For maximum effect, it is important that your animals receive their herbal medicines according to instructions. In most instances, this will mean giving them the medicine two or three times a day as directed, and usually with food. For animals with a healthy appetite, and for herbal medicines that are not too bitter tasting, this is usually a simple matter of mixing the herbs in with the meal, or a tasty appetizer.
There are occasions when getting animals to take herbs can be very challenging. There are two main reasons:
- Some herbs are very bitter tasting and, especially in liquid form, can be very unpalatable.
- Some animals are very fussy eaters (sometimes due to illness) and are easily put off their food by any unusual taste or smell.
In these cases, animals may simply stop eating the food containing the herbs. You then are left no choice but to abandon the herbal treatment to get them to eat.
Because herbal medicine can be of such enormous benefit, it is worth putting some time and effort into finding a way to give your animal herbs without stress or fuss, and in a form they may even eat themselves.
Below is a list of suggestions that have worked for other animals. You may find one or more of them work for you. You may need to use two or three of the techniques together. For some animals you may need to vary the methods every few days or weeks. The suggestions could also inspire you to explore other methods. If you hit on something that works, please let us know so we can add your solution to the list.
Tasty food or treats
Try putting the herbs into the strongest tasting food your animal likes. Examples are sausage, tuna, sardine, liver, peanut butter, Bovril, sliced beef or turkey, yogurt, cream cheese, grated cheese, etc. Many cats love the taste of chicken liver, tuna or chicken-flavored baby food. Dogs will often take the herbs readily if hidden in tinned cat food, or wrapped in a treat. Capsules can be hidden in bits of sausage; powdered herbs can be wrapped in sliced meat. Liquid herbs can be blended with tuna or liver into a strong tasting paste.
Infusions
Some herbal medicines can be dispensing as a dried herb that can then be brewed like tea (this is known as an infusion). The infusion can then be added to the animal’s food, or some animals will drink the tea as it is.
Give herbs first
Some animals will overcome their fussiness if they are hungry. For these animals prepare a little good tasting food or treat containing the herbal medicine, and feed this to them before the rest of the meal. Approaching this as a reward-based exercise can be helpful. Dogs soon learn they need to eat the less tasty food before you will give them the great tasting food. This can also be done to win their co-operation if you are popping pills down their throats, or syringing in the medicine. Follow the unpleasant procedure with a great tasting treat, bone or meal as a reward, and remember to praise them verbally too.
Sneak it in
This is for fussy dogs where you are hiding the herbs in small bite-sized treats (like sausage bits or sliced meat wraps). Try and fool them by feeding a few un-medicated treats in quick succession, getting them to swallow quickly by giving them no time to chew. Then slip in the medicated treat somewhere in the middle. Again, remember to praise them when they play along.
Reduce the dose
It may be possible to get fussy eaters to take smaller doses of a herbal medicine. In cases where herbs will be used for a long periods (e.g. in older dogs, or those with long-term problems) it is worth building up slowly to the prescribed dose. Some animals get used to the taste and do not object when the dose is slowly increased over time. Even if this takes a few weeks to get to the full dose, this is worth it for a dog who may be on the medicine for years to come. Start with whatever dose they tolerate and will eat, then build up gradually. Increasing the dose too fast may put them off, so take your time. Another way of reducing the dose is to feed the herbs spread throughout the day. If this is convenient, it may be that a little herb in four or five meals or treats is better tolerated than all the herbs in two meals. Very fussy dogs are often very sensitive dogs and they sometimes respond to medicines at a much lower dose.
In capsules
Some herbal medicines can be put into capsules. This may make it easier to hide in the food because the taste doesn’t taint the rest of the food. This is not the answer for all animals as some avoid capsules in the food. Capsules can also be hidden in some treats, like sausage bits, or small pieces of cheese, or popped straight down the throat. If you are popping them down the throat, dipping them in a little butter can help them go down more easily. Placing herbs in capsules is more expensive, but it can be worth it for some animals. A more economical method is to provide you with the liquid or powdered herbal medicine, and a bag of empty capsules. You can then fill the capsules yourself as needed. Different capsule sizes are available on request.
Syringed into mouth
For some animals the simplest approach is to syringe the medicine into the mouth. For the powdered herbs, a little liquid is first added. It may help if this liquid is very tasty, like the foods mentioned earlier. These foods can be liquidized adding a little water if necessary. Meaty stocks or broths are also useful carrier liquids. Liquid herbs can also be diluted or partially disguised in this way. The correct dose is then squirted directly into the mouth. A variation of this is to put liquid herbs into a spray bottle and spray directly into the mouth. This is more successful with dogs than cats, as cats don’t like the sound or the handling required. For very small volumes, especially for small dogs or cats, a dropper can be used. Some dogs and cats will tolerate a drop or two of herbal liquid on the nose, licking it off as it runs down. In all cases remember to praise them afterwards and reward with something tasty or a walk, etc. Syringes, dropper bottles and sprays available on request.
Smear on coat
For some fussy cats a good option is to mix the herbs with a little sticky food and smear the paste onto their coat. When they come to clean themselves they ingest the herbs. It helps if the paste includes something tasty like liver, tuna or chicken-flavored baby food. The paste can be smeared on the paws if nice and sticky, or on the lower back. Some of the hairball or vitamin gels and pastes available for cats are a good alternatives here.
Horses, Cows, Sheep and Goats
Horses usually readily eat herbs in their food in any form – dried, powdered or liquid. Molasses can be added if there is a problem with palatability.
Rabbits and Guinea pigs
Rabbits and guinea pigs are usually very accepting of herbs added to the pelleted food. Mixing the herbs with a little apple sauce and syringing it directly into the mouth is also a good option.
Parrots
Most birds accept the small dose of liquid herb required, dropped on to a pellet a dry biscuit or some fruit. It is important to make sure they eat all the medicated food to ensure they get the full dose.
What if nothing works?
When getting animals to take their medicines is a challenge, it’s very important to find a way that works for them and for you. It is well worth investing time and energy early on to find a creative solution.
However, there will be the odd animal that will simply not take herbs in any form. For these animals the benefit of herbs is outweighed by the stresses associated with taking them. If this is the case, then herbal medicine is simply not a good treatment option for them. Let me know and we will find a treatment that is better suited to them.