Just wanted to stop in and introduce myself. Hi, my name is Breelyn and I am a 30 year old stay at home mom who enrolled in vet tech school yesterday I want to specialize in using herbal methods to treat our animals for things. Like today, I read about the insect repellant properties of basil. I have started an article on that. I already have an article on rosemary if you would like to google "Breelyn Rosemary Hubpages"
I am not trying to be spammy, I honestly am only trying to spread any knowledge or love of anything natural. I am scared of what we might be doing to Mother Earth with things... its an anxiety issue and half grief (lost my mom last year) so I find writing, and gardening, to be my therapy. I am looking forward to getting to know everyone here. This site is AWESOME

Welcome, Breelyn, and good luck with your studies. I use herbs for my dog. She has been prone to urinary tract infections and is now getting old and a bit stiff, so I mix up various herbs into a tea that I moisten her kibble with. My current mix is parsley, nettle, chickweed, dandelion, uva ursa, echinacea, alfalfa, burdock, milk thistle, turmeric. I don't measure it precisely, but about equal parts of all, which I then brew and keep in a jug where I feed her.

Ooh thank you for sharing that. My little girl is also prone to them (kidney issues). My partner and I love to go out in the field and find wild herbs too. I think I could probably identify Milk Thistle, burdock, nettle (ouchies) and chickweed. My Dad's backyard is full of "weeds" but it's been beautiful this year now that we are out of the drought. I actually think more people should grow all types of plants, even so called "weeds" to help bring back the butterflies and the bees

The nettles lose their sting when they are dried. I harvest with gloves and hang very carefully!

Welcome to the site Breelyn! It sounds like you will have interesting things to add in the herbal area of things. I looked at your article about rosemary and wish I could grow it in my garden, but it's too cold here for it to be perennial and my attempts at growing it as an annual didn't work out real well - too small by the end of the year to be of much use. Good luck with your studies and new future career! My condolences on the loss of your mother.

You know I have been reading about that, how rosemary can be finicky in the cold. It can even get sodium build up on it if you live near the sea. My folks lived in San Jose for awhile, people also forget how cold it can get in the Bay Area too. I feel lucky to live in Sacramento mostly just because its the center of the state so it does make it easier to see different regions and climates. But I actually never got further than Reno, traveling out of state, until last year. And I'm 30 years old, never been on a plane but I would pack my bags, get on a tiny plane, if I could go to the rain forest, any one will do

If you ever get a chance, jump in your car and drive up to the Olympic Peninsula in western Washington. It's a beautiful rain forest with lots of rivers and streams, and the coast up in that area is very rugged and impressive. Driving up the Oregon coast on your way there is also gorgeous. A little different from your beautiful California beaches. Much cooler - bring warm clothes, even in the summer!

Hi Spicy,

I'm from CA too : ) Congrats on going to vet tech school. I care for a lovely dog and like to provide him with good food. Just be careful with foods , meds and herbs as you probably know, there are some things dogs can't have that we can. Common ones like grapes and raisins we don't know why but can cause kidney failure in dogs, another is avocado. Aloe plants can cause digestion issues and be toxic if eaten or licked - there are actually a lot of gardening landscape plants that are toxic to dogs and cats : (

I have heard that tumeric can be good for dogs that have mobility issues, inflammation like arthritis. We use a combination shampoo to keep fleas off that contain essential oils like rosemary. It works pretty well and smells nice, though there are an occasional few fleas here and there to still comb out in times like now (high fleas season). One of my friends is researching using milk thistle with her vet, since one of her dogs has liver issues. Green lip mussels and anchovy, salmon or krill oil have omega-3s (nordic naturals is a good brand with low PCBs) - I know it's technically not an herb, but it's commonly used.

standard disclaimer - not a vet, studied herbs for humans, got a dog and was curious what kinds of things we both can eat - research before using anything <3

PS - A cure for being stung by nettles is...a tincture of nettles. Seriously. So, if you collect some you can make an extraction with high proof alcohol fairly easily and if you get some on you, then apply it topically to yourself (I wouldn't give it to a pet probably).

I don't think nettles really bother animals (that I've ever noticed anyway). I just try to stay away from contact or rub dirt when stung. They grow thickly in my chicken yard, but once I cut them down and they dry out a bit, the hens will either eat them or shred them. I make a tea for my dog using various herbs that I wet her kibble with. Most are diuretics (she has a history of urinary infections), but as she ages, I'm also adding in anti-inflammatories.

Wellcome : Breelyn
I'm going to check out you article in a minute hear. Sounds interesting.
I'll be looking forward to your basil article.
Bye 😁
😎😎😎