Herbs
“From plants come compounds that nourish and heal and delight the senses”
— Michael Pollan, Botany of Desire
Herbs have been used to treat people and animals for thousands of years all over the world, and modern knowledge of pharmacology and toxicology combined with traditional herbal knowledge allows herbs to be used effectively for many conditions.
Herbal medicines are formulated using whole plants, or extracts of the whole plant, not isolated active constituents as in some supplements. This means that the different constituents or phytochemicals in the herb can act together to give a greater effect but with fewer side effects.
I always take a holistic approach to the treatment of a patient, so a consultation involves taking a full case history including the patients’ diet, lifestyle, environment and demeanor and carrying out a physical examination. Sometimes, further tests will be advised and I can liaise with your usual veterinary surgeon about these. Diet will also be discussed in detail.
Herbs can be given in a number of different ways including, teas, tinctures, dry herbs as well as topical preparation such as ointments or salves. An individual treatment plan will be drawn up depending on the animals’ particular symptoms and medical conditions. This will include herbs but I may suggest other therapies such as homeopathy, chiropractic, hydrotherapy and acupuncture. Further advice may cover diet, exercise and lifestyle as well as other supplements.
The aim of herbal treatment is to treat your animals’ symptoms but also to eliminate the causes of ill health, where possible, and to increase your animals’ vitality and therefore the ability to overcome illness. Herbs can be used alongside conventional medicine to support and rebalance your pet’s health in a natural and gentle way.
Observed improvements can be slower than those seen with conventional medicine.