Catnip is said to be a herb that comes from the same family as mint.There is something known as nepetalactone, an active chemical compound present in catnip. This compound is found in the plant’s leaves, pods, and even the stem coating.Did you know that this chemical compound substance is what causes your cat to go crazy after having catnip? Catnip can also cause a cat to experience a buzz, feel mellow or even be a little overexcited. It is also said to be used as a base for the tea that humans drink.This is found smoothing by some people whereas others have felt that catnip doesn’t have the effect that enhances a cat’s mood in humans. But what about dogs? Is this herb safe for dogs? The answer is yes! Apart from being safe for dogs, it is also nutritious for them and has numerous benefits. Catnip has a variety of important nutrients and contains vitamin C and E, tannins, magnesium, essential oils, and flavonoids. Catnip is also known to help calm your dog down if you notice it getting very hyper. Let’s learn more about catnip for dog anxiety, to spray catnip on dogs and its effect, catnip overdose in dogs, what would happen if a dog ate catnip, effects of a dog high on catnip, and more about this in detail in the rest of the article! One more thing, you may feed shrimp to your dog but only occasionally as it is high in cholesterol. After you have understood all about is catnip safe for dogs before investing in catnip toys, do check that can dogs eat cake and can dogs eat okra?What is catnip?Catnip is famously known for its effect on making cats a little nutty. It is a green fragrant leaf and a nepetalactone herb that is a part of the mint family. It can also be grown in your own backyard. You may have noticed your pet cat having various reactions to this herb, most probably it going crazy. So while a cat has an overexcited reaction to catnip and is a great distraction for it, does the same kind of reaction occur in dogs as well? From what we have already discussed, the answer is it doesn’t! It is said to be completely safe and even healthy for a dog to ingest fresh catnip. The catnip usually kicks in around 10 minutes and the effect would last for around 30 minutes.The different, completely opposite catch to catnip is that the effect on a dog is diametrically opposite to that of a cat. It acts as a sedative for dogs and for a cat, it acts as a stimulant. For these reasons, giving catnip to your dog can have many benefits, but should only be given in the right conditions and circumstances. If your dog gets frequent bursts of anxiety whether it is because of loud holidays or going to the vet, catnip can help in reducing their anxiety and calm them down. It also has numerous minerals which help in keeping a dog’s digestive system healthy. Along with this, catnip can help to relieve a dog from any gastrointestinal upset. If your dog has an irregular pattern of sleep, giving them catnip can help improve their sleep patterns. Catnip contains healing and anti-bacterial properties. This makes it act as a natural antiseptic and can be used to treat a minor external scrape or cut. Catnip is also known to contain essential oils, vitamins c and e, flavonoids, and tannins. Feeding your dog catnip must however be done in the right amount and conditions. You can either sprinkle a bit in a teaspoon of 1/8 - 1/2 catnip in their food or add the fresh leaves of these plants in their water. However, one should visit a veterinarian and consult with them first before seeing if your dog can get aggravated with catnip.Is catnip safe for dogs?If your house has both a pup and a feline, they either ignore one another or play with each other. Pet owners that are lucky enough to have the latter, you may have noticed that your pets play with each other’s toys, which is a nice warming feeling for the owners of these cute pets. You may have also noticed that a dog tends to chew and bite into these toys. So obviously, you could be concerned whether the catnip that is present in most cat toys would affect your pup. After all, you don’t want the health of your pup to be affected in any way while playing with its feline friend’s toys.These cat toys containing catnip have absolutely no bad side effects on a dog. In fact, it makes them more sedative and acts as a remedy to calm them down. It is good for their health. It helps in improving their sleep. So for a dog to eat or chew on catnip, there is no reason for a pet owner to worry about it. If your pet dog ever injures itself externally, catnip acts as a natural antiseptic to treat their wound. This is only applicable to small-sized wounds like scratches and if your dog or cat has a big deep cut wound, take them to the vet immediately. Apart from catnip repelling mosquitos, flea determent is also done reliably for both cats and dogs. Catnip for dogs’ anxiety has been used for many years as well as to treat the upset digestive system of the dogs. You can do this by planting catnip outside your house to deter fleas in the outdoor environment and use it directly in a cat’s playing areas and bed. You can also spray catnip on the dog for ensuring the better health of its coat.How to give catnip to a dog?So far, we have learned quite a lot about how catnip has the opposite effect on a dog as that of a cat. We also discussed the various benefits that it can provide for a dog and how no harm can come to them if they have a whiff or a bite of catnip. Dogs are said to be attracted to catnip and other herbs, not because of the chemical attachment properties which are known to be attractive to cats but simply out of curiosity.A few of the leaves of this herb can be put in the water bowl of a dog. It can also be sprinkled in a dog’s food in very small and specific portions. It is a must for the pet owner to visit a vet before giving catnip to their dog, to ensure that the dog has no allergies that can affect them related to catnip. If your dog is allergic to catnip but yet fond of it, you can try to use the alternative of anise. Getting a good play toy for your dog that is similar to that of a cat is quite close to getting the overwhelming joy of a feline.What does catnip do to a dog?70% of cats go crazy after having a taste of catnip and the remaining 30% is seen to be more calm and mellow. But in dogs, a majority of them are just mellower in nature. If you have both a dog and cat as pets and your dog happens to sniff around its cat friend’s catnip, there is nothing to be worried about.There are numerous benefits to a dog smelling, chewing, and even licking catnip. If you’ve noticed your dog suffering from anxiety due to an ongoing situation, giving them some catnip can help in relaxing and easing them. A pet owner can also use catnip to attend to any external medical situations your dog got itself into. Putting a small portion of dried catnip in their food or leaves of it in their water are two ways to go about giving them catnip. But like any other substance, you should consult with a vet first before giving catnip to your dog to ensure it has no allergies to it and that your dog will only receive the benefits of it.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for can dogs eat catnip then why not take a look at can dogs eat oatmeal, or Labrador facts.
Catnip is said to be a herb that comes from the same family as mint.
