It wasn’t until recently, the past 5 years or so, that I became aware of the benefits of natural remedies to cure “problems” in my life. As a kid, you just know what your parents know. For me personally, if I was sick, my mom would always take me to the doctor. Upon going, maybe I’d receive a shot, take an antibiotic or be given a week’s worth of pills to take every day, twice a day, until my fever was gone.
Well, I grew up, became somewhat of an adult, and educated myself on the repercussions of medicine on the body. Now, it is my very last resort to take some sort of american medicine. Because the truth is, there are countless natural ways to cure almost anything that is going on inside or outside of our bodies.
With this being said, our dogs are like kids. They’re problems are treated by only what methods we know. They have no choice.
Now, I am not a hippie, but why would we not want to save money and TRY using nature to help our dog before spending loads on pills full of God only knows what.
There are many herbs that can benefit your dog and actually too much information to load into one blog. So my first natural focus is the delightful herb, and potent sore throat healer for humans, ginger.
Benefits
Who has reached for some ginger ale whenever their stomach was hurting or they felt nauseous? The soothing component that we’re seeking is not the carbonated sugar, but the actual ginger root within.
Where your dog is concerned, ginger can be used to treat various problems such as nausea caused by motion sickness, muscle pain, diarrhea, as well as enhance digestive health.
Nausea– I know my friends’ pup always gets car sick! This is obviously very unpleasant for the human as far as cleaning goes, but if your dog experiences this, it probably limits the amount of times you take your pup with you on a car ride. So instead of leaving your pooch at home, give them about 2 drops of ginger extract before grabbing those keys. Since ginger is high in antioxidants it acts as an anti-vomiting agent for your pup!
Digestion Health & Bloat– One of the most frustrating problems your dog can go through… Well, according to materials written by Steve Marsden, DVM and Shawn Messonnier, DVM, ginger “may play a role in relieving or preventing bloat in dogs due to its ability to stimulate movement in the stomach and accelerate the emptying of the stomach.” This doesn’t have to be only used to aid tummy problems, but can even be a proactive approach for your pups digestion!
Dosage
As with everything- use only in moderation. Have common sense and just as you wouldn’t start with a full dose, do the same with your pup. Be mindful and begin with a small serving and even consult your vet if you have any doubts. Although there has been very few allergic testimonies between dogs and ginger, wait 24 hours to ensure that your pup has not had any adverse reactions.
Through my research, the most constant advice I’ve found is to feed your pup a ginger treat no more than twice a week and always less than ½ teaspoon at a time (this ranging depending on dog size but never exceeding 3/4 teaspoon).
Serving
Ginger comes in a variety of forms: both powder and pill, and of course the raw root itself. To administer in raw form, you should cut off the skin and finely mince the yellow part of the root.
The best way I have found to actually get Drake (the pickiest eater of all time) to eat this herb is through a treat! You can purchase these or if you are Pinterest crazy like me, you can make your own at home (DIY recipes soon to come)! Regardless of your choice, next time your pup is having any issues, think of the natural remedy first and consider ginger as the cure!
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