Book Review: Dr. Kidd's Guide to Herbal Dog Care

The author of Dr. Kidd's Guide to Herbal Dog Care, Dr. Randy Kidd, has a Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine (D.V.M.) as well as a Ph.D. in Pathology/Clinical Pathology. He is a practicing veterinarian with a focus on holistic health.

His many works have appeared in the Journal of the American Holistic Veterinary Medicine Association, and he is also a well-known speaker on alternative care for pets. On top of all that, he is not only a consultant for pet supplement companies but also has veterinary practices in both California and Kansas.

As an expert herbalist and veterinarian. Dr. Kidd decided to write a book on herbs for dogs and how it can be used to care for your dog. He explains that his book is meant to answer six questions:

1.  Are the herbs safe to use? 

2. Which ones can I use for my dog? 

3. When should I use herbs, and are they ever more appropriate than the drugs of Western medicine? 

4. Should I use capsules, teas, tinctures, or topical preparations? 

5. How do I dose these treatments? 

6. And finally, are herbal medicines effective?

Throughout the book, Dr. Kidd first gives the reader a basic understanding of herbs and their uses. Then, he goes onto a “how-to” section which features many ailments such as arthritis or thyroid problems, and how you can best treat them using herbal medicine.

Dr. Kidd recognizes the fact that many Americans are hesitant to use herbal medicine despite the fact that it is the most widely used type of medicine in the world and has been since the beginning of time. So, he also hopes to educate others on the benefits of herbs for pets and why they are a good choice for treating pet ailments.

Book Stats

This book was published on Amazon on October 11, 2000, and now has over 90 reviews with a positive rating of 4.6 out of 5 stars.

It consists of 192 pages with three parts:

Introducing Herbs—Gives a nice introduction to herbal medicine, using herbs, and various delivery systems.

Herbs for Organs, Systems, and Special Conditions—This is the main portion of the book and looks at 16 different ailments and how to best treat them using herbal medicine.

The Herbal Repertory—A “library” of information including a glossary, a section on tonic herbs, a section on herbs for specific conditions, and more.

Ultimately, this book is more of an informational/guide book than it is a chapter book. It is packed full of relevant information. However, it does not have to be read in order. 

While the first section should be read in full as it gives a solid foundation of knowledge that you will need for the rest of the book, the second and third sections do not need to be read in full. 

Instead, you can merely go to the section that is of most relevance to you whether that be a section on herbal treatments for liver issues or simply the glossary for quick facts.

What People Are Saying

Considering that 79% of reviewers have given Dr. Kidd’s book a five-star review, it is safe to say that most have found his book to be a good resource on herbal medicine for dogs.

In one five-star review titled “So helpful for learning about natural dog care,” the reviewer comments: “Our golden doodle struggles with yeasty ears and itchy skin, so I have learned much about herbs to add to her food each day from this book that seem to be helping a lot.”

Another five-star review titled “Great Info” notes: 

I use this book as a reference. It has been critical to address my dog's ear problems (yeast) and cat's urinary problems. The only caveat is that I bought both the dog and cat herbal guides. It was probably unnecessary to buy both books. The herbs appear to be the same for dogs and cats…

On a more negative note, one reviewer in her two-star review titled “Not worth the investment” mentioned: “Doesn't offer much more than you can find on the Internet.”

There were multiple reviewers who mentioned that Dr. Kidd’s book is more for beginners such as one four-star review titled “great beginners book,” that said:

I found Herbal Dog Care to be a great beginner's book for using herbs and natural pet care. However, if you're an experienced herbalist like myself, it leaves you wanting a lot more from Dr. Kidd. I thought he could have gone a lot more in depth with the cause and treatment of different ailments. I'm also a little disappointed that Herbal Dog Care is pretty much identical to Herbal Cat Care. I wish I knew that before buying both. It is obvious, though, that Dr. Kidd is very passionate about herbs and animals. Very easy and enjoyable read. Great introductory information to help you take care of your furry loves!

Final Verdict

Considering that Dr. Kidd is a well-known authority on herbal medicine for animals and the many five-star reviews that his book has, it is safe to say that this is a great introductory book on herbal medicine for beginners.