by Aurora Anne Taylor

Created on: July 30, 2010   Last Updated: August 01, 2010

Utilizing herbal supplements for your pets can be tempting. They promise lots of benefits from keeping an animal healthy to curing or lessening existing ailments.  But, just as with herbal supplements for humans, there are some potential drawbacks. Here are a few reasons you should carefully consider herbs before giving them to your pets:

Safety

Although many herbs have been used safely for thousands of years for various purposes, their safety record is inconsistent to non existent in humans, let alone for animals. There is simply just not enough research about a lot of supplements and there is no regulatory board that rates the safety of herbs. There is also no way to ensure that each brand has the right amount of ingredients, strength and lack of toxins. 

Reactions

Because some herbs have been used so rarely for pets, there is little evidence of how different animals may react to them. What may work for one breed or species may be dangerous to another or do nothing for yet another. Even different animals within the same breed or species may very well react differently to the same remedy.

Expense

Many herbs are nothing if not well marketed.  After all, who doesn't want to better the life of their pet. But many herbal supplements are way overpriced.  Because they are advertised as 'natural', many companies will charge way more for something that you can get in your local grocery store or grow fresh for much less. 

Lack of veterinarian support

Similar to the human medical profession, herbs for pets don't have a lot of support from vets out there. Most veterinarians are not taught about natural medicine in school.  Others simply don't believe that supplements are beneficial. The bottom line is that you may not find a vet who can offer you advice about herbs or what to do if they harm your pet. They are also not likely to know about any potential drug interactions between supplements and medication.

Herbal supplements may be beneficial to your pets, but the responsibility falls mostly upon you as the owner. It is up to you to do the research and to be prepared to deal with any adverse consequences. Ask yourself if you can achieve the same results from a known and proven veterinary preparation for less expense. Also ask yourself if you want to have any potential harm to your pet upon your head. In some cases, you may find herbs are better and less expensive for your pet. Just make sure you do your research to give your pet the best chance at a happy and healthy life.

Learn more about this author, Aurora Anne Taylor.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.