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The Eyes
The eyes can be an issue for pets if there is not enough moisture to
nourish the eye. Traditional Chinese Medicine states that the eyes are
associated with the liver and gallbladder and thus, if the liver or
gallbladder are out of balance, eye conditions can also be present.
Conjunctivitis, tearing eyes and dry eyes may be attributed to those
liver imbalances in pets.
Conjunctivitis:
Conjunctivitis looks painful and is actually quite painful for pets.
Discharge can be clear, yellow or green puss. It may occur in one or
both eyes. Its causes may include foreign matter, chemicals, bacteria,
viruses or other germs, polluted water, or smoke.
Cheryl Schwartz, DVM in her book Four Paws, Five Directions on page 154,
recommends the following using the herb
Eyebright : Internally: Steep ½ teaspoon of the powdered dry
herb in 1 cup of sterile boiling water, strain and cool, add to wet
food at 1 teaspoon for cats and small dogs and 1 tablespoon for larger
dogs. Topically: Squeeze the tea from a dropper into the eye three times
daily. Store the tea in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Prepare fresh every 2 days.
She further notes, “This Western
herb, provides nutrition to the eye itself….improves vision and has
astringent, pungent, bitter and cooling qualities. It can be used both
in deficient conditions when the eye is dry and has begun to form
mucousy discharges, or in hot type infectious conditions with
conjunctivitis…” Note: Preparations for use in the eye should always be
made under sterile conditions.
Mary Wulff-Tilford states in her book, All you ever wanted to know about
Herbs for Pets page 298, states “Goldenseal
or
Oregon grape root offers further assistance by fighting infection
and quickly reducing inflammation and soreness."
Cataracts:
A cataract is an abnormal opacity (cloudiness) of the lens or its outer
covering. Cataracts may develop due to nutritional deficiencies or due
to an injury to the eye. Providing a well balanced, human grade, high
quality pet diet is key in preventing the development of cataracts.
Cataracts in cats have been linked to a deficiency in riboflavin
(vitamin B2) which comes from poor nutrient assimilation. Adding
enzymes and
probiotics is beneficial.
Glaucoma:
Glaucoma is an abnormally high inner eye pressure. It can occur in
animals and is especially common in cats. Signs of glaucoma may be
swollen or red eyes, dilated and fixed pupils, vision loss and edema of
the cornea. Mary Wulff-Tilford states in her book, All you ever wanted
to know about Herbs for Pets page 298, “Although glaucoma is difficult
to treat with herbs, perhaps the greatest success comes from the
reduction of intraocular pressure with herbs such as ginkgo and
bilberry.
Food Allergies and the Eyes:
Diet may affect the health of the eyes. As we all know, our liver is
affected by what we eat. The old adage of “you are what you eat”
certainly applies to the eyes as well. Food allergies can often show up
as eye discharge/inflammation. If you notice your pet has chronic eye
discharge, try changing the protein source. If your pet is prone to red,
itchy eyes, you may want to eliminate garlic from the diet. You may want
to consider feeding neutral foods such as potatoes, eggs, rabbit, cod,
beef, chicken and defatted pork and thoroughly cooked brown rice. Avoid
bitter foods such as celery, lettuce and spinach.
Cheryl Schwartz, DVM in her book Four Paws, Five Directions recommends
the following regarding nutritional supplements to support eye
conditions:
Cod Liver Oil
Cats/small dogs, 2,000 mg (1/2 teaspoon daily)
Medium dogs: 5,000 mg (1 teaspoon daily)
Large dogs: 10,000 mg (2 teaspoons daily)
Vitamin E in the form of Evening
Primrose Oil
Cats/small dogs, 50-100 IU daily
Medium dogs: 200 IU daily
Large dogs: 400 IU daily
Vitamin C (Decrease dosage if your pet develops loose stools)
Cats/small dogs, 125 mg twice daily
Medium dogs: 250 mg twice daily
Large dogs: 500 mg twice daily
Vitamin B Complex
Try to avoid products that are high in yeast, as these can cause eye
allergies. Use one quarter to one half the human dosage in the mid-range
human potency.
Zinc
Cats/small dogs: 5 mg daily
Large dogs: 10 mg daily
Essential Fatty Acids
EFA, which produce prostaglandins are helpful in restoring tear duct
lubrication.
Simple Eye Astringent Recipe
(taken from, All you ever wanted to know about Herbs for Pets by Mary
Wulff-Tilford, page 299)
½ teaspoon cooled clear raspberry leaf or nettle tea
½ teaspoon
Oregon grape or
goldenseal tea
1 ounce of sterile saline (found in the eye care section of stores)
“Shake thoroughly, the finished solution will be tinted yellow. Make
sure the tea is free of particles. If possible, hold the animal’s head
to one side and use a dropper pipette to thoroughly rinse the eye
laterally, from the nose outward, toward the animal’s cheek. This
process can be repeated two or three times daily until the condition
improves. If the rinse causes further irritation, stop using it. Other
herbs to consider for use in eyewashes include calendula,
chamomile, thyme, bee balm,
chickweed, dandelion leaf, or rose petals. Be extra careful in
assuring that they are free of dust, pollen, or toxic residues as the
eyes are extremely sensitive…”
Additional resource:
Use of supplements for cataracts
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