I will begin by stating that you should not attempt herbal healing for your pet
unless you have a good understanding of what is ailing your pet.
And a good understanding of the healing herbs.
Don't guess.....check with a veterinarian first!
There are now a lot of holistic/natural vets out there
- call around and see who you can find.
This advice is not meant to replace the diagnosis and advice
of a licensed veterinarian.
That said, I will share with you the herbal treatments that we use on my ranch.
Most are simple, safe, and effective.

Remember first and always that cats and dogs and other
small creatures have much shorter digestive systems than us human caretakers.
Fresh herbs are not digested as they are in humans.
Therefore, the tincture form of an herb will work better for them.
An acceptable alternative would be a stronger herbal tea
than you would use for yourself.
Doses need to be compatible with your pet's weight
- small amounts for small animals, larger aamounts for large animals.
When in doubt, consult a holistic or natural healing veterinarian.
Administering several doses throughout the day, rather than one big dose
once a day will speed the herbs into your pet's system and boost
the immune system much faster.
And as with ourselves, no herb should be given
to any animal on a continuous basis.
Like us, their bodies will begin to build an immunity, and once that happens,
that herb becomes useless medicinally.

A good rule of thumb for any herbal remedy for your pet
is two weeks on, one week off.
That gives the body time to work on its own, and gives
you time to determine if the herbal treatment needs to be continued.
There are exceptions to this rule, as with all rules,
as in herbs that take a while to build up in the body to be effective.
Don't give herbs you wouldn't take yourself, internally or externally.
Just about any herbal remedy that you use for yourself
can be adapted for use for your pet
- just remember to use tinctures whenever ppossible,
stronger teas when necessary.

For overall general good health, as with ourselves, you should of course look to diet.
There are many natural diets being recommended today for all sorts of pets.
Do a little research, or preferably a lot, into the natural dietary needs of your pet.
Raw meat added to the diet of a cat or dog, natural carnivores, can often clear up
a lot of mysterious ailments, as can the addition of fruits and vegetables.
If you feed a commercial diet, feed the best you can
afford, and add to it when you can.
For pet birds, there is a lot of debate about diets these days - seed vs. pellets.
Neither is a complete diet in itself.
Fresh fruits and vegetables are necessary  or the overall
good health and nutrition of a pet bird.
For many finch species, live food in the form of various insects is a requirement.
This is where your research into proper diet  or each animal is so important.
Years of healthy life can be added to your pet when diet is properly looked after!

When you are changing your pet's diet, do so gradually.
Add one new item at a time, and space out those additions.
That way if there is a negative reaction, you can quickly pinpoint the culprit.
Not every food agrees with every animal.

Sunlight is also necessary for the health of your pet.
Sunlight helps the body convert the nutrients in the foods
you feed into the necessities for their systems.
In place of sunlight, use full-spectrum lighting, like Vita-Lites, or an equivalent.
These are ideal for your indoor pets, such as birds, reptiles and amphibians.

Here are some herbal remedies for those common problems: