• Herbal remedies can help cure the aches and pains your pet feels.bamboo image by Horticulture from Fotolia.com
  
  Healing your pet with herbal remedies is a natural approach to improving the overall health of your pet. Many problems your pet may develop through the years can be treated and often cured by items you can find around the house. However, there is no substitute for veterinary care in the case of an emergency or serious illness. Use caution when trying any of these remedies with your pet at home.
  
  

Stop the Itch

• Cure the constant itch with aloe. Oftentimes the root cause of itching is dry skin, so bathe your pet with some natural shampoo with aloe. Adding a teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil with your pet's food can also soothe the itch over time, though it may take up to two weeks until you notice results.
  
  

Dehydration Salvation

• Quench your pet's thirst with some children's Pedialyte. Pour undiluted Pedialyte into their water bowl for at least 24 hours, or until you notice your pet becoming rehydrated. You can substitute Gatorade for Pedialyte, but mix half of the Gatorade with equal parts water because of the high sugar content. Powdered electrolytes solutions are another solution you can try, and are sold at many pet store retailers.
  
  

Cuts and Minor Bleeding

• Apply fresh aloe the cut to keep the skin moist so the wound will heal faster and more efficiently. Equal parts baking soda and water will make a paste that can help stop bleeding from the accidental cut of a nail's quick, or from a bird pulling a blood feather. Applying pressure to the bleeding area when applying the paste, and wipe the area clean once the bleeding has ceased.
  
  

Eye Health

• Boil a cup of eyebright tea, then cool the liquid down to room temperature. Using a small eye dropper, carefully administer some of the tea to the irritated eye as a wash. Also feed your pet one teaspoon of eyebright tea orally once daily until the irritation goes away. If eyebright tea is unattainable, substitute contact lenses saline solution for an eye wash to soothe irritation.
  
  

Stress and Anxiety

• Rub a dab of lavender oil under your pet's muzzle daily, or fill a small satchel with fresh lavender and place under your pet's bed. Replace the lavender in the satchel once a week until your pet's stress and anxiety levels balance out. Use a cotton pad with some lavender oil if you cannot readily obtain fresh lavender.
  
  

Ease Carsickness

• Give your pet a few drops of ginger root extract before driving away on a trip. Settle your pet's stomach as needed by re-administering the ginger root extract when going on a longer trip. Allowing your pet to chew on a small piece of ginger candy can also have the same effect, however be sure not to give your pet too many pieces because of the sugary coating many brands coat the candy with.
  
  

Healthy and Shiny Coats

• Drop one teaspoon of cod liver oil in your pet's food once per day to maintain a healthy, shiny coat. For smaller animals such as guinea pigs, rats and ferrets, only use half a teaspoon. Once your pet's coat has obtained a healthy sheen and state, cut the dosage in half and administer it every two days for maintenance.