A good cat owner will always have a bunch of medicines in their home for their furry companion. Nonetheless, it is nearly impossible to be equipped with medicines for all likely problems that your pet may end up with.
Fortunately, there are few medicines that effectively address multiple problems and it is wise to keep such products handy.
Colloidal Silver is a safe and effective medication in this regard, as it can address numerous issues like skin infections, allergies, wounds and rashes in cats. More importantly, your fussy four-legged friend will not find its smell offensive and as an easy product to administer, it can come to your rescue in many situations.
If you have never tried colloidal silver before, here is all that you need to know about it. Read on to find out what colloidal silver is and how to use it for cats.
What is Colloidal Silver?
For centuries, colloidal silver has been used to treat an unbelievably long list of ailments in humans. It’s long history in medicine is attributed to its effective antimicrobial properties.
Before the introduction of antibiotics, colloidal silver was mainly used on humans to treat various diseases caused by protozoa, bacteria, fungi and viruses. Only recently has its benefits for animals been recognized.
Colloidal silver is a suspension of silver particles in a water-based liquid medium. It comes in various concentrations ranging from 3 ppm to 500 ppm. When choosing colloidal silver for different purposes, its concentration is an important factor to consider.
Colloidal silver of concentrations 30ppm to 50 ppm is generally suitable for oral consumption. However, there are limited studies related to oral consumption of silver. So, I think it is wise to first check with your vet before feeding it to your cat.
However, colloidal silver is generally a safe product to use for topical application. Maximum effectiveness is seen with samples of particle sizes 0.8 nm and smaller. This is because smaller the particle size, the more effectively it penetrates the skin surface to target harmful pathogens. Higher concentrations also can be used for external application.
The purest form of colloidal silver available has pharmaceutical grade water and silver particles of 99.99% purity. The silver used in this mixture is obtained from pure, natural sources.
Let us now look at the different benefits of using colloidal silver on cats.
Benefits of Colloidal Silver for Cats
Colloidal silver is a natural antiviral and antibacterial agent. Since it is a natural product that is free from synthetic and chemical agents that can trigger unwanted side-effects, it is undoubtedly superior to antibiotic creams and ointments for various skin conditions.
Colloidal silver is also an all-in-one solution for many problems. Hence, it is a good item to stock in your first aid kit. Good quality colloidal silver doesn’t have any odor which will trouble your pet. Hence your kitty is not likely to fight you when you apply it.
Although many pet owners administer it orally for various medical and health reasons, the biggest benefits of colloidal silver are in addressing skin conditions. It can effectively kill bacteria, viruses, protozoa, yeast and other common pathogens as well as speed up wound healing and promote skin repair.
How Safe is Colloidal Silver for Cats?
Colloidal silver has been used for ages to treat infections and is considered a safe natural anti-biotic in various holistic branches of medicine. Nevertheless, it doesn’t find much support within the medical community as there are limited scientific studies that document its effectiveness.
When I last checked, I found that although colloidal silver is sold as dietary supplements, the FDA rejects the claims of colloidal silver having any healing properties. And traditional animal doctors would prefer to put your pet on antibiotics for most skin conditions. So, don’t be surprised if your vet dismisses colloidal silver as hocus pocus.
It is up to your discretion to use this medication on your cat. Nonetheless, if you research the subject, you will find that genuine users of colloidal silver swear by its effectiveness. When used properly and with due care, it is one of the best natural cures for almost any medical and health condition in your animal.
The only factor to keep in mind when choosing colloidal silver for any treatment is proper dosage. Just like antibiotics, excessive use or misuse can enhance the risk of resistant bacteria developing in the body.
In low concentrations, silver is extremely effective in preventing and curing infections when applied externally. Although no scientific studies have been conducted on cats till date, similar studies on mice have confirmed these claims. We cannot of course just apply the same results to cats. So, use your judgement to make a sensible decision.
Important Factors to Remember When Using Colloidal Silver for Cats
The effectiveness of any treatment will depend on the quality of colloidal silver you use for the purpose. When you choose pure colloidal silver that is non-toxic and safe for use on animals, your pet should be fine.
Pure colloidal silver will contain only silver particles and purified water. Any other additives in the sample will affect the overall quality of results.
When choosing colloidal silver for your cat, check the label to find out whether it specifically mentions that it is safe for use on cats or other animals.
Do not just assume that colloidal silver for humans can safely be used on animals too. You should only choose a sample that is 100% safe for animals.
Good quality colloidal silver that is safe for use on animals can be sprayed on your cat for extended periods of time, and it will not produce any unwanted symptoms.
How to Apply Colloidal Silver for Cats?
Colloidal silver is available as a spray that can be directly applied to the skin. You may also find it in liquid form, which is mainly intended for oral use.
We recommend that you always have the spraying variety of colloidal silver on hand. This will be very helpful in instances when your cat turns up with a cut, wound or skin infection. You can directly spray the solution onto the affected surface and see it do its work.
However, before applying colloidal silver to any injury, take care to sterilize the wound. Examine the wound and carefully remove any dirt or grime. Clean the surface gently before application of colloidal silver.
You can directly spray colloidal silver to areas with insect bites, wounds, rashes and allergies.
Now, let us look at a safety guide to ensure you apply it in the proper way for maximum effectiveness.
Safety Guide When Using Colloidal Silver for Cats
- Choose good quality colloidal silver with 100% pure silver particles and purified water. Ensure it has no other unwanted additives.
- Shake the spray bottle prior to application.
- Spray it on the infected site only. Do not overdose.
- Never spray colloidal silver in the eye area or near the nose without first consulting your doctor.
- Keep a close watch on your pet and check for possible side-effects. If your cat starts vomiting or convulsing, immediately rush it to the vet.
- Observe the area where the colloidal silver was applied and look for signs of improvement. If you see the wound healing or your pet acting more at ease, continue with the treatment.
- Do not overlook signs like excessive redness, pus or swelling that appear after you start applying colloidal silver. These could signal a more serious skin condition that warrant an immediate visit to your vet.
Although many pet owners orally administer colloidal silver to their pets for various internal conditions, it may not necessarily be suitable for your cat. Hence, check with your vet before you feed it to your pet. It may be safe, but the only way to ascertain its safety is by clarifying with your pet’s doctor.
What Can Colloidal Silver Be Used for in Cats?
Colloidal silver, when used properly, can address a range of ailments in cats. These include the following:
1. Cuts and Wounds
If your cat shows up with an open wound or cut, use colloidal silver to treat it. As a bacterial and anti-viral agent, the silver in colloidal silver binds to the cell membranes of pathogens and immobilizes them. Colloidal silver also promotes healthy skin regeneration and restores the skin in scarred and wounded areas.
Directly apply few drops of pure colloidal silver with a cotton bud every day, till you observe results.
2. Ear Irritation
If your pet shows signs of ear irritation, it could signal the onset of ear infection. Fortunately, you can stop it from getting worse by prompt application of colloidal silver.
When you see your cat touching and rubbing its ears, spray colloidal silver in the external ear and rub it in a circular motion. This should fight the infection. Never spray colloidal silver directly into the ear canal. If the symptoms of infection persist even after a day or two of application, get your pet checked by its vet.
3. Yeast Infections
Yeast organisms can irritate the skin of cats in hot and humid weather. If you leave yeast infections untreated for a long time, it can develop into serious conditions that require extensive care and medication.
At the first sign of a yeast infection, spray colloidal silver on the affected area. Not only will this restore the pH balance of skin, it will also kill pathogens in the infected site and help the skin heal.
4. Skin Allergies
Cats can suffer from allergies caused by insects like mosquitoes and bees and environmental agents like poisonous plants. When affected by allergies, the animal tends to scratch and lick the irritated area excessively.
If you notice such an allergic condition, quickly spray colloidal silver to ease the discomfort and speed up the natural healing process. Silver in this liquid will prevent enzymes in the allergen from irritating skin and the scratchy feeling will soon subside.
5. Flea and Tick Bites
Spray colloidal silver on the skin of your cat to keep fleas and ticks at bay. When applied to the site of a flea or tick bite, colloidal silver improves the barrier function of the skin and encourages the skin to repair itself.
6. Minor Burns
Your kitty may burn her paws by touching a hot surface accidentally or walking on hot cement or metal. In such cases, colloidal silver can quickly rectify the damage. Simply spray colloidal silver on the burnt area and leave it to do its job.
Apart from these conditions, colloidal silver is also used to treat urinary infections, dental problems, stomach ailments and worms in cats. However, these conditions call for oral intake of the product.
Since there is no documented evidence on the possible side-effects of consuming colloidal silver, it is best to check with your doctor before taking this approach. However, you need not worry about external application of this product as it hardly ever produces any unwanted side-effects.
To wrap up…
It is always wise to check with your vet before you start any new treatment. Having said so, colloidal silver is one of the safest and best medications that has been used for ages without side-effects or complaints on animals.
Colloidal silver was used long before the introduction of antibiotics to the pet world to treat various types of skin and health conditions. It is one of those items that pet owners swear by, and for good reason. Pets that have been subjected to treatment with colloidal silver experience faster healing of wounds and infections and bounce back to health quickly.
Colloidal silver consists of fine particles of silver suspended in purified water. It is a natural chemical that penetrates wounds due to its tiny particle size to help skin repair and heal. So, for those instances when your feline companion suffers from a skin allergy, infection or wound, colloidal silver is an easy and effective solution. Try it and see if it reduces discomfort and alleviates the symptoms before taking your pet to the vet. Use it in moderation and chances are your cat will be least bothered by its application and you will save yourself a lot of time and effort.
The post The Complete Guide to Using Colloidal Silver for Cats appeared first on Complete Homemaker.
