A lady’s cat had diarrhoea and bladder problems that hadn’t responded well to conventional veterinary medicine. She tried Tinkle Tonic (a cute name when you think about it):
Tinkle Tonic is a great product. It has herbs to sooth the cat’s bladder, etc. I would take a male to the vet immediately because a blocked bladder is extremely painful and is fatal, however I use the Tinkle Tonic on females. One of my semi-ferals is almost impossible to take to the vet & she gets bladder problems every now and then, Tinkle Tonic works for her. I buy it online.”
Tinkle Tonic is described as:
“An herbal remedy which supports normal urinary tract function. Designed to soothe and protect the urinary tract without irritating the kidneys.”
Cat owners like home treatments but care needs to be exercised. We can’t make assumptions about cat medicines no matter how benign and safe they might appear. A chat with your vet or better still an holistic vet or vet skilled in herbal remedies is a good idea. Although I like so called natural remedies it does necessarily mean they are safer than conventional medicine. That said this remedy seems safe to me.
It is administered by mixing with water or food. It can also be given direct into the mouth with a syringe.
I have never had the need to buy this product so have not used it. What is in it and how does it help?
Active ingredients: Couchgrass, Echinacea (purpurea), Marshmallow, Dandelion, and Horsetail.
Couchgrass: for people, it is used to treat various illnesses including urinary tract, bladder and kidney disorders. There appears to be a lack of scientific studies to support the efficacy of this ingredient for health benefits.
Echinacea (purpurea): Once again there are no solid studies on this herbal medicine but there is some evidence that it is effective in shortening the symptoms of URIs (upper respiratory infections) in humans.
Marshmallow: There are a number of websites promoting the marshmallow root as a herbal remedy for relieving urinary tract infections. Everyroot.com for instance says:
Marshmallow root inhibits bacterial growth, and cleanses the bladder as well.
Dandelion & Horsetail: the same website (everyroot.com) also recommends horsetail and dandelion tea for soothing UTIs in humans. It works by tightening the “inflammed epithelial tissues with tannins. It also removes toxins and bacteria in the urinary tract….”. The drugs.com website says that it is advisable to consult with a practitioner trained in herbal remedies when using this on people and therefore the same must apply to pets. Dandelion has not been evaluated by the FDA (in the USA).
The use of Tinkle Tonic is based upon longstanding use of various herbal remedies for people with UTIs. It appears to be safe and worth a try if conventional medicines fail to provide a satisfactory solution.
“I received this product from my veterinarian after my cat had his first urinary blockage….He was back to his old self in no time….It’s a great product, helps calm that irritated bladder.” (Amazon review – C. Raymond)
I would definitely try this product.