How does Yunnan Baiyao help dogs?

Yunnan Baiyao works in two seemingly opposite ways — truly one of the things that make it seem almost miraculous! It stops bleeding and also acts as an anticoagulant (blood thinner) to improve blood circulation and disperse clots. Veterinarians may use Yunnan Baiyao for dogs to:

• Stop acute bleeding
• Regenerate new tissue by removing accumulated blood (i.e. hematomas)
• Relieve swelling by clearing away toxic materials
• Alleviate pain by promoting circulation
• Accelerate healing of contusions (i.e. bruises), sprains, fractures, purpura (i.e. hemorrhages under the skin), skin and muscle wounds, penetrating wounds, abdominal enlargement due to internal bleeding, and gastrointestinal, postpartum, and brain bleeds
• Assist in management of immune-mediated thrombocytopenia (an autoimmune disease where the body attacks and destroys its platelets) and blood disorders related to tick-borne diseases in dogs.

Yunnan Baiyao may have additional benefits for other body systems, but more research is needed. Certainly managing bleeding using Yunnan Baiyao is already on the leading edge of veterinary medicine. Veterinarians are reaching for it in emergency situations like the two I described above.

Veterinary cancer specialists are also using Yunnan Baiyao for terminal cancer in dogs as part of the management plan.

What does the research on Yunnan Baiyao say?

Yunnan Baiyao research in humans

Multiple studies in humans have explored the use of Yunnan Baiyao as a method to regulate bleeding after oral, prostate, cervical, and other surgeries or procedures. These studies all indicated that using Yunnan Baiyao around the time of surgery made a clear difference in post-op bleeding times with minimal adverse side effects.

What are the Yunnan Baiyao side effects in dogs? Is it safe?

The short answer? Yes! When used as directed, Yunnan Baiyao is remarkably safe.

A recent article measured Yunnan Baiyao’s effects on blood clotting. The dose used was also four times higher than the dose we typically use in a sick pet. Despite this, these dogs experienced no adverse effects.