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Chamomile Tea

lisa fiorenza

Backed by Dr. Lisa Fiorenza and Dr. Katie Woodley

BenefitsServing SizeFrequencyHow to Serve

BENEFITS

Chamomile is a gentle, calming herb that supports both the nervous system and the digestive tract. It’s especially helpful for dogs with digestive symptoms connected to anxiety, such as gas, nausea, rumbling tummy, or intermittent diarrhea. It’s wonderful for dogs who tend to get diarrhea from stressors such as separation from their parents (vacation/boarding, work, etc.), car rides, fireworks or storms, or groomer or vet visits. It acts as an antispasmodic, easing muscle tension and spasms in the GI tract, and reducing inflammation in the gut.

Chamomile also acts as a nervine to reduce anxiety and nervousness. It works best when used before as well as during and after the stressor. For example, start it a few days before vacation (or fireworks season, vet/groomer visits), and continue it until a few days after your return. Chamomile may also be useful for skin and respiratory allergies, insomnia, and stomach upset not related to anxiety/stress.


Serving Size

XS dogs
(< 10 lbs)

¼ cup of cooled tea*

S dogs
(10 - 20 lbs)

¼-½ cup of cooled tea*

M dogs
(21 - 50 lbs)

½-1 cup of cooled tea*

L dogs
(51 - 90 lbs)

1-2 cups of cooled tea*

XL dogs
(> 90 lbs)

2 cups of cooled tea*

*Divide the total above serving size into 2–3 servings per day.


FREQUENCY

Chamomile is generally safe to use daily, but avoid long-term daily use unless directed by a veterinarian or veterinary herbalist.


HOW TO SERVE

Orally:

  1. Use dried organic chamomile flowers or a plain, unsweetened organic chamomile tea bag.
  2. Steep 1 tsp of flowers (or 1 tea bag) in 1 cup hot water for 5–10 minutes.
  3. Let cool completely and mix into your dog’s food or serve separately.
  4. Start with smaller amounts to assess tolerance, particularly in pets with seasonal allergies.

Topically:

  1. Soak 1 bag of chamomile tea per 1-2 cups of hot water.
  2. Let cool to room temperature.
  3. Soak itchy paws in the tea for 5 minutes, then towel dry OR soak a washcloth in the tea and apply as a compress to itchy, inflamed skin for 5 minutes.


warning

IMPORTANT

Avoid use at the same time as administering opioid pain medicines or other sedating herbal supplements as that may lead to increased sedation.


Do not use if your dog has ragweed allergies, as it may cross-react.


Do not use the essential oil in pregnant animals.





arrow_rightReferences

Abebe W. Herbal medications potential for adverse interactions with analgesic drugs. J Clin Pharm Ther 2002: 391-402

Wynn, Susan G., Fougere, Barbara J. Veterinary Herbal Medicine. Missouri: Mosby, 2007: 507-510

Dai, Y.-L., Li, Y., Wang, Q., Niu, F.-J., Li, K.-W., Wang, Y.-Y., Wang, J., Zhou, C.-Z., & Gao, L.-N. (2022, December 23). Chamomile: A review of its traditional uses, chemical constituents, pharmacological activities and Quality Control Studies. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland). https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9822300/

Srivastava, J. K., Shankar, E., & Gupta, S. (2010, November 1). Chamomile: A herbal medicine of the past with bright future. Molecular medicine reports. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2995283/

Keefe JR, Mao JJ, Soeller I, Li QS, Amsterdam JD. Short-term open-label chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla L.) therapy of moderate to severe generalized anxiety disorder. Phytomedicine. 2016 Dec 15;23(14):1699-1705. doi: 10.1016/j.phymed.2016.10.013. Epub 2016 Oct 24. PMID: 27912871; PMCID: PMC5589135.