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Hiya I know this has had a bit of a mention before but just have to say what a top herb this is...

I was put onto this by my breeder for bouts of Diarrhea. My dog has been munching so many different things on our walks that no matter how many I retrieve from his mouth some things just get through. Anyway so he must have eaten something that didn't agree with him and has had a few bouts of the squirts.

So off to the health food shop for some Slippery Elm powder. I probably would have ordered through Steve here, but no time on this occasion. Luckily the shop near me sells a quality organic product.

So, one heaped teaspoon in 250ml cold water, mixed well and then bring to the boil on stove and simmer for 3 minutes. Take off heat and add a teaspoon of honey (optional) allow to cool. I serve around a 2 teaspoons of the jelly like tea half an hour before food for every my 17kg puppy.

It gives a good barrier like coating to the stomach and intestines and fixed up the runs in one dose.

Anyway, It is a great natural solution that really work amazingly well, I believe that you can go up in dose from what I gave my dog. Hopefully those with more experience can chime in as I believe that you can make a salve from it as well and I am sure there must be other positive attributes to this wonderful herb- Steve and Erny???

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Hiya I know this has had a bit of a mention before but just have to say what a top herb this is...

I was put onto this by my breeder for bouts of Diarrhea. My dog has been munching so many different things on our walks that no matter how many I retrieve from his mouth some things just get through. Anyway so he must have eaten something that didn't agree with him and has had a few bouts of the squirts.

So off to the health food shop for some Slippery Elm powder. I probably would have ordered through Steve here, but no time on this occasion. Luckily the shop near me sells a quality organic product.

So, one heaped teaspoon in 250ml cold water, mixed well and then bring to the boil on stove and simmer for 3 minutes. Take off heat and add a teaspoon of honey (optional) allow to cool. I serve around a 2 teaspoons of the jelly like tea half an hour before food for every my 17kg puppy.

It gives a good barrier like coating to the stomach and intestines and fixed up the runs in one dose.

Anyway, It is a great natural solution that really work amazingly well, I believe that you can go up in dose from what I gave my dog. Hopefully those with more experience can chime in as I believe that you can make a salve from it as well and I am sure there must be other positive attributes to this wonderful herb- Steve and Erny???

Yep its great isn't it?

I always have some of this on hand and often have it with my breaky. Just very recently my son was hospitalized with a super bug – bleeding from the bowel, dehydration, extremely ill, and this stuff worked like a miracle. Over the years it's been a huge help with raising puppies too and the garbage guts beagles.

Traditionally it's used to help remedy chest, lung and bronchial conditions such as coughs and inflammation, Gastroesophogeal reflux disease (GERD), Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, and irritable bowel syndrome, Diarrhoea, Irritable Bowel Syndrome ,Colitis and diverticulitis,Inflammation anywhere in the gut, Colic, Indigestion or acid 'reflux' (that is a common use for Slippery Elm), Ulcers (stomach & intestines) With Diarrhoea – its even better when combined with a banana and powdered Marshmallow], Believe it or not – its great for Constipation – Same sort of effect as psylium.

Its a good food for using to help recover from an illness, and as a baby food - has heaps of

It is also said to be good for urinary tract infections -such as cystitis.

Don't forget its also great for Wounds, burns, boils,[as a poultice] psoriasis, and other skin conditions (external) including grass seeds. Magic in my experience as a drawing poultice for splinters etc - For Humans and dogs.

You can make a number of concoctions with it, adding it to warmed milk with honey for yourself or the kids or if they have a cold go with honey and lemon - or dogs for kennel cough. Or mixing it with juice and letting it thicken a bit, then spooning it to a baby or child who has bowel issues, a cold or flu, or is coming off the back of a course of antibiotics. You can mix it 1:1 with honey and roll into balls, then freeze and use as lozenges with cold and flu.You can add it to cereal or porridge, yoghurt or smoothies.- Its one of those things that you cant over dose on but you need to be aware that it can affect absorption of other meds and supps so take it an hour before and or after any of these.

Tastes like dirt to me without anything added but not too bad and if you don't get it in pretty quick after making it before you know it its thick as - so don't leave it sitting before you take it. Ive mixed it with most things over the years for either kids or dogs.

Edited by Steve
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I'm another fan of this. I just make a slurry with a small amount of warm water and a teaspoon of powder. Have never had to use it on the dogs for anything but mild diarrhoea but one dose has always cleared it up. I did not realise it had such a large range of uses as Steve has pointed out though.

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Don't forget its also great for Wounds, burns, boils,[as a poultice] psoriasis, and other skin conditions (external) including grass seeds. Magic in my experience as a drawing poultice for splinters etc - For Humans and dogs.

Thanks for the additional info, Steve!!

I have a packet of Slippery Elm in my pantry of "natural fix-its" - this from the earlier days with my dog when his digestive issues were showing up. Unfortunately it didn't do much for him but then that's because there was so much else going on with him and it wasn't just an 'upset' of sorts. But it doesn't mean I dismissed its excellent potential, just that it wasn't what he needed.

You've spiked my interest by revealing all the other uses for it. Thank you.

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yeah, I'd love to know more about making a poultice or salve ? :)

I've been googling .... a tonne of info out there :D . Mind you ..... really need to get on with other things. Spending time at the PC .... well, it just flies!!

Edited by Erny
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I agree totally with all the comments on slippery elm (bark powder). It's a must have in the medical box. The only word of warning is to avoid long term use - because of the highly effective mucilaginous coating it creates on the lining of the gut, it can interfere with uptake of nutrients, so long term use can cause a nutritional deficiency. I advise 3-5 days of therapy, and also you MUST determine the original underlying cause, and correct that.

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I agree totally with all the comments on slippery elm (bark powder). It's a must have in the medical box. The only word of warning is to avoid long term use - because of the highly effective mucilaginous coating it creates on the lining of the gut, it can interfere with uptake of nutrients, so long term use can cause a nutritional deficiency. I advise 3-5 days of therapy, and also you MUST determine the original underlying cause, and correct that.

Thanks for this info Doc, it is great to know.

I mixed some probiotic into the cold tea when I made it up for my dog. I wonder if the the probiotic was a waste due to the coating nature of the Slippery Elm?

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I agree totally with all the comments on slippery elm (bark powder). It's a must have in the medical box. The only word of warning is to avoid long term use - because of the highly effective mucilaginous coating it creates on the lining of the gut, it can interfere with uptake of nutrients, so long term use can cause a nutritional deficiency. I advise 3-5 days of therapy, and also you MUST determine the original underlying cause, and correct that.

Thanks for this info Doc, it is great to know.

I mixed some probiotic into the cold tea when I made it up for my dog. I wonder if the the probiotic was a waste due to the coating nature of the Slippery Elm?

No, that will work fine, as probiotics only live in the gut, they do not cross the gut wall. In fact, the slippery elm would be a great pre-biotic (food for probiotics)

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I tried it for recurring constipation in one of my kids. It didn't do anything. Sounds like another 'wonder product' to me.

If it's a 'wonder product' it sure is a very old fashioned one. I't been used by people for themselves and their dogs for many years.

If your dog or child is suffering recurring constipation, it's time to look at their diet.

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Personally I would not use slippery elm for constipation, as it is not really a stool softener, and much of its beneficial activity will be used up by the time it reaches the colon. I would advise you use psyllium hulls for constipation, much more reliable result.

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Looks like something I'll have to try for myself. Not to mention Panda's funny tummy. The only other place I've heard of it is on the Yahoo raw feeding forum I go on. It's about the only thing they recommend for the runs, a funny lot, they don't believe in vaccinations, heartworm/worm treatments, flea products - only diatomaceous earth. They swear that a total raw fed diet helps most ills.

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I tried it for recurring constipation in one of my kids. It didn't do anything. Sounds like another 'wonder product' to me.

If it's a 'wonder product' it sure is a very old fashioned one. I't been used by people for themselves and their dogs for many years.

If your dog or child is suffering recurring constipation, it's time to look at their diet.

DIet is the first thing we looked at. It isn't always that simple.

I'm always sceptical when I see a product that is 'fabulous' for a massive list of things. I'm just saying that it was recommended for constipation (as it was in this thread) and that it deflinitely didn't work. Psyllium didn't either (in fact it made it worst). It's good to collect evidence and data from all angles isn't it?

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DIet is the first thing we looked at. It isn't always that simple.

I'm always sceptical when I see a product that is 'fabulous' for a massive list of things. I'm just saying that it was recommended for constipation (as it was in this thread) and that it deflinitely didn't work. Psyllium didn't either (in fact it made it worst). It's good to collect evidence and data from all angles isn't it?

I agree that it isn't always that simple - but it generally is what the point of focus needs to remain at, until you can pin-point the problem. In the meantime, natural supplements such as slippery elm for an irritated stomach or colin, or calendula for skin irritations/eruptions such as this thread and another currently running have been talking about (amongst other things) can be used to assist - but not on its/their own to cure if the cause persists.

Regards the psyliium - I understand it's a matter of finding the right amount that is the key. My understanding is that it is used for constipation as well as for diarrhoea - too much can exacerbate loose stools. But Steve is the better person to ask/check this in this respect. My point is, don't throw the baby out with the bath water. Admittedly, I found slippery elm didn't firm up my boy's stools. But that's because I hadn't even closely 'nailed' what the problem was, and so it was persisting. However, there is the possibility at the time that it did help to protect his gut from the irritation the 'diet/s' I trialled him on (one by one) were contributing to.

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I used this on my Sphynx - one who had terrible bouts of IBS - worked brilliantly. I could only get capsules so I broke them open and sprinkled it on their food, it helped very quickly. I did use it for a good few weeks but that was as my cats gut was so inflammed.

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DIet is the first thing we looked at. It isn't always that simple.

I'm always sceptical when I see a product that is 'fabulous' for a massive list of things. I'm just saying that it was recommended for constipation (as it was in this thread) and that it deflinitely didn't work. Psyllium didn't either (in fact it made it worst). It's good to collect evidence and data from all angles isn't it?

This can happen. Everyone is different. It's off-putting to find out a solution that works for some does not fit the bill for others.

I am one of those that had no luck with either Slippery Elm or Psyllium for constipation as well. Made everything worse.

However I have used the Slippery Elm for other ailments for myself with success. My efforts with the animals have been successful as well.

:)

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