Chamomile
116 foods contain this ingredient
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About Chamomile
Chamomile is a daisy-family flower used in pet products for its traditional calming and soothing reputation, not as a source of nutrition.
Chamomile is an herbal botanical commonly used in pet supplements, treats and topical preparations as a mild calming, anti‑inflammatory and digestive aid rather than a primary nutrient source, with flavonoids and terpenoids that can help soothe gastrointestinal upset, skin irritation and mild anxiety in dogs and cats. It is generally safe in small, properly formulated amounts but can trigger allergic reactions in animals sensitive to the Asteraceae family, may interact with blood‑thinning medications, and concentrated essential oils or extracts should be avoided without veterinary guidance.
Related ingredients
- Derived from
- Dried flowers of the chamomile plant (commonly Matricaria chamomilla or Chamaemelum nobile)
- Primary role
- Herbal calming and digestive-soothing botanical, used orally or topically
Why it's used
Chamomile has a long history in veterinary herbal medicine as a mild sedative, muscle relaxant and anti-inflammatory, used topically for irritated skin and orally for mild anxiety or gastrointestinal upset. Its flavonoid apigenin has been studied as a ligand for central benzodiazepine receptor sites, one proposed mechanism studied behind its traditional calming reputation.
Common concerns
- Asteraceae family cross-reactivity Chamomile belongs to the Asteraceae family along with ragweed and daisies, and animals with sensitivities to those plants may react to chamomile with itching, hives, swelling, or other allergic signs.
- Cats appear more sensitive Veterinary sources note that cats seem more sensitive to chamomile's effects than dogs, with severe gastrointestinal symptoms called out specifically in cats, and recommend extra caution before use in felines.
- Interaction with blood-thinning and sedating medications Because chamomile contains coumarin-type compounds, veterinary guidance advises caution when combining it with anticoagulants like warfarin, as well as with NSAIDs or sedatives such as benzodiazepines and barbiturates.
- Concentrated forms and long-term use ASPCA toxicology information for garden chamomile lists contact dermatitis, vomiting, diarrhea, anorexia, and allergic reactions among reported effects, and notes that long-term use has been associated with bleeding tendencies.
Also relevant
Chamomile is sold in liquid, powder, capsule, cream, salve and ointment forms, and dosing accuracy matters because excessive amounts have been described as problematic in veterinary references.
5 sources cited
- Chamomile is used in dogs and occasionally cats as a sedative, anti-inflammatory and muscle relaxant, both topically for skin irritation and orally for GI upset and mild anxiety; available in liquid, powder, capsule, cream, salve, ointment forms; cats appear more sensitive; interactions with NSAIDs, sedatives, and warfarin
- Garden chamomile toxic principles (volatile oil, bisabolol, chamazulene, anthemic acid, tannic acid) and clinical signs: contact dermatitis, vomiting, diarrhea, anorexia, allergic reactions; long-term use linked to bleeding tendencies
- Roman chamomile listed in ASPCA toxic and non-toxic plant database
- Apigenin acts as a ligand for central benzodiazepine receptors, producing anxiolytic and mild sedative effects by competitively inhibiting flunitrazepam binding, without anticonvulsant or myorelaxant activity
- Chamomile side effects can include allergic reactions such as itching, hives and swelling, especially in dogs sensitive to the Asteraceae family (ragweed, daisies)
Common Questions
What category is Chamomile?
Chamomile is categorized as a herb ingredient in the KibbleLab database.
Is Chamomile part of an allergen group?
No allergen group is linked to Chamomile in the KibbleLab database.
Which foods contain Chamomile?
116 foods in the KibbleLab database contain Chamomile, including Nulo, Nutri-Vet, Ollie.
Foods with Chamomile
Alphabetical by brand. Scores run 0 to 10, higher is better, on published veterinary science.
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