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Can Dogs Have Chamomile Tea? Is Chamomile Tea Good for Dogs?

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By Nicole Cosgrove

Chamomile tea is very well known for its calming effect and as a way to ease different kinds of pain. Perhaps it’s worked wonders on you and your family, and you’re wondering if it might help your anxious dog?

Is chamomile tea safe for your dog to drink? The good news is that chamomile is very safe for your dog, provided you consult your vet and ensure your pup isn’t allergic.  

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Beneficial Chamomile

Dog Sniffing Chamomiles FLowers
Image credit: Sergej Razvodovskij, Shutterstock

Chamomile has been used as far back as 1550 BC in ancient Egypt for curing illness and was found in creams, incenses, and as tea. There are two different varieties of chamomile: German chamomile that is native to Asia and Europe and is called false chamomile, and Roman or English chamomile that is native to North Africa and Western Europe, named the true chamomile. If you would like to learn more about these two different types of chamomile, you can read more about them here.

Chamomile is known for having multiple health benefits, such as:

  • Preventing or slowing down osteoporosis
  • Lessening menstrual cramps
  • Relieving cold symptoms
  • Assisting with sleep and helping with anxiety
  • Possible assistance with cancer prevention and treatment
  • Lowering blood sugar and assisting with diabetes
  • Helping mild skin problems
  • Can help with digestive problems
  • Reducing inflammation

Chamomile tea is safe to use, but avoid it if you have any severe allergies to pollen as there is always the possibility of cross-contamination. You should also avoid giving it to babies and young children. It should be used as a supplement and shouldn’t replace medications but drinking a couple cups a day can improve your overall health.

Chamomile Tea for Dogs

Chamomile Tea
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Chamomile can be given orally to your dog in different forms, including liquid, powder, capsule, and tea. It can also be applied to your dog’s skin as a cream, oil, or salve. Similar to humans, chamomile has a number of health benefits for your dog.

It can be used as a:

  • Muscle relaxant
  • Sedative
  • Method to treat mild anxiety
  • Treatment for inflammatory gastrointestinal problems
  • Way to soothe inflamed and swollen skin

Treating Inflammation

chamomile tea
Image credit by: congerdesign, Pixabay

If your dog has inflamed or itchy skin, you can start by brewing a cup of chamomile tea and allowing it to cool. You can use the cooled tea to rinse your dog off after their bath and allow it to dry rather than rinsing or toweling it off. This will help to ease any itchiness or swelling of your dog’s skin.

Another option is to use the cooled-off tea bag or create a cold compress (take a washcloth or towel and soak it in the cool chamomile tea) and press it against any irritated or sore areas for a few minutes.

Do take into account that skin problems in dogs might need more than chamomile, and you should always consult your vet if there are any concerns.

Irritated Eyes

Similar to the treatment of the inflamed skin discussed above, you can use a chamomile tea cold compress or a cool chamomile tea bag and press it to your dog’s eye for a few minutes. You can repeat this treatment two or three times a day.

See also: Best Eye Drops For Dogs

Stress and Anxiety

If your dog suffers from anxiety and stress, chamomile tea is known for its calming properties. There have been studies of the effects of chamomile on patients that suffer from generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) that found that chamomile was a cheap and safe method that considerably decreased the signs of GAD.

As always, consult your vet when feeding your dog a chamomile supplement.

Gastrointestinal Problems

Close up White shih tzu laying on the floor
Image Credit by: Sanyalux Srisurin, Shutterstock

Chamomile tea has proven very effective in the treatment of stomach issues. If your dog has mild stomach upset, you could give your dog chamomile to help with any gas or pain in your dog’s stomach or bowels.

However, if your dog is suffering from any kind of digestive disorder, it’s best to talk to your vet and not rely solely on chamomile to fix the problem.

The Downside for Dogs

In general, chamomile is quite safe for your dog, but there’s always the possibility your dog could be allergic to it. If your dog is sensitive to plants in the daisy family, such as ragweed or echinacea, they are much more likely to have a reaction to chamomile.

Signs of sensitivity to chamomile could include:

  • Skin irritation
  • Vomiting
  • Diarrhea
  • Allergic reaction: swelling, difficulty breathing
dog snout and eye
Image credit by: martaposemuckel, Pixabay

If your dog is nursing puppies, is pregnant, is ill, or is very young, you should talk to your vet before giving her any chamomile. If your dog is on any medication, whether it is prescribed or is just vitamins, you should consult your vet before adding chamomile to your dog’s diet, as there’s the possibility of interaction.

Be aware of the amount of chamomile you give your dog because a high dose or using it for too long could be toxic for some dogs.

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Conclusion

Overall, chamomile tea is a safe and inexpensive, natural way to treat your dog for many issues. Irritated skin or eyes, gastrointestinal issues, and mild anxiety have all been effectively treated by chamomile.

However, chamomile should not be given to your cat, as it has been known to cause bleeding disorders.

Watch your dog carefully when giving them chamomile and look for any signs that could mean they’re allergic. They could develop the same signs that you’re actually treating your dog for.

As long as you check with your vet about giving your dog chamomile and you closely monitor them after giving them a dose, your dog might just feel better.


Featured Image Credit: congerdesign, Pixabay

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