Ashwagandha
Backed by Dr. Lisa Fiorenza
BENEFITS
Ashwagandha is an Ayurvedic herb that has been used for over 4,000 years. It's considered an adaptogenic herb that works by supporting hormone regulation to restore balance to either over- or under-functioning hormone systems that lead to an overly stressed nervous system. Because of this, it is a very effective calming herb for anxious pets.
It has also traditionally been used for inflammation and arthritis. Other veterinary uses include high blood pressure, stress, arthritis, cognitive dysfunction, and hypothyroidism. It's a wonderful tonic for old, sick pets, those with chronic disease, and those recovering from a major illness (such as pneumonia). It can increase both red and white blood cell levels and platelet numbers for pets with anemia (such as in chronic kidney disease or many other chronic diseases), or chronic or acute illness such as infections or cancer, or from cancer treatments that may have lowered these levels. It can also be beneficial for pets with skin or respiratory allergies. It may even improve response to radiation therapy in cancer patients, and reduce its negative effects on healthy cells.
Serving Size
XS dogs
(< 10 lbs)
90mg dried herb*
S dogs
(10 - 20 lbs)
275mg dried herb*
M dogs
(21 - 50 lbs)
600mg dried herb*
L dogs
(51 - 90 lbs)
1,300mg (1.3g) dried herb*
XL dogs
(> 90 lbs)
2,000mg (2g) dried herb*
*Divide the total above serving size into 2-3 servings per day.
FREQUENCY
Ashwagandha can be given daily, unless your dog is pregnant.
HOW TO SERVE
- Ashwagandha is typically given as the processed and extracted dried herb, or as a tincture that is diluted in water or broth.
- Either can be added to your dog's food or a yummy treat.
IMPORTANT
Not for use in pregnant animals.
Large doses can cause GI upset, diarrhea, and vomiting.
arrow_rightReferences
Panda S, Kar A. Changes in thyroid hormone concentrations after administration of ashwagandha root extract to adult male mice. J Pharm Pharmacol 1998;50:1065-1068
Wynn, Susan G., Fougere, Barbara J. Veterinary Herbal Medicine. Missouri: Mosby, 2007: 475-478
Singh M, Ramassamy C. In vitro screening of neuroprotective activity of Indian medicinal plant Withania somnifera. J Nutr Sci. 2017 Oct 18;6:e54. doi: 10.1017/jns.2017.48. PMID: 29152258; PMCID: PMC5672322.
Wiciński M, Fajkiel-Madajczyk A, Kurant Z, Kurant D, Gryczka K, Falkowski M, Wiśniewska M, Słupski M, Ohla J, Zabrzyński J. Can Ashwagandha Benefit the Endocrine System?-A Review. Int J Mol Sci. 2023 Nov 20;24(22):16513. doi: 10.3390/ijms242216513. PMID: 38003702; PMCID: PMC10671406.
Akhgarjand C, Asoudeh F, Bagheri A, Kalantar Z, Vahabi Z, Shab-Bidar S, Rezvani H, Djafarian K. Does Ashwagandha supplementation have a beneficial effect on the management of anxiety and stress? A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Phytother Res. 2022 Nov;36(11):4115-4124. doi: 10.1002/ptr.7598. Epub 2022 Aug 25. PMID: 36017529.
Mandlik Ingawale DS, Namdeo AG. Pharmacological evaluation of Ashwagandha highlighting its healthcare claims, safety, and toxicity aspects. J Diet Suppl. 2021;18(2):183-226. doi: 10.1080/19390211.2020.1741484. Epub 2020 Apr 3. PMID: 32242751.
Sharma AK, Basu I, Singh S. Efficacy and Safety of Ashwagandha Root Extract in Subclinical Hypothyroid Patients: A Double-Blind, Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trial. J Altern Complement Med. 2018 Mar;24(3):243-248. doi: 10.1089/acm.2017.0183. Epub 2017 Aug 22. PMID: 28829155.
Ziauddin M, Phansalkar N, Patki P, Diwanay S, Patwardhan B. Studies on the immunomodulatory effects of Ashwagandha. J Ethnopharmacol. 1996 Feb;50(2):69-76. doi: 10.1016/0378-8741(95)01318-0. PMID: 8866726.
Bharani KK, Devarasetti AK, Bobbili R, Khurana A, Veera Hanuman DD, Gudepu R, Guda S. The role of Ashwagandha in modulating gut parameters in dogs-a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial. Front Vet Sci. 2025 Jan 22;11:1491989. doi: 10.3389/fvets.2024.1491989. PMID: 39911483; PMCID: PMC11794502.
Bharani KK, Devarasetti AK, Carey L, Khurana A, Kollipaka R, Hanuman DDV, Chetla VS, Banothu AK. Effects of ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) root extract on aging-related changes in healthy geriatric dogs: A randomized, double-blinded placebo-controlled study. Vet Med Sci. 2024 Sep;10(5):e1556. doi: 10.1002/vms3.1556. PMID: 39078383; PMCID: PMC11288135.
Azimi E, Rameshrad M, Ghasemzadeh Rahbardar M, Hosseinzadeh H. Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) in insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome: A literature review on mechanisms. Iran J Basic Med Sci. 2026;29(1):3-21. doi: 10.22038/ijbms.2025.86747.18741. PMID: 41641144; PMCID: PMC12867099.
The American Society of Clinical Oncology’s newsletter: https://ascopost.com/issues/august-25-2020/ashwagandha/