Keeping Your Pet Healthy PART 2 by Dr. Elaine Cebuliak

Having happy and healthy pets is achievable from an early age! 

Part 2- Feline Holistic Treatment Options from Dr Elaine

1. St John’s Wort has been used to treat anxiety in pets and is the single most commonly used form of herbal medicine in Germany for treating depression. This must be used in a very low dose only, and given only after a veterinarian has assessed the liver function of your cat. Cats do not cope with many herbs due to their specialised liver enzyme function, and the dose due to their low body weight (usually 4.5 kg in an average cat) represents somewhere between 1/10^th and 1/20^th of the average human dose, therefore it is relatively easy to overdose your kitty and it may take 4-6 weeks of treatment before benefits are seen. Ask your vet to perform a liver function test before beginning this or any drug therapy which may be indicated for behaviour dysfunction. It can be safely trialled in homeopathic form.

2. Rescue Remedy— is a relatively safe homeopathic preparation. This is a combination of 5 Bach Flower essences- Impatiens, Clematis, Rock Rose, Cherry Plum and Star of Bethlehem – one of its uses is in the treatment of extreme stresses associated with changes such as re-homing, and moving house. I suggest you try mixing five drops of Rescue Remedy in with 250 ml of water (preferably Spring Water) in a ceramic water bowl, twice daily.

3. Aconite homeopathic preparation. To be used in times of extreme stress/fear for instance when taking your cat to the vets, or if a dog is moving into your house shared with the cat- Put one drop on your cat’s nose before taking it to the vet and then every half hour or so, and he will lick it off.

4. Staphysagria is a homeopathic preparation centred around indignation and suppressed anger. This coupled with its association with surgery makes it a great remedy for IBD (Inflammatory Bowel Disease) or inappropriate urine spraying following surgical neutering. “Never well since neutering” is a merit for its use.

5. Karma– a Magnesium/ Multi-Vitamin B supplement- Add 1 small pinch of the powder twice daily to his food. If you are concerned that he will not eat all his meal, then only give him a couple of spoonful’s first containing the powder, and when he has eaten that, then give him the remainder of his meal.

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