Collie with Cracked Nose
Answered by: Kerry Hackett
Question from: Louise-Nicole Reimer
Posted on: April 16, 2007

I have a 11 year old border collie and his noze is dry and cracks and splits all the time I put ‘Vitamin E’ on it but he licks it off. Can you recommend a homeopathic remedy? I feel so sorry for him because that must hurt all the time.

The first question to ask is "Why is this happening?" It may have something to do with your dog’s diet, ie: lack of bioavailable nutrients, especially fats which have a profound impact on skin integrity and fur quality. This may be accomplished through the use of a good, homemade diet. Please see the work of Richard Pitcairn, "Natural Health for Dogs and Cats", "The Complete Herbal Handbook for the Dog and Cat" by Juliette de Bairacli Levy and "The Barf Diet" by Ian Billinghurst for further information and recipes. In the meantime, you might want to try a fomentation for your dog’s nose. Mix equal parts of Calendula flowers (Calendula officinalis) and Plantain leaves (Plantago major or P. lanceolata). Take one handful of this mixture and add two cups of boiling water. Let steep (covered) until it is body temperature. Strain. Dip a clean cotton cloth in the tea and apply it to your dog’s nose three times a day. The tea should be stored in the fridge and should be useable for up to three days whereupon you will have to make another batch.

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