An article on herbs, by Nick
Case Study: Renal Failure in a Kitten

Veterinary Herbal Medicine is almost as old as human medicine (ten to twenty thousand years). Together they are both almost as old as man.

As soon as man took on domestic animals, ten thousand years ago, they inevitably became ill through this process of confinement, but also through normal wear and tear and old age. Animals were treated with herbs internally and externally to help with their ailments. The herbal tradition continued, in force, until relatively recently. One only has to look at veterinary texts from the first part of the last century to see doctors and vets preparing herbal preparations for itching skin, coughs, sprains, gut problems, nervous disorders and more.

Modern Veterinary Drugs are very effective. Almost too effective, it could be argued. They are very highly targeted at certain enzymes or specific receptors but as the specificity is not 100%, they have side effects.

Herbs can, in most cases, mimic the effect of many drugs, but without the side effects. This is because they contain hundreds of drugs that can have a balancing effect on more toxic consequences. For example many diuretics cause loss of potassium. Nettle leaf can be used as a mild diuretic, but as it has high potassium, some loss from the body is compensated for.

I'm not saying herbs are benign and can be used without risk. They can be very effective, but because of the built in balancing effects of the complex phytochemicals, they can have a greater therapeutic/safety margin than pharmaceutical drugs.

If you are interested in the use of herbs for your animal, please contact the practice during call-in times, and we would be pleased to make an appointment for you.

An article on herbs, by Nick Thompson
We have drugs for most problems in most species; humans, dogs, horses, cats and livestock. We know the entire human genetic structure, we understand bacteria and viruses and we no longer believe in magic potions.

What possible use could there be for herbs in the modern world?

This is a question that strikes a lot of us when confronted, time and time again, with ‘herbs’ and ‘natural medicine’ in the media. As a vet working in practice, seeing large and small animals, I used to think this as well. But I’ve been studying herbs for years now and I’d like to tell you a bit about what I’ve discovered...
Click here to read the full article.