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Digital Editor: Melody McKinnon 7

Aloe has become quite popular as humans move towards natural remedies, but is it safe for cats and dogs?

Good news!  Aloe vera gel is one of the safest ‘wonder herbs’ for pets and it has many uses for virtually all of them. Even sensitive pets like cats can safely enjoy its holistic and medicinal benefits.

What can Aloe do for your pet?

  • Soothes and treats skin conditions
  • Wound & insect bite healing
  • Burn treatment & cooling
  • Treat frostbite
  • Kidney stones
  • Anti-bacterial
  • Anti-inflammatory
  • Topical pain relief
  • Repairs cellular damage and reduces scarring
  • Immunostimulant (Acemannan)
  • Digestion (nutrient absorption) & digestive system injury
  • Heals ulcers
  • Normalizes blood sugar
  • Protects against radiation exposure
  • Dietary supplement of antioxidants, polysaccharides, enzymes, protein and minerals.
  • May prevent cancer and tumors (Alo A)

Aloe has been studied quite extensively, including animal studies. Its effectiveness on a broad spectrum of maladies is well documented.

You can treat pets using the gel from a broken Aloe plant leaf, or purchase Aloe juice or gel.  Aloe gel is usually used externally, Aloe juice internally, and Aloe bitters are used for kidney stones and constipation. It can be used alone or in essential oil blends and other pet products.

Notes of Caution

  • Long-term internal use is not recommended (more than two weeks).
  • Whole Aloe plants should not be eaten by pets. Only the gel is edible.
  • Internal use is not recommended for nursing animals as Aloe is passed through the mother’s milk.
  • Aloe juice and gel are safe for pets. However, products containing ‘Aloes’ (extracted latex) are not.
  • Aloe has been used on many pets without issue, including dogs, cats, horses, ferrets and rabbits. We do, however, recommend consultation with your veterinarian if medical conditions are present and to avoid possible drug interaction. Prescription drugs should not be taken at the same time as Aloe.
  • Be aware that many products containing Aloe actually contain very little of it. Look for it in the top 3 ingredients if it’s the focus of your treatment.
  • Keep Aloe plants out of reach of pets.

??? Have you treated a pet with Aloe vera? Please share your experience in the comments below.

Sources:
Swaim, S. F. Lee, A. H. Topical Wound Medications. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association. 1987.
Tilford, Gregory. Wulff, Mary. Herbs for Pets: The Natural Way to Enhance Your Pet’s Life. 2009.
Balch, Phyllis. Prescription for Nutritional Healing. 2010.

✔ You may also be interested in reading:
Green-Lipped Mussel (Perna canaliculus) for Pets
Silver Sea Salt: Healing Pet & Aquarium Mineral Supplement
Double the Power of Seaweed by Mixing Species (Infographic)

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7 thoughts on “Is Aloe Vera Safe for Cats and Dogs?”

  2. Yup! It’s been a standby for my family and dogs for as long as I can remember. Thanks for the confirmation!

  4. I treated my dog with Aloë. He had a wound on his nose, could not clean it by himself. We have fresh Aloë in our garden, i putted some gel mixed with lavenderoil on it and the wound healed very in two days.

    • Because they can’t scarf down the plant. It contains saponins so only juice products can be used internally to address specific issues. That’s why there’s a caution to not use it internally over the long term.

  6. My vet isn’t into natural remedies much but he did recommend aloe juice occasionally for constipation. Our dog was on medication that caused it. Great article!

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