Echinacea

 Echinacea is the name of a herbaceous flower which is often gathered for its health benefits. Some studies have shown that taking Echinacea can speed up recovery time from common illnesses such as colds and flu. It is also often used to bolster the body’s immune system either by itself or alongside other substances like Vitamin C. Different parts of the plant can produce different effects, for dogs it is most advisable to use a blend of Echinacea which contains both E. purpurea herb and E. angustifolia root.

Echinacea has been tested on dogs in powder form at a dosage of 45 mg/lb body weight given once a day. This dosage was administered in a study which tested the effectiveness of Echinacea in treating dogs with chronic respiratory infections. After 4 weeks of sustained treatment the study found that a whopping 39 of the 42 tested dogs were relieved of all symptoms.