Q. Dear Terry, “I recently started fostering a rescue puppy who came from a hoarding situation. He needs to go to the veterinarian every few weeks to get his puppy shots, but he get so anxious with all of the noise and other dogs at the veterinary clinic. Is there anything I can do for him?” – Colin C., Manchester, NH

A. Dear Colin, A trip to the veterinarian or groomer can be a significant stressor to dogs and cause a lot of anxiety. While it’s difficult to control some of the anxiety producing circumstances in our pet’s lives, there is a natural medicine that I think can really make a difference with canine anxiety.

When it comes to addressing anxiety, I recommend adding narrow-leaved coneflower (Echinacea angustifolia) root extract to your dog’s daily regimen. Researchers have discovered that compounds in this unique type of coneflower can help reduce anxiety as effectively as certain prescription medications, without the side effects, like sedation. Even better, the anxiety-reducing effects can be noted within as little as 30 minutes.

I would give your dog this coneflower extract about 30 minutes to an hour before you leave for work and it’s safe enough to be given daily. Make sure you look for a clinically studied, narrow-leaved coneflower root extract that is standardized for alkamides in the right ratio to reduce anxiety.

Healthy Regards!

Terry . . . Naturally