How Much Hawthorn Should I Give My Jack Russell Terrier for a Slow Heartbeat?

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Hawthorn berries have been used for traditional medicine. They’ve been used by people as early as the 1st century for treating heart related problems. It can even be used on dogs like Jack Russel Terrier. The question is how much hawthorn should I give my Jack Russel Terrier for a slow heartbeat?

How Much Hawthorn Should I Give My Jack Russell Terrier for a Slow Heartbeat?

You can give your Jack Russell Terrier 1 teaspoon of hawthorn for every pound of dog food a day for slow heartbeat. There are many ways you can make your Jack Russel Terrier eat or drink hawthorn.

A close-up image of Hawthorn berries

Hawthorn is a natural way to enhance and detox the heart so that it can function normally. Be careful about giving too much. Dogs also need a balance diet so it’s important that you keep track of what your dog eats.

There are also ready to eat hawthorn products for dogs that you can get. Some are natural blend of herbs that also contain hawthorn for different kinds of health benefits.

What Is Hawthorn?

Hawthorn is a supplement that is taken from the Crataegus plants. It is mainly used for:

  • Enhancing digestion
  • Lower blood cholesterol
  • Detox the heart
  • Support the function of the heart

While being mainly used for humans, hawthorn can also be used for animals like Jack Russell Terrier to manage certain heart diseases like a slow heartbeat.

How Hawthorn Helps the Heart for Your Jack Russel Terrier

Hawthorn is a recognized cardiotonic which improves the general functions of the heart. It can help with steadying and strengthening a weak or irregular heartbeat for your Jack Russell Terrier. It can even help lower blood pressure and cholesterol.

For dogs with slow heartbeat or congestive heart failure, hawthorn is an essential part of their diet to help the heart pump blood effectively. Hawthorn works by dilating the coronary vessels and of the brain also.

Aside from helping with heart function, hawthorn can also help prevent damage to the heart and repair the heart from damage. It is even rich in flavonoid which is good for the heart.

Dosage of Hawthorn for Dogs

As mentioned before 1 teaspoon of hawthorn for every pound of the dog’s food per day. It only applies to powdered hawthorn. For a hawthorn tea, you can use 1 teaspoon of dried berries for every cup of hot water. You can add the tea to your dog’s food.

You can also buy hawthorn tinctures that are more palatable for your dogs. Give ½ teaspoon daily for small dogs like Jack Russell Terrier and 1 teaspoon for larger dog breeds.

Just to make sure, consult with a veterinarian first before adding hawthorn to your dog’s diet. This ensures that your Jack Russell Terrier can adjust to its new diet without any problems and get the full health benefit from hawthorn.

An image of a Jack Russell terrier in a grassland

Other Health Benefits of Hawthorn for Dogs

Aside from your Jack Russell Terrier’s heart health, hawthorn also provides other health benefits for your dog. Here are some important ones.

Antioxidant

Hawthorn contains a lot of polyphenols which are antioxidants found mostly in plants. These antioxidants help eliminate free radicals. Free radicals are unstable molecules made through metabolism and can lead to oxidative stress and increase the risk of disease.

Your Jack Russell Terrier can benefit from it and slow down its aging and reduce its risk of any form of illness.

Digestive Health

Hawthorn berries are known in herbal medicine for its digestive health benefits. Hawthorn contains fibers that have prebiotic properties. Prebiotics are non-digestible fibers that promote good bacteria growth in the gut.

This will lead to improvement in your immune health and lower risk of disease. Hawthorn also helps with digestion thanks to it helping with increasing the secretion of digestive enzymes.

Anxiety

While further research needs to be done, hawthorn has been shown to help with symptoms of anxiety in animals. They are also shown to have fewer side effects compared to pharmaceutical drugs.

Hawthorn and Drug Interactions

As I said before, it is important that you consult with your veterinarian first before giving hawthorn to your Jack Russell Terrier because it might interact with other medications your dog is taking. For that, you should avoid giving hawthorn if your dog also takes one of these medications:

  • Adenosine
  • Anticoagulants
  • Barbiturates
  • Blood pressure medications
  • Caffeine
  • Cardiac glycosides
  • Epinephrine
  • Papaverine
  • Sodium nitrate
  • Theophylline

It may also interact with other herbal therapies, vitamins, and supplements. Hence, if your dog is taking any other form of prescription or over-the-counter medications, it’s best to get advice from a veterinarian.

Am image of Hawthorn tree

Related Questions

How Is Hawthorn Given?

Hawthorn is usually given by mixing it with the dog’s food. Sometimes it can be given through capsule, tablet, or liquid extract. Most owners mix it with food to avoid an upset stomach.

What Happens If I Miss Giving Hawthorn to My Dog?

As long as you don’t give too much dose to your dog it shouldn’t be a problem. As long as you’re not close to the time of the next dose, you can give your dog hawthorn and adjust the time of dosage. Never give your dog two doses at the same time.

Conclusion

Hawthorn can be helpful for your Jack Russell Terrier that has problems with a slow heartbeat. Hawthorn has a lot of health benefits, especially for the heart. Just make sure you consult with your veterinarian to get the right way of giving hawthorn to your pet.