Anyones experiences of using Comfrey ???

[fadetogrey]

I have a 2 yr old who under went an OCD operation in his hock last year... I have heard that Comfrey is suppose to be good to knit the bone and aid with the healing of cartlidge and soft connective tissue????

He is also on Flexidin but just feel there must be something I can do to reduce the tiny bit of swelling he has and help the healing process..


Just wondering if anyone has had any experiences of using this herb or any other herb which aids in healing and anti inflamatory..

Any advice will be greatly received

 

[applecart14]

I have a 2 yr old who under went an OCD operation in his hock last year... I have heard that Comfrey is suppose to be good to knit the bone and aid with the healing of cartlidge and soft connective tissue????

He is also on Flexidin but just feel there must be something I can do to reduce the tiny bit of swelling he has and help the healing process..


Just wondering if anyone has had any experiences of using this herb or any other herb which aids in healing and anti inflamatory..

Any advice will be greatly received

Yes I have used comfrey on a couple of ocassions, once following a kick injury which resulted in a bit of bone floating around and another time when a suspected hairline fracture was diagnosed. Comfrey contains a chemical called Allatonin and speeds up cell formation and natural healing of the body but on the down side it is believed that it can cause liver damage if fed in large quantities and research has shown that the alkaloid in comfrey can cause cancer and have carcogenic properties. Comfrey is also called 'knit bone' as that is exactly what it is meant to do. You can feed it dry or you can steep it in water and mix with your horses feed. I used to buy mine by the pound from the Health Food Shop in Solihull town centre but like all good shops the recession hit, and it shut down. It used to be such a brilliant place to buy all sorts of herbs and I've bought valerian from there before now to help as a calmer (with great success). You can buy liquid comfrey. It is thought that by feeding herbs in a liquid formula the herb can get to work in the body a lot quicker than if you were to feed it as a dry supplement but I am not sure what the reasoning is behind this.

 

[fadetogrey]

Yes I have used comfrey on a couple of ocassions, once following a kick injury which resulted in a bit of bone floating around and another time when a suspected hairline fracture was diagnosed. Comfrey contains a chemical called Allatonin and speeds up cell formation and natural healing of the body but on the down side it is believed that it can cause liver damage if fed in large quantities and research has shown that the alkaloid in comfrey can cause cancer and have carcogenic properties. Comfrey is also called 'knit bone' as that is exactly what it is meant to do. You can feed it dry or you can steep it in water and mix with your horses feed. I used to buy mine by the pound from the Health Food Shop in Solihull town centre but like all good shops the recession hit, and it shut down. It used to be such a brilliant place to buy all sorts of herbs and I've bought valerian from there before now to calm a horse down (with great success).

Thankyou for replying

Did it actually do what it says did it help the healing process at all with your two horses ???? How long did you leave them on it for as I assume it isnt something they stay on for a long time ????...

Think I will speak to my vet seeing there are alot of side effects involved ...

Many Thanks

 

[misst]

I have a friend who is a herbalist and has studied zoopharmacology (I think that is right). It basically is the "science" of offering herbs to an animal along with essential oils. The animal selects the ones they want. This "replicates" the natural grazing/browsing processes in wild animals.
She offered my mare (old and very stiff) various things. She "selected" devils claw, comfrey and yarrow. I now offer her these herbs most days and she takes what she wants - usually the devils claw and occasionally the comfrey and then very occasionally the yarrow.
I am a little sceptical but have to say the mare looks better than she has for a long time. So I think the comfrey must help. I use pure dried herbs. Yarrow is for healing and devils claw, as I am sure you know, is an anti inflamatory.
I have tried offering them to my youngster out of interest and he "refuses" them.

 

[Dobiegirl]

I think you need to contact Global Herbs 0800 1694709 or look on their website. The company is owned by vet Stephen Ashdown and when I have rung in the past have spoken to him.

Havnt used Comfrey but have bought lots of stuff from Global Herbs and swear by it.

I do not have any connection to the company other than a satisfied company.

Dont be tempted to buy online herbs unless you are very sure of the source and is picked,dried & stored properly.

Hope this helps.

 

[lazybee]

1/ Comfrey is poisonous

2/ If Comfrey could mend bones. It would be readily available in all hospitals. which it isn't. If there was one shred of evidence it worked, we'd all be using it.

3/ If you want to know about herbs and their benefits. it's probably better NOT to ash someone that sells herbs for a living.

There's too much quackery around at the moment, and too many people praying on US with their anecdotal evidence of so called miracle cures.

 

[Dobiegirl]

Lazybee you are misinformed Comfrey is not poisonous and is even grown in Russia as a fodder crop.

No Herb is going to heal a broken limb but it can help the healing process and has been used for centuries.

Global Herbs is a reputable company run by a vet and I have used some of their products the past with good results. I am sure other people on here have used them as well .

There are a lot of charlatans out there trying to get your money thats why I recommended someone I have used personally.

 

[Oberon]

I use herbs in my horse's diet and I've been impressed with Comfey a topical treatment as well as a supplement. I infuse it in a Bain Marie with olive oil/coconut oil/almond oil etc for 3 hours and then use it as a cold poultice for muscle or soft tissue injuries..

It works a treat.

It shouldn't be used on broken skin or long term.

I buy all my herbs from Cotwold Health Products online.

 

[Oberon]

I won't use any Global Herbs products as they are cagey about their ingredients.

I have asked for information a few times - but I've always been ignored.

Hmmmm!

 

[Crazy Friesian]

Comfrey - Knitbone / Symphytum. I have used it for years in all sorts of ways - poultices, topicals, ingested, both 2 (me) n 4 leggeds. We are all very much alive and kicking.

Comfrey is good for both bone and connective tissue. Can also be used for soft tissue.

Am currently using Comfrey root for my old lad who is normally on a very good Arthritis supplement. I have had a hectic few weeks and have run out of said supplement. He is still doing very well. But I will probably give him that back up again in the winter. Hey, he is 28...

Anything is harmful in the wrong quantities.... Heck - Poison Ivy (Rhus Tox) is used in homeopathy as a very effective Arthritis treatment...

 

[JEB25]

When fed in excess comfrey can become toxic due to the presence of

pyrrolizidine alkaloids, which are also present in ragwort. Although these alkaloids are present throughout the plant, they tend to be concentrated in the root and for this reason it is advisable not to use the root or feed comfrey continually over long periods of

time.
FROM H & H




I am concerned as several large clumps of comfrey were in my daughter’s horses field (DIY-livery) along with some sycamore. We tried to be vigilant to remove sycamore seeds so feel that it may not be the main cause of the atypical myopathy . The yard owner was aware she “had a sycamore problem” but failed to do anything. While comfrey can help in certified medical preparations for internal use, it should not be freely available in paid for equine grazing. Is the yard owner therefore liable for the toxic poisoning as she is receiving funds for this?

 

[Goldenstar]

Comfrey is pretty toxic I would never use it on a horse.

 

[JEB25]

Comfrey is pretty toxic I would never use it on a horse.

Thank you. I agree it is banned in USA & Germany for equines. I just feel yard owner should have removed it. Horse has been so ill. I feel she is responsible as she is receiving funds for equine suitable grazing