Golden Retriever with Jaw Surgery
Answered by: Kerry Hackett
Question from: Carol Dinning
Posted on: November 16, 2009

My dog has recently had surgery to remove a tumor from her jaw, I would like to give her red clover to try to prevent it from coming back but no one seems to have any information on the effects this may have on her. I would like to know if it is safe and how long she can be on it. I also need to know the dosage and if there is anything else you would recommend us doing for her at this time.

An animal that is recovering from extensive surgery such as you describe should really be monitored by a qualified professional in your area in order to address not only her healing but to strengthen those areas that might be implicated in her recent illness. Such a practitioner may be found through the Veterinary Botanical Medicine Association at www.vbma.org

As for Red Clover, there appears to be some research that shows it can be useful in osteosarcoma (bone cancer) however, there is also some caution in administering it if your dog is on a number of pharmaceutical drugs. This would apply specifically to those drugs metabolized by the CYP3A4 P-450 pathway and estrogens: please see your veterinarian and/or pharmacist to determine if there might be a conflict. Other cautions include: do not use this herb if your animal has issues with blood clotting, or if your dog is pregnant or lactating. The only recommendations as to dose I have been able to find refer to giving a dog a "pinch" of red clover flowers once a day along with their food. This herb can also be employed externally: soak the flowering tops in a small amount of hot water and apply the wet herb as a poultice to the affected area once or twice a day for as long as it is tolerated. Many herbs work just as well from the outside as from the inside and you can avoid any problems with internal contraindications.

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