What herbs can and cannot do.

The Herb School

What herbs can and cannot do.

Knowledge about animal health, herbs and supplements. We write about what we can substantiate, and say so when we do not know.

The Herb School

Långhårig grå katt sitter i en ljus linnesoffa med några lösa hårstrån på tyget
Cat shedding a lot of hair: normal or a sign of something?
Many cats shed a lot without anything being wrong. How to tell normal shedding from hair loss, what hairballs can mean and when your cat should see the vet. Read more...
Schäfer ligger på ett ljust trägolv och borstas, med tussar av lös underull bredvid
Dog shedding a lot: normal or a sign of something?
Most dogs that shed a lot are healthy. How to tell normal shedding from hair loss, when it is time for the vet and what reduces the hair at home. Read more...
Äldre golden retriever med grå nos dricker vatten ur en metallskål i en ljus hall
Older dog drinking a lot of water: five common causes
When an older dog starts drinking more there is usually a cause to find. How to measure at home, five common causes and when it is urgent to see the... Read more...
Äldre röd och vit katt vilar på en grå filt i en ljus soffa
High kidney values in cats: how to read the results
Creatinine, SDMA and urea explained, why a single high value is not a diagnosis and how vets divide chronic kidney disease into IRIS stages. Read more...
Gråtigrerad katt dricker vatten ur en vit skål på ett ljust trägolv i ett kök
Cat drinking a lot of water: common causes and what to do
A cat that drinks more than usual nearly always urinates more too. How much a cat should drink, how to measure at home and the three most common medical causes. Read more...
Svart labrador ligger på en mörk handduk och borstas med en mjuk borste i ett ljust vardagsrum
Dandruff in dogs: causes, a simple test and when to act
A little dandruff is common, a lot usually has a cause. How to tell dry from greasy dandruff, spot walking dandruff and know when your dog should see the vet. Read more...
Brun och vit hund vilar på en hundbädd med filt i ett ljust vardagsrum med en vattenskål bredvid
Dog tired and listless: seven causes and when to call
Tiredness is one of the least specific symptoms in dogs. How to do a quick check at home, recognise common causes and know when it is urgent. Read more...
Golden retriever står lugnt i ett badkar och sköljs med handdusch i ett ljust badrum
How often should you bathe a dog? A guide by coat type
The coat decides how often your dog needs a bath. Guidelines by coat type, when an extra bath is needed and how to bathe without drying out the skin. Read more...
Glad blandrashund med fuktig päls sitter på en handduk i en ljus hall efter en promenad i regn
Dog smells bad: five places to sniff first
A healthy dog rarely starts to smell strongly overnight. How to find where the smell sits, what it can mean and when your dog should see the vet. Read more...
Äldre grå katt vilar på en filt på en låg bänk bredvid en liten ramp i ett ljust vardagsrum
Arthritis in cats: the signs and what helps
Nine in ten cats over twelve have joint changes, yet few are diagnosed. How to recognise arthritis in your cat and what the research supports. Read more...
Labrador står på en grusstig i en tallskog med ena framtassen lätt lyft
Dog limping: common causes and when it is urgent
A dog that limps is in pain. How to tell which leg it is, which causes are most common and when to see the vet the same day. Read more...
Katt kliver ner i en stor och ren kattlåda med låga kanter i ett ljust badrum
Cat weeing outside the litter tray: urinary tract first
When a house-trained cat wees outside the tray, the urinary tract should be checked first. Then go through the tray, the litter, its position and stress at home. Read more...
Grå katt vilar i en kartong på en hög hylla i ett ljust vardagsrum
Stressed cat: signs, causes and what you can do
A stressed cat hides, over-grooms or starts weeing outside the tray. How to recognise the signs, understand the causes and make your home feel safer. Read more...
Hund ligger avslappnad på en hundbädd i en ljus hall nära ytterdörren
Separation anxiety in dogs: signs and step-by-step training
Separation anxiety means a dog panics when it is left alone. How to recognise the signs, train in small steps and know when it is time to see a vet. Read more...
Randig katt sitter bredvid en låg matskål på ett ljust trägolv i ett skandinaviskt kök
Cat not eating: causes and when to see the vet
A cat that stops eating may be fussy, stressed or in pain, but 24 hours without food is reason enough to call the vet. How fatty liver is linked to... Read more...
Korthårig hund som ligger avslappnad på en ljus matta medan någon kammar pälsen på ryggen med en fin metallkam
Fleas on dogs: how to spot them and get rid of them
How to recognise fleas on your dog, why the species decides what you need to do, and how to get rid of cat fleas in your home. Read more...
Hund som ligger på ett ljust köksgolv med huvudet på tassarna bredvid en full matskål
Dog will not eat: common causes and when it is serious
When a dog stops eating it may be temporary or an early sign of illness. Here are the common causes, what you can try at home and when to contact... Read more...
Korthårig katt som sitter lugnt bredvid en matskål på ett ljust trägolv i ett skandinaviskt kök
Cat vomiting often: what is normal and what is not
A cat that vomits often is not normal, not even when it is hairballs. Here are the most common causes, what you can do yourself and when your cat should... Read more...
Hund som sitter lugnt på en träveranda vid skogskanten medan någon särar på pälsen vid halsen för att leta efter fästingar
How to remove a tick from a dog, step by step
How to remove a tick from your dog properly, what to do if the head stays behind, and which signs after a tick bite mean your dog should see a... Read more...
Labrador som vilar med huvudet på tassarna i en hundbädd på ett ljust köksgolv tidigt på morgonen, med en matskål bredvid
Dog vomiting yellow: what it means and when it is serious
Yellow vomit is bile, most often from a stomach that has been empty for too long. Here are the common explanations, what you can do yourself and when your dog... Read more...
Hundskål fylls med en blandning av två sorters torrfoder medan en beagle sitter och väntar
Dog with loose stools when changing food: a day-by-day schedule, and when to call the vet
Change food over seven days, go back one step if the stomach gets loose, and call the vet if it has not turned around within one to two days. Read more...
Äldre gul labrador går sakta längs en skogsstig i höstljus
Glucosamine or green-lipped mussel for dogs: what the research says
Glucosamine lacks support in the largest review, omega-3 has it. That is why ANNUJOINTS is built on basic bone nutrients and two herbs, where turmeric has been tested in dogs... Read more...
Brun hund vilar huvudet i knät på sin ägare i en soffa, med små krukor med torkade örter i bakgrunden
Calming herbs for dogs and cats: what we know and do not know
Five kinds of calming, what sets them apart, and an honest look at what the studies on ashwagandha show. Read more...
Äldre grå katt dricker vatten ur en keramikskål vid ett fönster
Kidney supplements for cats: four types, and what they do and do not do
Renal diets, phosphate binders, amino acids and herbs are four different things. Here is the difference, and why the blood test comes first. Read more...
Golden retriever vilar hakan mot ett köksbord med en anteckningsbok och en burk tillskott i morgonljus
Supplements for dogs and cats: how to choose, and what it costs per day
One product, not five. Here is the whole range in one table with need, dose, cost per day and when to evaluate. Read more...
Hund ligger hoprullad i en koja av filt under ett matbord i varmt lampljus en vinterkväll
Dog afraid of fireworks: how to prepare it for New Year
The short answer: Roughly every second dog is afraid of fireworks, and the fear rarely goes away on its own. What helps most is what you do in November: getting... Read more...
Golden retriever sitter på ett ljust trägolv i ett vardagsrum och kliar sig bakom örat med bakbenet i morgonljus
Why does my dog keep scratching? Six common causes, and when to see the vet
The short answer: Every dog scratches now and then. It starts to mean something when scratching becomes a pattern: every evening, after every walk, for more than a couple of... Read more...
Kvinna sitter på golvet och ger sin hund ett tillskott ur handen medan hon klappar den på huvudet
When should you give a dog supplements?
The short answer: A healthy adult dog that eats a complete food already gets what it needs. Supplements do the most good in three situations: when the diet is not... Read more...
Timglas och en grön örtkvist i skarpt sidoljus
Four weeks, not four days: why supplements take time
The short answer: Most supplements need four to six weeks before you can judge whether they make a difference. Joint products often longer, stomach products often shorter. It is not... Read more...
Torkade örter i små träskålar uppradade på linneduk
What does "complementary feed" actually mean?
The short answer: "Complementary feed" is the legal category for almost everything sold as a supplement for dogs and cats. It means the product counts as feed, not medicine, and... Read more...
Två produktetiketter och ett förstoringsglas mot beige bakgrund
How to read the ingredient list on a pet supplement
The short answer: Turn the jar around and look for five things: what type of feed it is, that every ingredient has its real name, that there is an amount... Read more...
Närbild på daggvått gräs på en äng
Dogs that eat grass: four common explanations
The short answer: Most dogs eat grass, and most are not unwell either before or after. The most common explanation is simply that it is normal behaviour. Only a minority... Read more...
Hund hoprullad och sovande i en hundbädd vid en fönsterdörr i morgonljus
Why do older dogs get stiff, and why does it seem better after five minutes?
The short answer: When a dog has been lying still for a while the joint fluid thickens, the joint capsule and the muscles around the joint tighten, and the first... Read more...