Veterinarians who like to take more or a holistic approach to dog health care and medicine tend to be against suppressing a dog`s cough, unless it is totally necessary. Coughs like these are often solved with homeopathics and/or herbal remedies.

If you haven`t yet tried such an approach to treating your pet`s cough, then perhaps that should be your next step. Look into some of the all-natural products being sold today, for example Astragalus 16 and Pinellia 16. Others are available as well, so I receommend you research them in depth and decide which one seems most appropriate for your dog`s cough.

How to control seizures that result from distemper

Question:  My 4 year old mixed Labrador caught distemper from another puppy in the neighbourhood. Thanks to homeopathy, the early acute period of distemper went by relatively smoothly. However, she began having seizures again on a daily basis a few weeks later. My spouse and I have been doing a lot of research and are now thinking about giving our dog Phenobarbital, also known as just “Pheno”. Is Pheno safe? How does it work?

In an animal with distemper, demyelination causes the lingin of the nervous tissue to be destroyed. Subsequently, the dog`s body attempts to fight this by using its own immune cells. The result is encephalitis, inflammation of the brain, which leads to seizures.

Phenobarbital is thought to be a good way to help fight against and limit your pet`s seizures. It might also be wise to supplement this with a Chinese herbal formula that will aid in healing the damage already done. On top of that, hemp oil, vitamin D and B, kelp, supplemental magnesium, and vitamin C can all have a positive effect on this condition.

Pheno should not be taken permanently and eventually you should wean your dog off of it. But vets dealing with holistic medicine will continue to advise you to give your dog the herbal supplementation longer term.

As is usually the case with health issues involving drugs or supplements, please be sure to consult with your veteranarian.

Do you have a dog that becomes nervous or scared for no reason, or has constant anxiety? I would bet you’ve done some research on dog behaviour and canine aggression and fear. But oftentimes the issue is not as complex or troubling as one might think.

Canine anxiety isn’t necessarily caused by conditioned behaviours or conditioned emotional reactions, or poor training. Sometimes your dog’s condition can be significantly improved via natural means, through some simple changes in diet.

It’s very common that canines also have trouble sleeping because of their anxious condition, just like humans. Down below you can find a few suggestions that may help your dog’s anxiety and stress be relieved:

A) Give your dog food containing wheat. There is evidence that byproducts of wheat digestion have affects on the dog’s brain that make him feel calmer.

B) An additional way to calm your dog is to give him warmed milk with a touch of honey added. Throw in a doggie biscuit and it becomes an enjoyable meal for your pooch while also calming him and relieving anxiety.

C) Have you heard of the herbal extra called “KAVA” or “kava kava”? Humans use it as a supplement to relieve stress and induce a relaxed mental and physical state, but did you know that dogs can consume it too? Well, they can! You can add a few drops of kava extract to your dog’s water. You can buy kava as either a liquid, or as capsules, or as a solid form that you can add into your dog’s food. But follow the recommended dosages.

D) Another way to naturally relieve anxiety and so on is to feed your dog small amounts of food at more frequent intervals throughout the day, instead of eating just one or to big meals. Grazing little by little throughout the day has a calming effect, as well as some other health symptoms. Some people advocate filling your dog’s bowl just once per day and letting him come and go, eating when he pleases. This can naturally lead your dog to have grazing habits rather than gourging habits.

E) Up above I mentioned the herbal supplement kava, and there is another similar substance. “Bach’s Rescue Remedy” is a supplement that you can purchase at most health food shops. Check the label to see if their are recommended dosages for dogs. The best way to give BRR to your dogs is in the liquid form that doesn’t have alcohol in it, and simply add a small amount to your dog’s water.