How to Determine Essiac Tea Dosage for Cats

Essiac tea is an alternative, homeopathic remedy for people and pets with cancer. Essiac contains a mixture of herbs that include burdock root, sheep sorrel, slippery elm inner bark and Turkish rhubarb. Proponents claim Essiac may benefit the immune system, relieve pain, increase appetite, reduce the size of tumors and extend the life spans of cancer sufferers. The correct dosage for a cat depends primarily on the weight of the animal and may vary by Essiac manufacturer. Higher doses provide better results, but dosages must be balanced with Essiac's tendency to induce diarrhea.

Things You'll Need

Bathroom scale
10-ml eyedropper or syringe marked in 1-ml or 0.5-ml increments

Instructions

- 1
  
  Brew Essiac tea according to directions.
  
  Purchase Essiac tea herbal mixture from any of a wide variety of online retailers. Brew 1 pint of Essiac tea according to the manufacturer's directions. Keep the tea refrigerated. Essiac tea has a shelf life of about two weeks and may spoil if it's kept longer.
- 2
  
  Weigh yourself while holding your cat to figure out your pet's weight.
  
  Weigh yourself on a bathroom scale. Weigh yourself again while holding your cat. Subtract your weight from the combined weight to figure out your cat's weight.
- 3
  
  You may find it easiest to dose your cat with an eyedropper.
  
  Dose cats that weigh less than 15 lbs. with 15 ml of tea a day, using a 10-ml eyedropper or syringe measured in 0.5- or 1-ml increments. Dose cats that weigh 15 lbs. or more with 15 ml of tea twice a day. Give your cat its doses when it has an empty stomach, one hour before or two hours after meals.
- 4
  
  A balance must be found between the dose of Essiac tea and its laxative effect.
  
  Increase your cat's dose by 1 or 2 ml each week. Essiac will do the most good for your cat at higher doses but it contains rhubarb, a laxative, and will eventually cause your pet to develop diarrhea.
- 5
  
  Essiac tea may help combat cancer in your cat.
  
  Decrease the dose by 1 or 2 ml to the previous dosage level when your cat develops diarrhea. If your cat's diarrhea does not subside when you have reached the original dosing level, discontinue the use of Essiac.