Fleas, bites, stings, house chemicals and environmental allergies can cause dermatitis in animals. We really feel for our animals that go through this and can feel quite helpless at times. Herbs that are useful in this case are ones that help with the itching and scratching, including astringent herbs. Though this mentions topical applications, it is vital to focus on the inner workings of the body to get to the root of the cause.

Step 1 – Herbal Wash (Topical)

Astringent herbs such as raspberry leaf, nettles, blackberry leaf, plantain, Herb Robert, American cranesbill, slippery elm, yarrow or tormentil work well. You can create a wash with any of these herbs from a herbal tea or a tincture solution.

Step 2 – Ointment or Infused Oil (Topical)

Following the wash use anti-itch herbs as an ointment or infused oil, such as chickweed, cleavers, peppermint, St John’s wort and lavender. Another option is to add drops of a tincture from any of these herbs in an aloe vera gel base. These help to stop the itch/scratch cycle so the skin as a chance to heal.

Step 3 – Skin Healing Ointment (Topical)

This ointment will help the skin to recover from dermatitis, however, this needs to be done diligently. Regular applications is required even after the skin has healed over to be thorough.

These are the steps to help your animal with herbs topically for any type of dermatitis. As mentioned above, this is just an aid to soothe the skin and give relief to your animal. With any type of skin concerns, it is important to work from the inside to deal with the root cause. We want to heal our animals from inside out, not just to patch them up!

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Consult with a holistic veterinarian or holistic practitioner to lead you in the right direction. If you feel uncertain, holistic practitioners have the expertise and wisdom to direct you to top quality herbal products for your animal. Do not use any remedies if you are not certain which and how to use them, it is best to work with a practitioner. This blog is for educational purposes only.

If you are interested in a consultation from Maria for your animal, feel free to learn more here.

Maria Hadjiapostoli