Herbs And Other Alternatives To Steroids For Allergies?

cheeser

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Buddy is FIV+, and his immune system has always been pretty wonky even in the best of circumstances. So during a recent visit, the vet mentioned several herbal remedies and supplements we might want to consider for treating our cat's multiple allergies before we may have no choice but to resort to the use of long term steroids, which could further suppress Buddy's already compromised immune system.

But the very idea of herbs kinda spooks us a bit, mostly because we're afraid of accidentally doing more harm than good.

Has anyone had any experience with this sort of thing? Better yet, has anyone had any success? :-)
 
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cheeser

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what herbs did they name? I have some experience with a few for people-interested to see what they recommend.
In addition to chamomile (which we're already using), my notes also include stinging nettles, dandelion root, cat's claw, Ceylon cinnamon, licorice root, burdock root, turmeric, and rhus tox (poison ivy? really?!).

He also mentioned a product that contains Chinese herbs, but to be honest, I kinda zoned out at that point because I'm not too keen on capsules that contain pretty much everything but the kitchen sink. I prefer to try one thing at a time. That way it's easier for me to tell what works and what doesn't. :wink:

Other options that were mentioned:
  • Omega-3 (which Buddy refuses, so the best we've been able to manage is freeze-dried green-lipped mussel)
  • Omega-6 (such as coconut oil, which makes him more prone to hairballs)
  • Antioxidants (vitamins A, C, E and selenium)
  • Vitamin B complex
  • Antihistamines (we're currently using Zyrtec, but we may need to try some others to see if they might work better for his itchy skin and the knot where the flea bit him)
  • Aloe vera juice (specifically George's, which is supposed to only contain the parts of the plant that aren't toxic to cats)
  • Frequent baths with colloidal oatmeal and/or aloe vera
  • Spritz with colloidal oatmeal/aloe vera spray for touch ups between baths

We feel pretty comfortable with the latter options. We're just nervous about the herbal remedies since we've heard how dangerous they can be if you don't really know what in the heck you're doing. :)
 

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I have heard of turmeric. It is usually combined with black pepper to make it work better. it is best capsuled. I have heard of dog owners seeing some improvements with it.

Cats claw is a leaf from south east asia that has several properties. Dandelion root is good for the liver if I remember correctly. Dandelion greens used to be eaten back in the early days to aid in elimination for humans.

I don't know much about stinging nettles but have heard of it used in people.

I don't blame you for zoning out-it's been about 2 years I have been learning about herbs and i get overloaded very easily so I try to only focus on 4 or 5 at a time. That's all my brain can deal with.
 

momto3cats

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I think you're right to be wary, especially with Buddy's compromised immune system. I've had success using antioxidants for allergies, especially vitamin C. I would think that's a relatively safe place to start. Omega 3s are very good for skin problems, and fish oil supplements are not the only way to include them in a cat's diet. Can he eat oily fish like salmon or sardines? Or omega 3 eggs? The non-toxic aloe vera juice could be helpful too. But as for herbs in general, I would not use them on a cat unless I could get advice from someone who is very well versed in which herbs are safe and effective for cats specifically, because they are much less able to deal with the toxins in plants than are humans or dogs. It's far too common for people, including vets, to recommend herbal remedies for cats simply because they work for other species.
 
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cheeser

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I have heard of turmeric. It is usually combined with black pepper to make it work better. it is best capsuled. I have heard of dog owners seeing some improvements with it.

Cats claw is a leaf from south east asia that has several properties. Dandelion root is good for the liver if I remember correctly. Dandelion greens used to be eaten back in the early days to aid in elimination for humans.

I don't know much about stinging nettles but have heard of it used in people.

I don't blame you for zoning out-it's been about 2 years I have been learning about herbs and i get overloaded very easily so I try to only focus on 4 or 5 at a time. That's all my brain can deal with.
Thanks much, hon!

I'm glad to hear that about turmeric. It's listed as an ingredient for KOHA brand food, and Buddy was doing great while he was on it. Unfortunately, one day he just woke up and decided that he didn't like their venison or kangaroo anymore. Cats and their weird ideas! :wink:
 
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cheeser

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I think you're right to be wary, especially with Buddy's compromised immune system. I've had success using antioxidants for allergies, especially vitamin C. I would think that's a relatively safe place to start. Omega 3s are very good for skin problems, and fish oil supplements are not the only way to include them in a cat's diet. Can he eat oily fish like salmon or sardines? Or omega 3 eggs? The non-toxic aloe vera juice could be helpful too. But as for herbs in general, I would not use them on a cat unless I could get advice from someone who is very well versed in which herbs are safe and effective for cats specifically, because they are much less able to deal with the toxins in plants than are humans or dogs. It's far too common for people, including vets, to recommend herbal remedies for cats simply because they work for other species.
Thanks so very much! :)

Just curious, what form of vitamin C did you use? I read somewhere that the ascorbic acid form can upset a cat's tummy. But since Buddy can be prone to constipation, maybe that's not necessarily a bad thing. :wink:

We eliminated fish from Buddy's diet a couple of years ago when he was having some urinary tract problems, but we've been told that marine based omega-3 oils (salmon, krill, or green lipped mussel) are peachy keen. We just can't get Buddy on board with the idea, and I can't give it to him via syringe like his other meds and supplements he won't eat willingly. On the bright side, 83% of his current menu options include salmon oil as ingredient, so I guess that's better than nothing. Heck, some days I'm almost tempted to smear some kind of omega-3 oil on his lips since they tend to be chapped anyway! If he licks it off, great. If not, at least maybe his lips wouldn't be quite so chapped. Then I get this mental image of Buddy's lips being painted bright red like lipstick from krill oil... :flail:

Does aloe vera juice taste pretty vile, or am I misremembering that?
 

momto3cats

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Ascorbic acid is what I used. I was told it was the best form to use - more easily absorbed, I think? You can start with a small dose and gradually increase until you see results, but back off if he gets an upset tummy.

Yeah, if he's getting salmon oil in his food, that's definitely better than nothing. I've never tasted aloe vera or fed it to a cat, myself. :dunno:
 
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cheeser

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Ascorbic acid is what I used. I was told it was the best form to use - more easily absorbed, I think? You can start with a small dose and gradually increase until you see results, but back off if he gets an upset tummy.

Yeah, if he's getting salmon oil in his food, that's definitely better than nothing. I've never tasted aloe vera or fed it to a cat, myself. :dunno:
Cool! Tomorrow is grocery day, so I'll see what I can find in the vitamin C section. :)

I *think* it was aloe vera juice that I tried several years ago when I felt like crap all the time from the crazy job-related stress. I just remember that it tasted so awful, I went back to scarfing down chocolate to deal with the stress. :lol:
 
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