Natural Virus Remedies

Natural Virus Remedies

It’s still winter in Canada, and that means cold and flu season. If your pet has a viral infection, these five natural remedies can be beneficial to speed up the recovery process, and reduce severity of colds and flu, naturally! 

Elderberry 

The elderberry plant is a common North American shrub, and considered to be a very healing plant. It has been shown to decrease the duration and severity of colds and flu, is high in vitamin C and is considered an antioxidant.Elderberry supplements come commonly in a powdered concentrate, but other forms (such as liquid syrups) are available.  

Recommended dosage: 100 – 200mg per 10 lbs of weight, 2x per day. 

Note: The berries are the only part of the plant recommended to consume, as the roots, leaves and branches can be toxic.

Licorice Root Tincture

Licorice root is well researched, and is a common ingredient used in Chinese Medicine. During the 2003 SARS outbreak, an ingredient in licorice root extract was shown to be effective in treating the virus. 

Recommended dosage: ½ ml, or about half of a dropper for a 20 lb pet, and can be added to elderberry mixture. 

Propolis 

Propolis comes from beehives, and is used to seal cracks and holes when bees rebuild a hive. Propolis is an ingredient that has been used by many cultures for centuries for a variety of ailments, and has been studied for its antibacterial and antiviral properties. 

Recommended dosage: when using a 33% liquid concentrate, use 1 drop per 10 lbs, this can be added to elderberry mixture. 

Ginger Root

Ginger has been studied in human respiratory viruses, and can be antiviral. This ingredient is also commonly used in Chinese medicine. 

Chop about a tablespoon of fresh ginger root, and add to a pot of 1 cup water, and let simmer for 15 minutes to create a concentrate. 

Recommended dosage: 1 teaspoon per 10 lbs, and can be added to elderberry mixture

Dandelion Root Tincture

Dried dandelion root can be used as an effective antiviral, and has been used in traditional medicine for centuries.

Take 1 tablespoon of dried powdered dandelion root in 1 cup of water and simmer on the stove to make a tea. 

Recommended dosage: Give about ¼ cup of mixture per 20 lbs of weight. Add in honey to make it more palatable!

If you are curious, references have been linked in our YouTube video regarding this topic:

Dr. Andrew Jones, DVM