What is ginkgo?
Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba L., Ginkgoaceae) is a tree of Chinese origin, introduced into France in the 17th century, whose leaf is used in herbal medicine, mainly to stimulate blood flow, especially in the brain.
Its leaves are also very recognizable because they have the particularity of being bilobed, fan-shaped. Green in spring, they take on a golden color in spring, which gives ginkgo its common name of "tree of a hundred thousand crowns" .
Why can ginkgo be useful to dogs?
The spring green leaf of gingko contains many active ingredients including flavonoids that trap free radicals, terpenes including ginkgolides, anthocyanins, hydrocarbons, aldehydes and ketones.It is the complexity of the constituents of gingko as a whole that give it its innumerable pharmacological properties, more than its constituents taken in isolation.
Among other things, the gingko is known to have an action:
- on blood vessels as a vasodilator and as a free radical scavenger (it increases the resistance of capillaries, in particular by protecting them from the action of free radicals),
- of anti-platelet aggregation. In other words, it acts as a blood thinner.
In animals, ginkgo is often recommended for the treatment of cognitive disorders, especially in old dogs. It is thus particularly indicated in animals that suffer from cognitive disorders involving loss of memory / landmarks or visual and auditory acuity, cerebrovascular disorders or involutional depression.
It can also be used to treat peripheral arterial disorders such as peripheral edema, frostbite or even kidney or liver perfusion deficiencies in cases of chronic renal failure or liver fibrosis.
How is gingko given to dogs?
Naturopathic veterinarians use standardized dry extracts or standardized fluid extracts (EPS or phytostandard extract) of gingko, which come in capsules or in solution. These preparations, available in pharmacies or specialized veterinary practices, have the particularity of presenting a standardized concentration of active ingredients.
Warning!
The gingko prescription is reserved for animal he alth professionals, due to possible contraindications for your pet or interactions with other medications. Under no circumstances attempt to administer gingko to your dog on your own initiative, without first consulting a veterinarian.
What are the contraindications of ginkgo for dogs?
By its thinning properties, ginkgo is contraindicated in dogs whose blood coagulation capacity is impaired, due to a pathology (such as hemophilia for example) or taking anti-inflammatory drugs. -coagulants. Similarly, any gingko-based treatment must be stopped at least 3 days before surgery.
Ginkgo should also be avoided in pregnant or lactating bitches.
Finally, it can potentiate the effect of barbiturate drugs.