Nettle use study
At Kainuu Vocational College, dogs are trained for various working roles for example for the police, customs, and guide dog schools.
The college decided to conduct a study to explore the use of nettle in dog feeding. The dogs' bodies reacted quickly to the addition of nettle, and for the most part very positively.
For five project dogs, nettle feeding was started as support alongside the rest of their diet. The dogs reacted quickly to nettle both externally and internally: in all dogs, the amount of stool decreased, and its consistency and colour changed already by the end of the first week. Within a few weeks, the coats of four dogs began to shine noticeably better than before, and the coat became stronger. The dogs' shedding also decreased. Two dogs had previously had watery eyes. A few weeks after starting nettle, the eye discharge in these dogs decreased significantly. For one dog included in the test, nettle was not suitable, as it developed intense itching symptoms, after which nettle was discontinued for that dog.
Later, two new dogs were added to the test group. Both of these dogs had a tendency toward eye gunk/discharge and a dull coat. Within a few weeks of starting nettle feeding, these problems disappeared completely: the coats became glossy and the eye discharge stopped. At the same time, food absorption also improved. As the test progressed, three more new dogs were again included in the group. Two of these had had digestive problems: one had had gastric dilatation, and the other ongoing loose stools. In both dogs, digestion improved after nettle feeding was started.
The earlier issues of the dogs participating in the trial had been either anatomical or physiological. Because of these, the dogs had had to eat only certain food, or they had otherwise had to live with more limitations, or they had had to rely on medication courses. After nettle feeding, these symptoms disappeared almost entirely or decreased significantly. The majority of the dogs therefore reacted very positively to nettle feeding.
This is how you calculate herbal dosing for pets:
The amounts presented here are indicative guidelines. You may need to adjust the dosage depending on the herb, the size of the animal, and individual sensitivity. Herbs can be added to feeding either as-is or in the form of a brewed herbal tea. The amount of herbs used for making tea depends on the herb and the part of the plant. As a basic rule, you can use 1–2 tsp of herb per 2.5 dl of hot water. The steeping time has a significant effect on how strong the herbal tea becomes. Generally, flowers and leaves are stronger than the plant's stems, and therefore they often require a shorter steeping time than a "whole herb." Tree barks and various herbal roots are hard, so they should be steeped for a long time or boiled, if you give them to dogs or use them yourself. Instructions below.
Dogs:
- The amount of herbs is adjusted by weight. For example, for an 80 kg dog the dosage is 1–2 tsp herb / 2.5 dl water. For a 40 kg dog, give half the dose; for a 20 kg dog, give 1/4 of the dose; and for a 10 kg dog, give 1/8 of the dose. Dogs' intestines do not digest herbs, so you should make an infusion/decoction from them or extract them into oil.
Horses:
- An 8–16 times larger dose depending on the herb and the animal's weight. For horses, herbs can be given without steeping, but when fast support is needed, steeping helps the absorption of active compounds. The decoction can be given to the horse with the herbs included, without straining.
