Chamomile can do a lot for dogs including helping to reduce your dog’s anxiety, improve her skin and coat, support digestion, repel insects, and even help with ear or eye infections. Since 1995, the International Herb Association has annually named an Herb of the Year, and its 2025 selection is German chamomile. Here’s how this fragrant plant can help your dog.
Chamomile is related to ragweed, so anyone allergic to ragweed may be at risk. Introducing your dog to chamomile with small doses and observing its effects is a safe first step.
There are Two Chamomiles
German chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla), this year’s Herb of the Year, is a tall annual that produces daisy-like white petals with hollow yellow centers and a sweet apple-like fragrance. Roman chamomile (Chamaemelum nobile) is a short perennial often grown as a ground cover which has a slightly different scent and a more bitter taste. Although both are used medicinally, German chamomile contains higher concentrations of anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, and calming compounds. To avoid confusion, look for teas and products clearly labeled as German chamomile.
German chamomile has been used medicinally for thousands of years, and in 2022, the journal Pharmaceuticals published A Comprehensive Study of Therapeutic Applications of Chamomile, examining scientific studies that document its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, analgesic, antimicrobial, hepatoprotective, anti-allergic, anticancer, and anti-hypertensive properties.
Rita Hogan, author of The Herbal Dog, calls German chamomile “a bit of herbal sunshine” for dogs and recommends it to help relieve stress and anxiety, heal muscle strains or sore joints, speed the healing of cuts and abrasions, clear eye irritations, and treat skin or coat problems.
Reporting on The Calming Herb Chamomile, herbalist Gregory Tilford recommends chamomile for canine indigestion, gas, and vomiting. “I find the tea or tincture especially effective when used in dogs who are prone to stomach upset during episodes of hyper-excitability,” he wrote.
Chamomile Tea for Dogs
Organic chamomile is recommended for dog use, and whole flowers are preferred over chopped or powdered tea. If you grow or have access to fresh blossoms, even better.
To brew chamomile tea, heat filtered or spring water to 175-185 degrees Fahrenheit (80-85 degrees Celcius), which is lower than water’s 212°F boiling point. Chamomile is delicate and the heat of boiling water can diminish its flavor and benefits.
For a loose-leaf tea, use 1 to 2 teaspoons dried or 1 to 2 tablespoons fresh chamomile blossoms per cup of water. For tea bags, follow label instructions. Cover the cup or teapot and let the tea steep for 5 to 10 minutes, then strain. Chamomile tea becomes bitter if left to steep longer. Let the tea cool to room temperature before using. Brewed chamomile tea can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Add 1 teaspoon chamomile tea per 10 pounds of your dog’s body weight to food or drinking water. For dogs weighing 30 pounds, this would be 3 teaspoons or 1 tablespoon. For dogs weighing 60 pounds, use 2 tablespoons, and for dogs weighing 90 pounds, use 3 tablespoons.
According to Rita Hogan, chamomile tea given twice daily before dinner or 30 minutes after dinner can help calm dogs who pace and pant excessively, and can stimulate the appetites of restless dogs who would rather play than eat.
Chamomile tea can also be sprayed on your dog’s coat to speed the healing of wounds and abrasions. Apply the tea with a clean cloth or spray bottle. To help treat ear infections, use chamomile tea as an ear flush or apply it with cotton and gently wipe the ears. Chamomile tea that will be applied externally rather than consumed orally can be brewed stronger, such as double-strength, for faster results.
A combination of chamomile tea and saline solution can be used as an anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial eyewash for dogs with conjunctivitis or to remove dust or debris from the eyes. Apply by spraying or with an eyedropper.
Chamomile Dog Treats
Several brands of dog treats contain chamomile, either for its calming effects or to help prevent indigestion. Pet-Ease Calming Chews contain chamomile and tryptophan, a relaxing amino acid. Happy Paws Calming Chews contain chamomile and other soothing herbs like passion flower and valerian. Chamomile dog treats can be given at bed time to help dogs relax or after meals to help soothe digestion.
Using Chamomile Tinctures
Tinctures are liquid extracts that preserve the medicinal properties of the fresh or dried herbs they contain. Alcohol is the most widely used tincture solvent because it extracts fats, resins, waxes, most alkaloids, some volatile oils, and other plant components, which it preserves indefinitely. Vegetable glycerin, a sweet, syrupy liquid, dissolves mucilage, vitamins, and minerals but does not dissolve resinous or oily plant constituents. Apple cider vinegar does not break down plant constituents as effectively as alcohol or glycerin, but it extracts sugars, tannins, glycosides, bitter compounds, alkaloids, vitamins, and minerals.
To make an effective chamomile tincture that you can add to food or apply to sore muscles and minor wounds, fill a glass jar with fresh or dried German chamomile blossoms and cover them with equal quantities of vodka, vegetable glycerin, and apple cider vinegar. Tightly cap the container and let it stand for 2 to 4 weeks in a dark location, inverting or shaking the jar every few days. Strain the tincture and store it in a glass container.
Chamomile tinctures from brands like Herb Pharm and Botanic Choice are sold in dropper bottles that simplify dosage. For most applications, use 1 drop of chamomile tincture per pound of body weight. Most eyedropper bottles hold 1 fluid ounce and include a 1-ml dropper that holds 20 drops, so an average dropperful would treat a 20-pound dog. Smaller amounts are appropriate when introducing tinctures to dogs, and quantities can be gradually increased.
Chamomile Essential Oil for Dogs
In her book Holistic Aromatherapy for Animals, Kristen Leigh Bell explains that the essential oil of German chamomile is popular because its chamazulene, a sesquiterpene hydrocarbon that gives it an intense, deep blue color, effectively treats burns, wounds, allergic reactions, and all types of skin irritations. “This costly oil is frequently adulterated with other blue oils, such as blue tansy or Moroccan chamomile, which lack the healing properties that true German chamomile possesses,” she said. “For this reason, it is ultimately important to know your source when purchasing.” Checking with manufacturers of grooming products, pet medications, salves, and essential oils about their sourcing is always recommended, as responsible brands offer documentation describing their ingredients’ sources.
Retailers that focus on safety, sustainable sourcing, consumer education, and quality testing include Artisan Oils, Aura Cacia, Mountain Rose Herbs, Nature’s Gift, and Ameo Essential Oils.
German chamomile essential oil also has insect-repelling properties, as shown by tests against ant species and mosquitoes. To make a simple insect-repelling spray, add 30 drops German chamomile essential oil to 2 tablespoons vodka or other ethyl alcohol (avoid rubbing alcohol) and mix or shake to disperse the essential oil. Then add enough water to make 1 cup of solution. Spray your dog well, avoiding the face and nose. Massage or brush the coat to distribute.
