When it comes to Lyme disease and exposure to the biting bugs that carry the disease… i.e. ticks, fleas, mosquitoes, horseflies, etc. … your dog may be your “canary in a coalmine.” In other words, because your furry friend is rambling through areas of higher exposure to these bugs than you, it may get exposed to Lyme disease before you do.
Consequently, you may notice your dog exhibiting the following symptoms, and if you do, you should contact your vet to have your pet tested for Lyme disease:
- Stiff joints
- Sudden lameness & limb atrophy
- Partial facial paralysis
- Fatigue & sluggishness
- Depression
- Gastrointestinal problems
Like with humans, a 4-6 week course of doxycyline has the highest potential to knock the infection out and keep it from going into the chronic phase if caught within the first 60 days of infection onset.
However, if you don’t catch it in time or if you are not interested in giving antibiotics to your pet, there are three natural treatments with high levels of effectiveness.
COWDEN PROTOCOL FOR DOGS
The Cowden Protocol was developed by Dr. William Lee Cowden, MD initially for the treatment of late-stage Borrelia and Lyme co-infections. Since the protocol helps to resolve the majority of the root causes of most patient’s symptoms in humans, it can also be used to treat “post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome” and many other chronic health conditions of unclear cause in dogs as well.
The Cowden Protocol utilizes 15 different products including 8 microbial defense herbals (4 pairs of herbals) that are taken in rotation.
The protocol is administered through herbal tinctures, whereby drops of the treatment are mixed in water before ingesting, and it is easy to put these drops in your dog’s water dish as long as you make certain your pet drinks all of it.
It is recommended that dogs take a reduced version of this protocol contained within this Lyme Disease Kit, comprised of Banderol, Samento, and Burbur-Pinella.
In regards to dosing for a dog, below are guidelines:
- Large dogs (45-88 lbs.) would take about ½ of the human dose (i.e. 15 drops per dose)
- Medium dogs (23-44 lbs.) would take about ¼ of the human dose (i.e. 7 drops per dose)
- Small (5-22 lbs.) dogs would take 1/10 of the human dose (i.e. 3 drops per dose)
BUHNER PROTOCOL FOR DOGS
Dr. Stephen Buhner has also developed a well-known and effective treatment for Lyme disease and co-infections for humans, and he recommends the following herbal treatments for dogs.
- Japanese Knotweed Root (Polygonum cuspidatum) can reduce the inflammation from Lyme disease which in turn can reduce many of the symptoms that occur. The powdered form of the herb can be added to your dog’s food at 3 teaspoons, twice per day… morning and evening.
- Cat’s Claw (Uncaria tomentosa) helps raise the immune system to best fight the disease. The powdered form of the herb can be added to your dog’s food at 3 teaspoons, twice per day… morning and evening.
- Glucosamine Sulfate is a natural supplement that is often included in dog snacks to help joint problems. It helps with pain and inflammation and restores and protects cartilage. The powdered form of the supplement can be added to your dog’s food at 2 teaspoons, twice per day… morning and evening.
DR. TOBIN’S PROTOCOL
Dr. Stephen Tobin
is a holistic vet in Connecticut who has successfully treated more than 1,000 dogs with Lyme disease using homeopathy. He reports the treatment also works well for cats and horses.
- Ledum palustre in a 1M potency given three times per day for three days. DO NOT give more than one tiny pellet per dose. Here’s a link to purchase it: Ledum 1M Palustre 1M 80 Pellets
- After finishing the above, follow with LYME NOSODE. A nosode is a highly-diluted preparation of the disease itself used by homeopathic doctors to treat the illness with no danger of contracting the full disease.
This dosage is for medium-size and larger dogs. For small dogs, use half the dosage:- STEP 1: 1 dropperful daily for a week
- STEP 2: 1 dropperful each week for a month
- STEP 3: 1 dropperful every 6 months
Try to apply drops under your dog’s tongue 30 minutes before or after any food or drink (including water) or simply apply it far back in the deepest part of your dog’s cheek.
PREVENTION
Of course, prevention is the best method for avoid Lyme disease all together. What follows are the best steps to remove a tick successfully from your pet…
To safely remove a tick, please do the following:
Use fine-tipped tweezers to grasp the tick as close to its head and the skin’s surface as possible.- Pull straight upward without twisting or picking at the tick. Twisting can cause the tick’s head and mouth parts to break off and remain in the skin. If this happens, remove them with tweezers.
- After removing the tick, avoid any contact with blood or fluids coming from the tick. Thoroughly clean the bite area and your hands with rubbing alcohol, an iodine scrub, or soap and water. Adding a drop or two of clove oil (oil of clove essential oils) directly on the bite area can help eradicate infection.
- Dispose of a live tick by placing it in a sealed bag/container, wrapping it tightly in tape, or flushing it down the toilet. Never crush a tick with your fingers to avoid any possible contact with pathogens.
- Free tick testing is available courtesy of the Bay Area Lyme Foundation by clicking here.
CISTUS TEA
Cistus Tea can be ingested as a tick repellent! According to Dietrich Klinghardt, the Sardinians have discovered through the decades that when giving Cistus Incanus to their pets or livestock, the animals who ate the tea leaves exhibited no ticks whereas those who didn’t eat the plant had dozens of ticks. This trick seems to work with humans and it’s a great side effect of the tea and a pleasant alternative to putting on chemical repellents to keep ticks away. You can sprinkle the leaves on your pet’s food to keep them tick-free as well.
Dosage: Just use 1/2 tsp per 10 lbs of body weight. You don’t have to put the kettle on for your pet, you can just put the herb directly into their food. Pets LOVE the taste!
I have a14 year old beagle/pit mix. He was dx with lyme years ago. 3 days ago, he became lethargic, was vomiting (possiblywith blood), stopped eating and became unable to stand up. His back legs were too weak to hold him, He just laid. We were expecting the worse but took him to the ER anyway. His blood work came back fine. They wanted to do x-rays, but we declined. After coming home, researching, I refound these protocols. After preparing him rice, chicken and beans, I added the knotwork, cat’s claw and ledum. After 1 meal he is like a new dog! He’s walking, eating,stalking us for food of any kind! It is amazing! I thank HOLY SPIRIT for the insight on what to do and inspiring these doctors to come up with natural ways to heal us!
How much knotweed did you add?
That is an amazing story! Thank you for reporting it to us.
Hi Tammy,
I am sorry to bother my dog was diagnosed yesterday with L
would please give me more details regarding youer treatment,please,please
Thank you!
3T of Japanese seems like a ton and a much higher dosage than humans would take.
You’re right. We had an error in the dosing amount for the Buhner protocol, and we’ve made the change. The dosage for Japanese Knotweed is 3 teaspoons, twice per day for medium-size dogs (23-44 lbs.), 1 1/2 teaspoons for small dogs (5-22 lbs.), and 1 tablespoon twice daily for large dogs (45-88 lbs.). The powder for this and Cat’s Claw and Glucosamine Sulfate should be mixed with food or treats.
Hello , my corgie , 27 pounds has lyme disease, very light … i bought ledum palustre and now have been waiting on the lyme nosode … but is lost in the mail… what is the differnece between lyme nosode and tick nosode ? Id like to order it again but please confirm… i see that she has a limp going on and is very fragile when we walk in the non snow compared to other years . WhT shall i give her . Please help 😭
Hi Rebecca, we’ve updated the article to include a link to the Lyme Disease Kit mentioned under the Cowden protocol. If you’re having trouble ordering Lyme Nosode, this may be a better option… https://lymerecoveryclinic.com/product/lyme-disease-kit/
Thank you for replying . I do
Not understand the dosage of what you sent to me .but since i already have ledum palustre, and i can now order lyme nosode, should i give her that ? Basically i just dont know if the limp is because of the lyme .. o would it be bad to treat her with this not knowing ? Or can it still be a kinda cleanse ?do any of these products remove lyme completely from the body ? Thanks again so much !!
Hi Rebecca —
Sorry for the late reply. The doses for the Cowden protocol depend on the weight of your dog. The Cowden protocol uses tinctures (liquid) instead of pills. Each dose is prepared by putting dose drops in an empty glass and then filling it with 4 oz. of water. Make sure your dog drinks all of it for a full dose.
Here are the dosing are guidelines:
– Large dogs (45-88 lbs.) would take about ½ of the human dose (i.e. 15 drops per dose)
– Medium dogs (23-44 lbs.) would take about ¼ of the human dose (i.e. 7 drops per dose)
– Small (5-22 lbs.) dogs would take 1/10 of the human dose (i.e. 3 drops per dose)
Please let me know if this makes sense.
Hello! Does the cowden protocol eliminate lyme from the body ? For how long should i give this to my dog ? She has no
Symptoms but i just want to get rid of it.. is it possible ? Now that i have the doseage , for how long do i give it to her ? Thanks again
Hi Rebecca —
Dr. Cowden recommends that a person or animal stay on the program for 2 months after their symptoms have disappeared. This ensures the infection has been adequately eradicated.
If your dog started out with no symptoms, then 2 months should be fine.
How long do I need to keep my dog on the Buhner protocol?
Keep your dog on the Buhner protocol until all symptoms subside for at least a week.
What can we do for dogs that were dx’d several yrs ago and went thru the Doxy protocol for one month? Am wondering if that borellia bacteria is not fully healed and it affects the heart down the rd?
My rare breed was dx’d w Lyme 5 yrs ago. He went thru the protocol,etc.
He got a cough last yr and was dx’d w CHF. Tried everything – holistic, herbal, acupressure, change diet, EVERYTHING , but found the Homeopathic Vets too,late. Am still heart broken…he was my Secretariat! My JOY!
I have another rare breed female that is fine but want to make sure she does NOT get this CHF , enlarged heart/ cardiomyopathy.
Will any of the above tx work to finally kill off the bacteria and reverse any heart damage?
Hi Shelly, the Banderol and Samento from the Cowden protocol cover a range of bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens that can contribute to or cause diseases from Lyme to other life-threatening illnesses in dogs. You can try these two herbs (make sure they are made by Nutramedix, the actual manufacturer of the Cowden protocol) and take them in the doses recommended by Dr. Cowden pertaining to dogs and their body weight:
– Large dogs (45-88 lbs.) would take about ½ of the human dose (recommended on the bottle)
– Medium dogs (23-44 lbs.) would take about ¼ of the human dose
– Small (5-22 lbs.) dogs would take 1/10 of the human dose
Because there are particular worms (i.e. heartworms) that can cause heart problems with dogs, it would be wise to give your dogs monthly parasite treatments.
I see your message is two years old so not sure if you’ll get this. First, I’m so sorry for your loss. I suddenly lost my 12 year old Tibetan Terrier, my Secretariat, my JOY, a little over a year ago to enlarged heart. Sunday he was jumping into the truck and Tuesday we had to put him down. I’ve had other dogs who tested positive for Lyme and never had any heart complications. I’ve wondered if Luke’s enlarged heart – the vet said his heart was surrounded by a sack of pus and blood – was a reaction to being shed on by family members who had the covid shots and of covid itself. Similar to those who got the shots, like my 17 year old nephew and were diagnosed with myocarditis or periocarditis. My husband and I didn’t have the shots but my mother had 3 shots before she decided not to get another and she is frequently at our house. We’ve had many symptoms over the past 4 years that popped up in us just after she visited. Just a thought. I’m still grieving.
For the powdered Japanese knotweed and cats claw it says three tablespoons, is that for all sizes of dogs? Thank you so much!
Hi Tawni, the dosage of three teaspoons per dose is for medium-sized dogs. Smaller dogs should take half that and larger dogs should take double that.
Here are the standard dog sizes to help you dial up your doses:
Large dogs (45-88 lbs.)
Medium dogs (23-44 lbs.)
Small (5-22 lbs.)
Hi Gregg, I have a 5 year old Cavapoo and he tested positive for Lyme last fall. I had used what I thought was Dr. Tobin’s protocol but didn’t realize I needed to follow the Ledum with Lyme Nosode, so I’m guessing that treatment wasn’t very effective. He’s now having mild seizures and the vet prescribed Doxycycline but he threw up after every single dose so I stopped after 3 days and bought the Lyme Disease kit, which we started a couple of days ago.
Couple of questions:
1. I mix the drops in a smaller amount of water than suggested here (maybe 1/4 cup so he’s more likely to drink the whole thing all at once) and leave in a glass jar for the dog sitter. Is that okay that it might be sitting for a few hours before he drinks it?
2. He’s very inconsistent with his eating – some days are only one meal and others are two. So I can’t always be sure that he’s going to eat after consuming the drops but I’m of the thought that it’s better to get two doses into him each day, regardless of what he eats. He seems to actually like the taste of the drops in water so that’s been a saving grace. Would you agree with my approach here or should I be trying to get him to eat afterwards?
3. Would it be a bad idea to double up and do both Dr. Tobin’s protocol at the same time as the Lyme Kit? He just has me so worried with these seizures that I just want to do whatever I can to clear this from his system ASAP.
Thank you so much in advance!
Lorelei
Hi Lorelei —
Here are the answers to your questions…
1. Yes, it’s OK to leave the prepared doses out for several hours. They will not go bad for more than a day.
2. Your dog does NOT have to eat after a dose. The point is, he should not take a dose within 20 minutes of eating. So if he is not eating regularly, you don’t have to force him to eat after a dose.
3. You can add Dr. Tobin’s protocol with the Lyme Kit protocol, no problem.
Note, that if your dog is having seizures, he may need to do more than one round of the Lyme kit.
Please let me know if that was helpful.
Thanks,
Gregg
Hi Gregg, I wanted to follow up to let you know how thrilled I am with the results I’ve seen in my dog after he’s been taking 2 doses of the Lyme Disease Kit components each day since April 26th. Not only has he not had any more seizures, he is consistently eating 2 meals a day and letting me know he’s hungry – I guess he wasn’t a picky eater after all, but rather not feeling well. His energy has improved greatly and his playful personality has returned – he’s now wanting to play and go on walks again. I am so grateful that I came across this article and thankful to you for responding so quickly and thoroughly to my questions. It really is greatly appreciated! I’ve been telling many people about it because ticks are everywhere in my area. I am planning to continue giving this to my dog on and off throughout the year as a protective measure – it has been that effective!
Hi Lorelei —
Thank you for reporting this great news! I’m so glad your dog has gotten his health back. Please share the link to the article as well as the Lyme disease kit because ticks are really out in force this year! https://lymerecoveryclinic.com/product/lyme-disease-kit/
I absolutely will! So many people are unfamiliar with homeopathic treatments and I think they shrug it off thinking there’s no way it could be as effective as an antibiotic, when I’m starting to see just the opposite. The homeopathic remedy was fast-acting, effective and no side effects whatsoever.
Thank you so much for this information. For the Nosodes- is a “full dropper” considered to be what the dropper fills up with or enough liquid to fill the actual length of the dropper? (When you squeeze- it only fills up about 1/3 of the way). Thank you
Hi Antoinette –Yes, a dropperful or “full dropper” is whatever amount you pull up after squeezing the bulb at the end of the dropper. It does not need to be full to the top of the bulb… so 1/3 of the way sounds about right.