Turmeric for Dogs and Cats

Just a comment regarding apparent cures using turmeric or any remedy that seems to cure a tumor, cyst, or any type ailment. If a remedy works, maybe it should be continued to possibly insure that the cause has been eliminated so it does not recur. If the animal or person is responding to a remedy or diet, as soon as you stop and go back to the environment that created the ailment, most likely it comes back. My Laddie is 14 and I just noticed a lump growing on his chest. I heard of turmeric for humans a few years back in a health magazine. Glad to know it is okay for pets. Need to pick up some for him. Thank you!

Turmeric for Canine Cyst

My 4 year old sheltie had a cyst about the size of a pebble on her head. The vet had aspirated it to check for cancer, which was negative and said at some point we will need to remove it surgically, as it had grown at least twice its size in a year. A friend had sent me the earth clinic web site a while ago, so I decided to look up cyst. Although I didn't see it listed for pets, I did see that people were using turmeric to remove cysts by digesting it, so off to the grocery I went. I bought the store brand turmeric and sprinkled it in her food 5 days a week for 3 weeks. I mixed it with warm water and a little bit of canned food to hide any taste she might not like. I didn't measure, I just sprinkled it in, I'd guess 1 tsp a day with her food. After about a week, I noticed the cyst was in fact shrinking. After 3 weeks it was completely gone and has been gone for a month now. I read that tumeric contains curcumin, which is probably what made it work. Info on curcumin can be found here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curcumin. Thanks so much Earth Clinic!

Thanks for your posts, Chloe and Dianna. They reminded me to update EC about turmeric and my dog Max's burst cyst. I have continued to add about an 8th of a teaspoon turmeric mixed in chicken broth to Max's breakfast kibble each morning since October. The cyst on his right paw was quite large and had burst a few months ago. As I mentioned, the turmeric started to heal the cyst within a few days. It took about 2 months, but the lump is now completely gone!!

I would have started Max on turmeric ages ago had I known how helpful it is with benign cysts (he has them all over his body). Many thanks again to Lisa for telling us about this great remedy.

Just wanted to report that I am having great results on my 14+ year old german shephard mix who has arthritis (especially in the hips). I think that one of the most helpful and important things I'm doing is exercising him without fail every day. I take him on walks each day, usually about 3.5 miles total. Considering his age, he's in remarkably good shape and, except on steep hills, keeps up with our other 2 young dogs. We used to walk by a neighbor's golden retriever who was let outside in the front yard several times a day to do her thing. She hobbled around in obvious pain, barely able to walk. I never once saw the owners taking their sweet dog out for a walk. She was only about 10 years old when they put her to sleep. Just my opinion, but I think early deaths happen with some frequency to yard-only dogs. Exercise keeps those joints lubricated!

Supplements: I also recently started adding turmeric, msm and glucosamine to Max's food. Dosages: 1/4 teaspoon of powdered turmeric in his food in the morning, diluted with chicken broth. At night I crush a 1000 mg tablet of MSM and give him half of it (500 mg), plus a full capsule of glucosamine blend from Trader Joe's (glucosamine sulfate 750mg and glucosamine HCI 750 mg). My vet mentioned that she likes the combo of MSM and glucosamine for dogs with arthritis, which is why I started him on that a few weeks ago. The turmeric has helped heal up a benign cyst that had burst through the skin on his front paw. Very glad one of EC's readers reported a cure for dog cysts recently -- thanks! At any rate, Max seems to be doing better on the supplements -- walking faster, wrestling with the other dogs, less confusion at night when the lights go off. Yea, yea, yea.

I have a female rat (Lily) with the cyst problem. I was wondering what you do with the turmeric. Do I just add it to the water? ...If so, how much and how often? I have another rat in the cage with her. Is it ok for the other rat to take the turmeric as well?"

02/04/2009: Chloe from Seattle, WA, USA replies: "Response to Erica's Question regarding Turmeric for rats. You need to put it in their food, not the water. It won't hurt the other rat to have it. I'm taking it myself!! I'd put a pinch on their food every day and see what happens. Chloe xoxo

recently my pet rat sookie started getting what looks to be a mammary tumor growing on her lower abdomen. i have had rats (females) get this before and they are fast growing and sometimes cancerous - and it cost a lot of money to have them removed (if they can) and then they usually grow back.

well, i immediately started giving her high doses of tumeric in ensure or oatmeal. the lump has not gotten any bigger and it has been several weeks. it actually appears to be getting smaller. this is a godsend. she is an older rat (1 1/2 years) and has always been frail and i don't think she would be a good candidate for surgery. i would suggest that anyone with pet rats that get lumps give them tumeric. actually, i plan to give all my rats tumeric from now on because it also helps with abcesses, and it said to keep lumps from forming. i have told all my rat friends about your site!

YAY! thanks for this site!
djh

Just wanted to update everyone. The sebaceous cyst on Sadie's (Golden Retriever) foot is COMPLETELY gone! Turmeric saved the day!! Also, the cyst on her side has gone down considerably, but is not completely gone yet. 1 teaspoon per day in her food. I add a little olive oil and she loves it! xoxo Chloe

Turmeric Remedy for Cysts. Mid December 08, my 7-year old Golden Retriever was limping and her left paw was in pain. I could feel a hard lump next to one of the pads. Took her to the vet. They aspirated it and sent it to lab. (cost $180). Advised me that it was a sebaceous cyst and would have to be removed to the tune of $600 (that's including the discount of vet ins.) They said it WOULD NOT go away and it WOULD NOT burst. It would have to be cut off. It was "hard" now as it was old and not filled with fluid. I was desperate to find a natural cure, as I didn't want to spend $600!!. I've been on this website before (LOVE IT!!) and stumbled upon Lisa from Ohio's turmeric remedy. I started in immediately and now, 2 weeks later, the cyst is HALF its former size and is not painful at all. It was rock-hard before and now feels more normal. 2 weeks ago I couldn't even touch it! THIS REMEDY IS A MIRACLE. Sadie also has a soft cyst the size of a nickle on her chest and that has gotten smaller as well! I just used regular turmeric from the grocery store. 1 teaspoon per day. I have done extensive research on turmeric and have found it to be a miracle herb. I am now taking it myself 2x per day in tablet form. THANK-YOU EARTH CLINIC!!!!!! xoxo Chloe

I've had great success with turmeric to stop wounds from bleeding. If you catch a slice by the kitchen knife quick enough, the blood will coagulate behind a layer of turmeric. I also add turmeric to a warm water soak with sea salt or epsom salt to draw out infection/inflammation from wounds for my family. I treated our dog's copper head bite with a turmeric poultice. Her leg was swollen and the skin around the 2 puncture wounds was necrotic and oozing and after many soaks and poultices, it healed leaving no scar.

Turmeric (Ruptured retina): I gave my dog turmeric (1 teasp) mixed in with his food and some tasty gravy after the vet said he would have to have his eye removed. There has been a dramatic improvement and the vet is no longer talking about removing the eye. He still has drops from the vet but the turmeric seems to have reduced the inflammation. It also seems to have shrunk a large fatty lump on his chest. This was not a tumour, but unpleasant to touch and you can hardly feel it now.