Calendula, a plant with healing properties
Calendula (Calendula officinalis L.) or “garden marigold” is a herbaceous plant grown in sunny temperate climates for herbalism and as an ornamental plant. Its flowers, which are used in herbal medicine, are of a shimmering orange-yellow color and have a characteristic odor.
They contain many active ingredients including:
- carotenoids, and in particular lycopene which gives it its orange-yellow color,
- polyphenolic compounds,
- saponosides and triterpene alcohols,
- a small fraction of essential oil.
These active ingredients give Calendula healing, anti-inflammatory, soothing and decongestant properties that make it very useful in dermatology.
What are the indications of Calendula for dogs?
Calendula is used topically in dogs for its anti-inflammatory and healing properties.
In dogs, it can therefore be used to help heal wounds, skin ulcers, burns, insect bites or skin inflammation.
How to use Calendula in dogs?
Warning!
Calendula should only be used externally because it is toxic internally (if your dog swallows it). If you apply it to your dog's skin or coat, be careful that he does not lick your Calendula preparation.Protect the wound with a bandage and/or provide your dog with a collar until the wound is healed. The use of Calendula should also be avoided in pregnant bitches because some of its components can cause or promote uterine contractions and have an abortifacient effect.
Allergic reactions are common to plants of the Asteraceae family, of which calendula is a member. There is therefore a very slight risk of irritation from applying Calendula to your dog's skin. If redness or itching occurs as a reaction to calendula, discontinue use immediately.
Calendula is available as a dried plant, oily maceration, ointment and alcoholic mother tincture.
In dogs, calendula tincture can be used to treat cases of minor skin inflammation (such as sunburn, for example) and to help heal small minor wounds.Simply apply locally compresses soaked in mother tincture of calendula diluted to 1/10th twice a day on the areas to be treated or place it under an occlusive dressing.
An oily maceration of calendula can also serve as a support for the dilution of various essential oils useful in dermatology.