Parsley (Petroselium crispum)

The most common varieties have tightly curled leaves. All are useful and produce clusters of white flowers at the top of the stem. Most will grow to about three feet.

Hardiness: Zone 4. Mulch the plants deeply in the fall in areas where win- ters are severe.

Growing tips: Plant seeds or trans- plants in spring, as soon as the ground can be worked. Parsley requires deep,

well-drained soil and daily watering when the weather is hot and dry.

Parts used: The leaf, root and seeds are all good.

General Uses: Parsley is a nutritious supplement that may be added liberally to a companion animal’s raw or canned diet. The leaf juice is rich with the antioxidant chlorophyll and useful as a breath freshener. The oils in the leaves and seeds are thought to stimulate appetite while improving digestion. The seeds also contain trace amounts of limonene, a compound that can be effective in repelling fleas. Teas or tincture preparations of the long (hard to dig) taproot are of- ten used by veterinary herbalists as a diuretic to help rid the body of excess waste. It is also frequently used in the holistic treatment of arthritis.

Valerian (Valeriana officinalis)

With its lance-shaped leaves and clus- ters of small, white to pink blossoms, valerian is attractive to us as well as to bees and other pollinators. Roots are stringy, brown and earthily pungent. Plants can grow in excess of five feet, lending themselves as shade-bearing companions to shorter plants that need respite from afternoon sunshine.

Hardiness: Zone 4. This hardy herb can survive even the harsh winters of southern Canada and maritime Alaska.

Growing tips: Put it in the middle of the garden, where it can stand and demand attention from pollinators. Valerian is easy to grow from transplants and needs full sun.

Parts used: Preparations primarily involve the fall root. The upper parts of the plant make weaker medicine.

Uses: Long regarded by herbalists as one of the most reliable calming agents in the herbal realm, reach for it when the dog is freaking out due to thunderstorms, a trip to the groomer

or the dreaded holiday fireworks (Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology). Valerian helps calm their stomachs, as well as their moods. It is also useful for cats that manifest their anxieties in the form of digestive upset.

Dandelion Bonus (Taraxacum officinale)

Think twice before yanking dande- lions, which are among Earth’s most useful herbs. The literature reports impressive nutritive, liver supportive and digestive properties that virtually every animal needs to maintain good health.

Greg Tilford, an expert in the field of Earth-conscious veterinary herbal medicine, is the author of Herbs for Pets. He serves as the formulating herbalist and president of Animal

Essentials, a line of herbal remedies (AnimalEssentials.com). For more information, see TheAnimalHerbalist.com and SavvyGardener.com/Features/herbs.html.

natural awakenings

May 2010

25

RULES OF THUMB

Safe and Effective Herb Use

1. Herbs are generally best used as part of a holistic heal- ing effort, where all aspects of an animal’s health, not just

symptoms, are considered.

2. Use herbs carefully and with common sense. Although herbs tend to be gentler and safer than conventional drugs, some are strong medicine and can cause harm if misused.

3. More is not necessarily better. No two animals are alike, and some will require a larger dose than others, but

always start small.

4. Avoid using a specific herbal product until you know something about the herbs that are in it. Just because an herb works well for your neighbor’s cat doesn’t mean it’s necessarily appropriate for yours.

5. Buy products from well-established, reputable manu- facturers. Consult with your veterinarian.

6. Always test for allergic reactions before using any herb for the first time. Place a small dab onto your

animal’s skin. If redness or swelling occurs, the animal may be allergic to it. Also watch for watery eyes, sneez- ing, scratching, rashes, stomach upset or anything else out of the ordinary.

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