Ashwa-what? Ashwagandha! Wow, that’s a mouthful. You may or may not have heard of this ancient herb that has a long history of use in Ayurvedic Medicine! And you may be asking yourself, “but is ashwagandha safe for pets?” Keep reading to find out!
What is Ashwagandha?
Ashwagandha is an Ayurvedic herb that is also known as “Indian Winter Cherry” or “Indian Ginseng”, and it is said to give the strength of a horse! Well, literally translated, the herb means horse (ashva) smell (gandha) in Sanskrit. Various parts of the plant are used, but the most common part extracted is the root. This herb is traditionally used to promote vitality and clear the mind.
Medicinal Properties of Ashwagandha
Studies have shown a range of health benefits for ashwagandha, suggesting it may help to decrease anxiety, help reduce insomnia and fatigue, help relieve symptoms of depression, and also help reduce inflammation and overall discomfort. Traditionally, it has been used for helping to rejuvenate the body and to help strengthen muscle tone (to recover from weakness or injury) as well as calm nervous exhaustion.
Ashwagandha is beneficial for helping to reduce diarrhea.
One of the main uses of ashwagandha is to help with stress. It works by helping reduce the cortisol levels in the body. High levels of cortisol happen when there is stress, which causes the heart to pump harder and faster. The root extract is also beneficial for nourishing the blood in anemia cases, helping to fight bacterial infections, and helping to reduce diarrhea.
Since ashwagandha is considered an adaptogenic herb, (which means non-toxic, health-promoting plant), it helps the body adapt to various kinds of stress and encourages healing.
How To Use Ashwagandha Safely For Pets
Ashwagandha can be very beneficial for humans as well as pets! But just like anything, too much of a good thing can still be too much. Ashwagandha is safe for pets when the dosage is based on their size. It is best to only use ashwagandha when formulated to be at a safe dosage for your pet or under the guidance of your veterinarian.
Ashwagandha in NHV Supplements
Overall, Ashwagandha is a great herb with multiple benefits for your furbaby’s overall health and vitality.
At NHV, we use Ashwagandha in TumFlora because of its soothing properties to help reduce inflammation, stress, and overall discomfort.
TumFlora is formulated specifically for pets with intestinal disorders like IBD, IBS, colitis, and more. It uses ashwagandha along with other herbs to help calm the body, relieve discomfort in the intestines, and help to revitalize and repair tissue.
If you ever have any questions about our supplements or your furkiddo’s health, our Pet Experts are always happy to help! Click the button below to start chatting with us.
Dr. Rebeca Oliveira DVM
Dr. Rebeca is a holistic veterinarian from Brazil with a passion for natural and integrative medicine. She’s been studying integrative medicine and alternative (and healthier) diets since 2015, and now started to study the power of herbs with the NHV Family. In her spare time, you can find her spending time with her golden retriever, Kuga.
Published: January 5, 2022
2 replies
Hi, my 5 year old ferret is on a lot of very strong pain killers as he has been diagnosed with spondylitis and fused vertebrae
He is currently on [pharmaceutical name removed].
He also has a heart condition and is on [pharmaceutical name removed] for a heart condition
I was wondering if I could give him Ashwaganda and if so, what dose?
I give 600mg Ashwaganda to my 45kg dog and 100mg, to two of my cats and have seen their anxiety greatly reduced. Which is why I am wondering if this might help my poor boy Blue the ferret.
Many thanks.
Lizann
Hi Lizzan,
Thank you so much for reaching out to us on our blog.
We’re so sorry to hear that your precious little one is going through that. We can’t even imagine how uncomfortable that must be. Please know that we’re here with you every step of the way.
At this time we’re only able to give you recommendations based on our products but we have a few suggestions that we think could help keep your boy as happy and as comfortable as possible.
First, we suggest our Turmeric supplement. Turmeric can help to reduce inflammation and discomfort and can help to support vital organs like the liver and heart.
For more on Turmeric, click here: https://www.nhvnaturalpetproducts.com/turmeric-for-pocket-pets/
We also suggest our Yucca extract as it can help to reduce discomfort and inflammation and can help to promote a healthy appetite, aid in digestion, and can provide the body with essential vitamins and minerals.
More on Yucca here: https://www.nhvnaturalpetproducts.com/yucca-appetite-stimulant-for-cats
Since your little one is taking a lot of medications, which can be tough on the liver and kidneys, we also suggest our Milk Thistle supplement. Milk Thistle can help to maintain kidney and liver health while encouraging liver regeneration.
More on Milk Thistle here: https://www.nhvnaturalpetproducts.com/milk-thistle-for-pocket-pets/
To support his heart condition, we suggest our Hearty-Heart supplement as well. Hearty-Heart contains powerful yet gentle herbs that can help to promote heart health, aid uncomfortable symptoms, and support circulation and pulmonary function.
More on Hearty-Heart here: https://www.nhvnaturalpetproducts.com/hearty-heart-for-heart-disease-in-cats
Last but not least, we suggest our Matricalm supplement. Herbs found in Matricalm can help to promote calmness while helping to reduce anxiety and stress.
More on Matricalm here: https://www.nhvnaturalpetproducts.com/matricalm-cat-stress-relief
We know this is lots of information to take in so please take your time to go through everything and feel free to reach out to us if you have any questions whatsoever. We’re here whenever you need us.
Sending all our love and pawsitive vibes to you and your little one!
Yours in wellness,
Team NHV