Quercetin - Alternative Medicine for Dogs and Cats - Benefits, Interactions, Dosage

★ 4 min read 

In this article: 

1. About Quercetin
1. What is Quercetin
2. Safer Than Conventional Antihistamines
   
2. Examples of Quercetin Rich Fruit, Vegetables and Herbs
3. How To Boost Absorption of Quercetin
   
4. What Type of Quercetin Should You Choose for Your Dog and Cat
   
5. Health Benefits of Quercetin
   
6. Cautions
7. Quercetin Hypersensitivity
   
8. Quercetin Drug Interactions
9. Quercetin Dosage for Dogs and Cats
   

1.0 About Quercetin

1.1 What is Quercetin  

 

Quercetin is a naturally occurring flavonoid found in many plants. Flavonoids (or bioflavonoids) are plant-pigments that play an essential role in attracting pollinators to plants. 

 

Flavonoids have health supporting properties that prevent and treat health issues in humans, dogs, cats and other animals. The health supporting activities of quercetin include:

1. Anti-allergenic
2. Anti-carcinogenic
3. Anti-fungal
4. Anti-Inflammatory
5. Anti-microbial
6. Anti-viral

1.2 Safer Than Conventional Antihistamines

 

 

Quercetin is also known as nature’s Benadryl.  

 

Benadryl and other conventional anti-histamines have many adverse side effects that harm your dog and cat. Quercetin is a much safer choice than conventional antihistamines.

 

To learn about the:

1. Health damaging ingredients in Benadryl.
2. Adverse side effects of Benadryl.
   

Go to this article.

 

2.0 Examples of Quercetin Rich Fruit, Vegetables and Herbs 

If your dog or cat is experiencing a health issue, you'll need to use a pure supplemental form of quercetin. 

 

However, to help prevent issues or to provide additional support during treatment, you may also include quercetin rich fresh fruit, vegetables and herbs in your dog's diet.

 

Quercetin rich fruit, vegetables and herbs for dogs include:

• Apples (fresh)
• Berries
• Bananas
• Broccoli
• Cherries (dark)
• Garlic (fresh)
• Grapefruit (particularly white grapefruit) and grapefruit seed extract
• Green tea
• Ginkgo biloba
• Chamomile tea
• Parsley
• Summer squash
• St. John’s Wort

Cats are obligate carnivoires, not able to properly digest fruit or vegetables, choose a herb instead such as garlic for occassional use.

 

Learn more about garlic for your dog and cat:

1. Health benefits.
2. Preparation instructions for maximum benefit.
3. Dosage by body weight.

Go to this article.

 

Learn more about fruit and vegetables for your dog:

1. List of appropriate fruit, greens and vegetables.
2. Preparation instructions for best absorption.
3. Serving instructions.

Go to this article. 

3.0 How to Boost Absorption of Quercetin

Pineapple contains a natural enzyme called bromelain. Bromelain is a natural digestive enzyme.

 

Quercetin can sometimes be difficult for the body to assimilate. Administering quercetin with bromelain helps ensure absorption and health benefits of quercetin.

Bromelain also helps inhibit histamine.

The ratio for dosing bromelain and quercetin together ranges from 1:3 to 1:4, e.g:

• 1 part bromelain to 3 parts quercetin, or;
• 1 part bromelain to 4 parts quercetin.

4.0 What Type of Quercetin Should You Choose for Your Dog or Cat?

Select the form of supplemental quercetin that best suites your animal and the method of dosing (e.g. with food, away from food, more on this further below). Quercetin can be purchased in several ways:

1. Capsules
2. Liquid
3. Powder

5.0 Quercetin Health Benefits

 

Quercetin health benefits include:

 

Support for symptoms of environmental allergies, hay fever, etc. Quercetin is an anti-allergenic.

• Asthma
• Quercetin helps reduce constriction of bronchial tubes.
• Help reduce symptoms of environmental allergies to:
  
• Dust and dust mites.
• Chemical-based cleaning products.
• Insect bites.
• Insect and parasite conventional preventatives.
  
• Grass and wild flower pollen.
• Trees and tree pollen.
• Mold, mushroom, fungus spores.
• Ragweed, etc.
  
• Food Allergies
• Quercetin’s anti-histamine, anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant properties work together to turn-off histamine production and suppress or reduce inflammation and itching.

• Anti-Inflammatory
  

• Blood health issues

• Cataracts
  

• Cancer prevention
• Breast cancer
• Colon cancer
• Endometrial cancer
• Mast cell
• Ovarian cancer
• Prostate cancer

• Chronic fatigue syndrome
  

• Diabetes
  

• Heart conditions and heart disease
  

• Prostate pain and inflammation
  

• Viral infections 

6.0 Cautions

Quercetin is not suitable for every dog or cat. 

 

Hypersensitivities

1. Some dogs and cats are hypersensitive (intolerant or allergic) to quercetin.  
2. In which case, do not continue to dose.
   

Excessive Dosing

1. Very high doses can cause kidney damage.
2.  Never exceed the daily recommended dose.

Dosing

1. Quercetin can be dosed with food, or away from food. Choose based on your animal's health issues and the dosing method that your animal will except, e.g. if your dog won't take quercetin unless administered with food, then dose with food.
   
2. For issues such as acid reflux it is most effective to dose with meals.
3. For allergy symptoms it is most effective to dose away from food (a small food treat or meals), however can also be dosed with food or meals. 
   

 Duration of Use

1. Quercetin can be administered for up to 12 consecutive weeks at a time, after which you must take a break from use. 
   

 Kidney Disease, Kidney Damage

1. Do not give quercetin to dog and cats with compromised kidney function.

Pregnant and Lactating Animals

1. Do not give quercetin to pregnant or lactating dogs and cats.

Puppies and Kittens

1. Do not give quercetin to puppies and kittens under 12 weeks of age.
   

 

7.0 Quercetin Hypersensitivity

Some individuals are hypersensitive (intolerant or allergic) to quercetin. 

 

Hypersensitivity can cause tingling in the limbs, skin issues and other hypersensitive reactions. 

 

If your dog or cat has a hypersensitive reaction to quercetin, stop use.

 

8.0 Quercetin Drug Interactions 

 

Some antibiotics for example:

• Cyclosporin
• Medications changed by the liver
• Medications moved by pumps in cells 

9.0 Quercetin Dosage for Dogs and Cats

Dosage by Body Weight

 

How to calculate the dosage for your dog and cat:

1. Multiple your dog or cat's body weight (lbs) x 1000mg.
2. Then dvide the resulting number by 125.
3. The resulting number is your animal's total daily dosage in milligrams (mg).
   
4. Split the daily dosage in half.
5. Administer one dose in the morning and one dose in the late afternoon or evening.
   

Quercetin can be administered with food or without food. Choose the method that best suites your animal's overall circumstances, as discussed in the cautions section further above.

Holistic Diet, Nutrition, Wellness Services Tailored to Your Individual Dog and Cat

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For information about my holistic behavioral services, visit my holistic behavioral services page.

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Article and graphics by Karen Rosenfeld.