Boxer Dog

MEDICATION FOR YOUR BOXER DOG – TRADITIONAL OR HERBAL?

I love my boxer, Lilly and have cared  for her in the best way I can, so when she started limping and sitting down a lot when I was walking her, I didn’t hesitate on taking her to the vets.
She was diagnosed with arthritis of the spine and was prescribed medication for pain and medication to try and control the arthritis. My boxer had months of treatment but she didn’t seem to be improving that much so that was when I decided to research her condition and her medication and also compare it’s effects against complementary and herbal remedies. In Lilly’s case, I’m glad I did.
I have to be honest and tell you that yes Lilly did make progress when we tried various remedies on her but in her case it wasn’t due to just the herbal remedies but I sincerely believe that they helped her to recover quicker than when she was taking only prescribed medication and I am pleased to say that she is back to her old self again.
I would like to share with you some of the things that I found out about prescribed medicines and herbal remedies, see what your thoughts are and whether you would consider trying  herbal and complimentary remedies, should your boxer fall ill.

SIDE EFFECTS OF MODERN MEDICINES.

Modern day drugs were seen as a great success of the 20th century and most of them can be used on dog’s.  All drugs are thoroughly tested before they reach the shelf but they all still have unwanted side effects, especially if the wrong dose is given or they were prescribed for the wrong thing.
Anti-Biotics are very effective at destroying bacteria and fungi but they also destroy good microbes. Vaccines make your boxer’s immune system stimulate to protect it from lethal diseases but they can cause adverse reactions. Painkillers relieve pain and stress, whilst allowing the body to repair itself but they can also irritate the stomach and become addictive. Anaesthetics wipe out all feeling and pain in the dog but accidents with anaesthetics have and do happen with potentially life threatening consequences.

DRUG TOXICITY AND ALLERGY

Prescribed drugs for your boxer dog may cause toxicity in more than one area of it‘s body system, that is, problems resulting in brain or nerve damage, (such as blindness or deafness ), liver or kidney damage or failure and bone marrow suppression.
A drug may act as a poison and be toxic if too much is given or if it has been  prescribed for too long and even if the body is not rid of it properly. Sometimes the dog’s own body see’s the medication as ‘foreign’ and then has an immune response to it, the immune response may itself cause health problems in your boxer. You and your vet should be aware of any adverse reactions, whether it be mild allergic symptoms, like itching and scratching, facial swelling, rashes or hives, watery eyes, vomiting, diarrhoea and joint inflammation. More severe reactions include difficulty in breathing, collapse and even death.
Drugs are mostly prescribed according to your dog’s weight. Exact dosing can be critical, so never ever assume that what is safe for humans is safe for your dog because you could kill it.

COMPLEMENTARY THERAPIES FOR DOGS.

These remedies for your boxer may include feeding plans, homeopathic remedies, herbal remedies and physical and other pain relief therapy. If you want to use complementary treatments for your dog, you should still go and visit a vet for advice. He or she will either advise you themselves or put you in touch with someone who is qualified in this area. Make sure you remember to tell them what remedies you have been treating your boxer dog with and what for.
All dog complementary medicines, herbal, homeopathic, biochemic tissue salt and flower remedies are all available over the counter products. Dog herbal remedies commonly sold are Echinacea for the immune system, comfrey for wounds, lavender as an antiseptic, marigold for inflamed skin and garlic for digestive disorders. All of these are readily available for your boxer dog but the therapeutic value of herbal products varies a lot depending on the method of it’s preparation, that is why it’s best to seek your vet’s advice, most practices now dispense complementary remedies from reliable sources.
Traditional or modern herbal medicines are not necessarily safer than conventional drugs and are not a substitute for professional vetinary advice. Some remedies, though, can be useful nutrional supplements for your Boxer. Evening primrose oil, for example, is often given to reduce itching in certain skin conditions. So, too, is flax oil and marine fish oil.
All of these supplements contain fatty acids thought to be beneficial in controlling or reducing the inflammatory response but on the other side of the coin, if you were to use tea tree oil on your boxer, although it has excellent anti-fungal properties, it is toxic in it’s concentrated form and can upset your dog’s skin and boxer’s are already known to be prone to skin problems and obviously things like this can happen with other herbal remedies.

At the end of the day, whichever method you decide to choose to treat your boxer dog, the thing I can’t stress the most, is to ask your vet about both types of treatments, the pros and the cons, learn about it, understand it and you will find what works best for your dog.