Summary
This study by veterinary surgeons of the therapeutic benefits of wheatgrass extract for animals was conducted over a twelve month period. Treatment of open wounds, wheatgrass extract (WE) was considered 98 percent ‘very effective’ or ‘moderately effective’. For eczema/dermatitis (mainly in dogs) this figure was 92% and the rating for all conditions (N=110) was 92 percent.
Methods
19 private veterinary practices in Australia and New Zealand participated. Practitioners were chosen at random. None had prior knowledge of the product. Respondents were provided with WE pump-pack sprays and a WE cream with the same concentration of wheatgrass extract to be applied one to three times a day as required.
WE was used mainly for horses, cats and dogs. (Table 1) Results were reported as “highly effective”, “moderately effective” or “not-effective”.
110 questionnaires were returned. A fee was paid for each report.
Results
Open Wounds
80 percent of assessments for wound healing in all three animal groups were declared “Very effective” and 18% “Moderately effective”. (Fig. 1)
Eczema/Dermatitis
(Mainly dogs.) 51% were considered “Very effective”, 41% “Moderately effective”. The remainder, “Not effective”. (Fig. 2)
Overall, 92 percent of veterinary surgeons considered WE to be effective, 64% very effective and 28 percent moderately effective.
Discussion
Because animals were used for testing, placebo effect can safely be ruled out. The veterinary surgeons had no previous knowledge of the product. During and after the trial, several vets were sufficiently impressed by their observations to request more wheatgrass extract.
The results obtained in this trial compared well with my own experiences of wound healing in humans where I am constantly amazed with the speed of wound closure and the absence of infection, swelling, pain and bleeding.
Conclusions
These results suggest that wheatgrass has effective wound-healing properties in animals. Formal controlled studies would most likely produce similar results.
Horses
WE was reported as highly effective in most of the equine cases. Veterinary surgeons reported that WE accelerated the healing process. One comment was that “healing was quicker than expected”. Chronic wounds, which had not responded to other treatment healed rapidly and completely.
Dogs
Treatment was mainly for open wounds and eczema/dermatitis. In the majority of cases, the veterinary surgeons considered WE to be ‘Very effective’.
Some of the veterinary surgeons suggested that inclusion of WE could reduce the amount of corticosteroids required for treatment of many conditions. Particularly in dermatitis cases, veterinary surgeons reported unexpected success.
Condition Treated |
Horses |
Dogs |
Cats |
Other |
Total |
| Open wounds | 21 | 22 | 10 | 3 | 56 |
| Eczema/ dermatitis | 2 | 34 | 1 | 37 | |
| Burns | 2 | 2 | |||
| Pulled muscle | 1 | 1 | |||
| Nasal granulation | 1 | 1 | |||
| Acute pyoderma | 4 | 4 | |||
| Boils, abscesses, infected cysts | 4 | 4 | |||
| Metatarsal fracture | 1 | 1 | |||
| Acute lick granuloma | 1 | 1 | |||
| Hot spot | 1 | 1 | |||
| Cat bite abscess | 2 | 2 | |||
| Total | 23 | 70 | 14 | 3 | 110 |
Dr. Chris Reynolds
Australia. July, 2001