Curated by Maria Rita Insolera, Naturopath
Bronchitis can easily affect the dog or cat, especially during the cold-damp season . There are natural remedies that can help ease the symptoms of this disorder. Let's find out what they are.
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What is bronchitis
Bronchitis is an acute or chronic inflammation of the respiratory system that affects the trachea and bronchi.
Symptoms of bronchitis in dogs and cats
Dog and cat bronchitis can be of two types: acute bronchitis or chronic brochitis.
Acute comradial bronchitis with an inflammation of the trachea and bronchi. This is accompanied by fever up to 39.5 ° C and cough, at first dry then more oily.
This type of inflammation can resolve on its own but the cases in which it turns into capillary bronchitis and cause an increase in temperature, production of yellowish mucus, persistent cough and tiring breathing are not rare.
If the bronchitis is not resolved with the right care, it tends to become chronic.
Chronic bronchitis is therefore more severe and can also cause serious problems with the kidneys and heart. The tossa is dry, irritable, frequent with every little effort of the animal and accompanied by harsh breathing.
Dog bronchitis: cures and natural remedies
To treat dog bronchitis, nutrition plays a very important role .
Very useful is the administration of antioxidant substances, they neutralize free radicals that damage cell membranes: vitamin A (beta-carotene), vitamin E and vitamin C, zinc and selenium must not be missing.
Vitamin C in particular is excellent : from 250 mg for small dogs to 500 mg daily for large dogs. For the treatment of dog bronchitis, herbal medicine is very useful with some medicinal plants:
- Echinacea: it is a plant known for its ability to stimulate the immune defenses and for its bacteriostatic and virustatic action.
- Eleutherococcus: contains flavonoids and is called an adaptogenic plant, ie it is able to induce an optimal adaptation response in unfavorable environmental conditions.
- Uncaria tomentosa: rich in oxindolic alkaloids, it has a tonic, immunostimulant and anti-inflammatory effect.
Of these three plants the dry extract is used ((12.5 mg of dry extract per day for every 5 kg of weight for a whole month).
Propolis is also very useful, antibacterial for the respiratory tract, to be taken with food or used in tablets (1 every 10 kg of weight); and the floss, to be used as an infusion to soothe the cough.
The action of echinacea on the immune defenses
Cat bronchitis: cures and natural remedies
As for the dog, also to treat the cat's bronchitis, some herbal remedies are very useful such as Echinacea, Eleutherococcus and Uncaria tomentosa, to be used as a dry extract (12.5 mg of dry extract per day for a whole month).
Other remedies are:
- Propolis: it is an effective antibacterial agent for the respiratory tract. It can be taken with food or added to a little honey (cats particularly like sweet flavors).
- Linden: the infusion is soothing for cough, it should be administered with teaspoons several times a day.
Also discover the natural cough remedies for dogs and cats
Natural tips
Attention must be paid to the environment in which the dog or cat lives . First of all, the environment must always be purified, avoiding subjecting the dog or cat to fumes of any kind, from cigarettes to the smog of cars and various means of transport.
It is also advisable, in the case of bronchitis, to allow the dog and the cat to rest, avoiding excessive efforts and taking special care of its feeding.
