Frequently, I am called to answer questions about simple ailments or infections. Over the years, I have compiled homemade recipes that anyone can make. My clients and I have tried most of them, with great success. It is important to remember that homemade, herbal, or other alternative methods tend to take longer to cure the problem. At the same time, natural alternatives heal from a much deeper level and do not just mask the problem. Painkillers, antibiotics, conventional drugs, and interventions all have their place under the right circumstances but be aware that there are many common ailments that can be treated naturally at home.
Part prevention, part cure, consider a raw diet for your pet, as this can help prevent many common and not so common ailments. Many conditions such as excessive shedding, common infections, temperament issues, gastrointestinal upsets, lack of appetite, and many more can be solved with a simple change to a raw diet. There are many commercially prepared raw diets available that can be bought and served with as much ease and convenience as the dry and canned versions.
If your pet has an ear or eye infection, the following homemade remedies may be just what your pet requires.
Ear Infection Remedy
- ½ cup of olive oil
- 1 large clove of crushed garlic
- 1 tsp. fresh rosemary
Mix the ingredients together in a glass container and let it sit in a sunny window for several days.
Thoroughly clean the affected ear with Hydrogen Peroxide. Make sure that you get the peroxide into the ear canal and massage just below the ear to loosen any of the debris. This step is only to be done once, at the beginning of the treatment.
Two to three times each day, add a few drops of the olive oil mixture into the ear canal and massage as you did with the peroxide. You may want to do this outside where your pet can shake its heads freely, after the massage. Clean the inside of the earflap with cotton or some tissue.
Depending on the severity of the infection, this treatment may take a week or two to get better. When they stop shaking their heads and scratching, continue on for a few days to ensure the efficacy of the treatment.
When administering, make sure none of the pieces of garlic or rosemary get into the dropper or spoon.
Clear Up Eye Infections
Conjunctivitis is a common problem with pets. Often, its symptoms are runny red eyes and a yellow discharge accompanied by itchiness of the eye. I have used two methods of curing this problem. The first thing I would recommend is a plain black tea bag, one for each eye.
Take the tea bag and pour some hot water on it as if you were making tea. Remove the bag and squeeze enough water out so that it is not dripping. Drip several drops of the tea from the bag into the infected eye and then wipe clean the outside of the eye with the used bag. If the other eye is also infected, repeat the process with a new tea bag.
The second method is to use Euphrasia (Eye Bright). Use exactly as you would use an eyedropper on yourself. Put a few drops in the infected eye two to three times a day, or as instructed on the bottle, until symptoms subside.
If you are ever unsure of your pet's condition, do not hesitate to visit your veterinarian.
