reddening and inflammation of your dog’s skin can indicate anything from bug bites to skin allergies.
  • Remedy: Inflamed skin may be an indication of an allergy or intolerance to certain ingredients in your dog’s food. While food allergies are uncommon, they are not unheard of. If you suspect that your dog may be allergic or intolerant to something in his or her food, switch to a diet that doesn’t include foods with grain or veggie substances.
  • Symptom: Patches of hair that have fallen out, been pulled out, etc. This can be an early sign of skin conditions such as scabby hot spots or mange. Also, mange and hot spots may develop a strong, unpleasant smell.
  • Remedy: Yogurt. Yes, you can apply a good, all-natural yogurt to your dog’s skin. If it is a case of dry skin making your dog pull out his or her hair, the yogurt will soothe the irritation. Then, your dog will have less reason to pull out his or her hair.
  • Symptom: Constant and/or inexplicable scratching. All animals are susceptible to fleas. However, if you have recently treated your dog for fleas, and he or she begins scratching, this could indicate skin issues.
  • Remedy: Vitamin E. Is there nothing that vitamin E can’t do? Just as it soothes our skin when we get sunburns or pesky mosquito bites, so does it calm and relieve all types of itchiness in our dogs. Vitamins of all types are great homeopathic remedies for dogs.
  • Symptom: Sores or scabs. Sores on your dog can be caused by anything from fights with other animals, bug bites and stings, or consistent scratching. Even those that do not correlate with any skin conditions should be treated as soon as possible. That way, you avoid further complications due to infection or constant reopening of the scabs and oozing blood.
  • Remedy: Coconut oil. The oil provides a protective coating over the scab. This prevents anything potentially laden with bacteria from sticking to any open wounds or scabs. It also provides relief from itching as the wounds heal. Then, your dog will be less tempted to scratch or bite the wounds.

Allergies

Some dogs are born with allergies to certain things, much the same way that humans suffer from seasonal allergies. Other dogs develop allergies over time, or their allergies do not present themselves until later in the dog’s life, because they were not exposed to certain allergens earlier in their lives. For environmental allergies turmeric for dogs is an ideal, natural anti-inflammatory to help mitigate the symptoms. Bone broth for dogs with turmeric also has essential minerals and nutrients to keep your dog healthy and vital. 

Symptoms of allergies in dogs are quite similar to those in humans, and can include:

  • Symptom: Constant or sudden sneezing. One of the first ways humans know that it is allergy season is the incessant sneezing. Dogs are not much different in that regard. If your dog starts sneezing (and it isn’t the result of pepper or fuzz up their nose), it is possible they are experiencing allergy trouble.
  • Remedy: A little R & R. Whenever our allergies begin to bother us, one of the first things we do is start taking it easy. The same can apply to our dogs. If your dog begins sneezing and suffering watery eyes, use a little chamomile to calm him or her and help him/her sleep better (and longer).
  • Symptom: Cough. Again, similarly to humans, dogs may begin coughing if their allergies begin acting up. Pay close attention, however; yellowish or green mucus coming from their mouths or crusting around their nose could indicate an infection, not allergies (which may produce clear mucus, or no mucus at all).
  • Remedy: Honey. If you add a little honey (unsweetened and natural, not processed and artificially sweetened) to your dog’s food or water, it will coat their throat and reduce the urge to cough.
  • Symptom: Trouble breathing. It is not uncommon for dogs to pant, especially when they are hot or excited. However, if they seem to be struggling to breathe when they are at rest or when it is cool out, this may be a sign of allergies.
  • Remedy: Steam. You don’t even need a humidifier for these types of homeopathic remedies for dogs (although, if you have one, great)! You can simply bring your dog into the bathroom with you when you take a shower, and the steam from the hot water will do a lot to open up your dog’s bronchial tubes and chest.
  • Symptom: Chronic yeast or ear infection. While all dogs can get yeast and/or ear infections from time to time, infections like these that keep occurring may be an indication of an allergy problem.
  • Remedy: Creams, tinctures, or astringents made with ONLY herbs. There are plenty of sites that make and sell all-natural homeopathic remedies for dogs, including herb-based salves and cleansing agents. Things like alcohol free natural dog ear cleaners are great homeopathic remedies for dogs with chronic ear problems.

Asthma

Dogs can have asthma, too. However, as you might have guessed, determining that from colds or allergies, or getting a dog to take an inhaler, may not be as easy as it is for humans. Symptoms of asthma may include things like the following:

  • Symptom: Breathing with mouths open. As we mentioned with allergies, it is not unusual for dogs to pant (of course, with their mouths open). However, if your dog does not seem able to breathe unless he or she has his/her mouth open, it could be an early sign of asthma.
  • Remedy: The more your dog pants (outside his or her control), the more he or she may become frightened. The more frightened he or she becomes, the more he/she will begin to pant. Try using lavender essential oils in your regimen of homeopathic remedies for dogs to calm your baby, helping him/her control the anxiety that may be exacerbating his/her breathing problems.
  • Symptom: Chronic breath shortness. If the effort of walking from the bed to the food bowl knocks the wind out of your dog, that’s a definite sign of some sort of respiratory trouble.
  • Remedy: If your dog suffers from chronic trouble breathing related to asthma, you can take the shower steam or humidifier method to another level. Add some eucalyptus to whichever steam method you choose, to increase the relief your dog gets from the inflamed airways.
  • Symptom: Lack of interest in food. Dogs (and other animals) must be able to smell their food before they eat, as well as breathe WHILE they eat. If your dog suddenly seems disinterested in his or her food, or frequently chokes while eating, it may be asthma causing the trouble.
  • Remedy: Vitamin C. Just as this vitamin boosts our immune system, so will it boost our dog’s. These homeopathic remedies for dogs can stimulate your dog’s appetite, as the immune system works as it should to correct the symptoms caused by asthma or chronic bronchitis.

 

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The Ultimate Guide To Dog Constipation 

7 Tips When Your Dog Is Constipated

 

What are your homeopathic remedies for dogs?