Parasites such as roundworms and heartworms can infest dogs and cats and make them sick. Veterinarians can typically treat a pet safely and effectively for these conditions, but many pet owners do not want to put potentially harmful substances into their pet to cure a condition that may be otherwise taken care of by natural means. There are some natural home remedies to try before resorting to veterinarian-prescribed medicines.
-
Chewing Tobacco
-
When a cat or dog has worms, a small amount of chewing tobacco mixed with the animal's food may be enough to rid it of the parasite. The nicotine in chewing tobacco acts as a poison to the parasites, but it does not have enough of the element to hurt a cat or dog in small amounts.
The tobacco is simply pinched off and either fed directly to the animal or mixed with its regular food. Most animals will not like the taste and may not eat tobacco by itself. Larger animals should be given more tobacco. Small cats may only require the amount of tobacco found in the last inch of a cigarette.
Natural Herbs
-
Several herbs are known to remove and prevent worms in cats and dogs. Natural herbs that aid in digestion can flush the worms out of the digestive tract, and the presence of the herbs could prevent further infestation.
Quassia is a variety of plant that can be used to stimulate the appetite and quickly cause bowel movements by an animal, therefore flushing out the parasites. Peppermint and cinnamon are both good food additives that will aid in digestion and help remove worms from the digestive tract. Peppermint and cinnamon also create an unfriendly internal environment for worms, and it could keep them from attaching to the animal internally once ingested.
Carrots
-
Carrots are effective in treating canine worms. The oils in the carrots cause the worms to be expelled in the feces, and the nutrients from the carrots are healthy for the dog. The carrots will boost the animal's immune system and help it fight off infection.
Garlic Juice
-
Pressing garlic to extract the juice from the clove is a potent anti-parasitic. Garlic juice sprayed directly on a dog or cat's food will be nearly undetectable by the animal and solve the problem. The juice will not only rid the animal of the worms it has but it also will prevent future infestations. The addition of black walnut to the animal's food will increase the effect.
-