It’s somewhat ironic that the owners of the two largest neem companies in the country both became committed to what was then a practically unknown herb because we saw how much our pets benefited from it. Autumn Blum, who founded Organix-South, rescues Shih-Tzu, we rescue Rottweilers and Shar-Pei, all breeds that are susceptible to problems with both their skin and joints.
We had started growing neem specifically as a non-toxic pesticide in 1992. After reading Neem: A Tree For Global Problems (published by the National Academy Press), we decided to try feeding it to a rescued Rottweiler with congenital joint issues. Dinky — he really was the runt of the litter although he grew up to be a large dog — already had surgery on one shoulder at nine months old. His orthopedic vet had said there was nothing more that could be done. We weren’t particularly hopeful but since we already had the trees, we made neem tea to serve on his food. He felt better in less than two weeks, which inspired us to start Neem Tree Farms.
More recently, we’ve begun to rescue mostly senior Shar-Pei — also known as Chinese wrinkled dogs — pulled from horrible situations including animal shelters across the southeast or outside kennels or tie-outs. (See some of them at https://www.facebook.com/sharpeisanctuary.org/.) They often arrive here terrified of the world, practically starved, with horrible ear and eye issues and little or no hair. They’re regularly covered in fleas and ticks and often have other parasites. We firmly believe that neem makes an enormous difference in their quality of their lives.
Although neem oil is safe for cats, products blended with essential oils are not. Learn more about using neem on cats.
For internal supplementation, the typical dose is 1/8 teaspoon of neem bark powder per 10 pounds twice a day for 30 days, then back down to one dose a day after that. That means a cat or a 12-pound Shih-Tzu would get an eighth of a teaspoon of neem bark powder, a 40-pound Shar-Pei would get a half-teaspoon and a 120-pound Rottie would get 1.5 teaspoons. Neem bark is perfectly safe for cats, both internally and externally.
Mix the neem bark powder with something your pet likes – peanut butter (without xylitol), canned salmon, Velveeta or their favorite canned food to cover the taste. Most pets quickly learn to ignore the bitter neem flavor, but neem supplements can be used if they refuse to eat after a couple of days.
Neem bark powder also can be mixed with peanut butter to make a very effective toothpaste – and since most dogs love the taste of peanut butter they won’t mind your fingers or a brush in their mouths.
Please feel free to call or write us with questions or comments on using neem for pet care – it’s a subject near and dear to our hearts! We also support animal rescue groups. If you’re part of a 501c3 organization, please give us a call to set up a wholesale account so you can purchase neem products at a significant discount.
Please do not use neem internally or externally on pets that are pregnant or that you expect to breed. There is no clinical research showing that using neem topically works as a contraceptive but we’ve heard from a reputable breeder that neem oil should not be used on pregnant females. We’ve also heard from another owner that neem leaf taken internally prevented his male dog from successfully breeding. Several feral cat keepers report significant drops in litters when they started feeding their colonies with neem bark.
Neem leaf does not seem to have the same effect in ruminants and chickens however. Our partner farm in Mexico feeds cows, goats, chickens and lambs neem leaf because they are available in large quantities during winter dry season when other food sources are severely limited.
31 Comments
I wanted to leave a review on the Neem sticks I bought for my Dachshunds.
I’m so happy two of my three Doxies love the sticks. Hoping my third Doxie will keep accepting a stick and eventually chew on it. I spent over $1000 on their dental cleaning and had to have some teeth pulled this summer. My friend told me about her ten year old Maltese who has all of his teeth because she has always used a product with Neem. So I’m happy to these sticks are going to a part of their dental health now too.
Do you use on pups for tick prevention? If so how? Do you sell product? Thank you,
Marlene
Hi Marlene,
No US company has EPA approval to sell neem as an insect repellant except on plants. We rescue dogs in Florida and actually feed them the neem bark rather than spraying them with anything.
Vicki
I hate the pesticides prescribed ro prevent worms in cats and dogs by the pharma industry. I have read where 100% organic neem powder has been used effectively to prevent and treat parasites in humans and pets. Itbis sold at Sevenanda a vegan store in Little Five Points in Atlanta, Ga .
1/8 teaspoon for a 10 pound cat is mentioned above. A 2 pound kitten would get 1/5 that dose at 8 weeks? How often? Every month? Every other month? Thanks.
I’m sorry, that’s a generic recommendation and I wouldn’t know how it translates to a 2-pound kitten. I would try feeding the neem to its mother instead.
Thank you, Kindly.
I would rather not use the toxic chemicals prescribed to help my cats with external and internal parasites…. I was hoping it would be possible and safe to dose their food with a very small amount of neem leaf powder. Is that something that would help them as a natural alternative and can it be safe? Thank you!
No US company has EPA approval to sell neem to treat any insect pests except those on plants. We feed our rescued senior Shar-Pei neem bark because it boosts their immune systems. If the cats are older, they’ll also benefit from its anti=inflammatory compounds that allow their joints to move more effectively. The general dose is 1/8 teaspoon per 10 pounds for 30 days and then back down to once a day after that. You can go back to the double dose if you think you need it. It’s more a money-saving comment than a healthy one.
Feed NEEM bark for what ?
I’m sorry, I don’t understand the question.
I’m confused about the Neem Bark Powder dosage for cats, from a previous reply at Neem For Pets … https://neemtreefarms.com/neem-for-pets/#comment-121480.
” The general dose is 1/8 teaspoon per 10 pounds for 30 days and then back down to once a day after that.
You can go back to the double dose if you think you need it. ”
1. Should the ” 1/8 tsp general dose” be given MULTIPLE TIMES A DAY ?
2. What is the ” double dose ” dispensing instructions ?
Thank you for such an amazing and TRUTHFUL site !!! I have referred many friends to your website while emphasizing that you regularly post and expose articles that are making false claims about Neem.
So many of my pets’ issues have been successfully treated with the products and information you make available. Plus, your products are so soothing to my skin as well LOL !
Hi Lorie,
Thanks for pointing out my error — it should be twice a day for 30 days, then back down to once a day. Backing down is more an economic recommendation than a health recommendation though, so if you think your cat is regressing without the extra neem, keep them on the double dose instead.
Vicki
Thank you so much for the update ! Truly appreciate all the work and research that you guys do !
Hello and thank you for the information about Neem powder! I would like to start giving my dog Neem powder but I would like to make sure I got this right:
So is it safe and beneficial to give my dog who is 10 pounds, 1/8 teaspoon one or twice a day every day all his life? Or should I stop from time to time or give it only for a limited time period?
Thank you!
Hi May,
I am not aware of any problem that could occur. We feed our rescued Shar=Pei neem nearly every morning of their lives and have never seen a problem. In fact, they typically outlive prognosis for things like cancer and degenerative arthritis.
Good luck and feel free to contact us with additional questions.
I bought neem LEAF powder for my 88 lb dog.
So did I get the wrong product for his limping from a tick disease?
If so what should or could I use the leaf power for?
The veterinarians antibiotics haven’t helped at all after nearly 4 weeks.
The leaf may actually be better for acute issues like the limping caused by Lyme — there’s not a lot of clinical research out there. Use the leaf as if it were bark and let us know how he does.
Can I give my 70 lb dog neem leaf powder orally for her skin infections. ? And in what quantity .
Also , can neem oil be locally applied on the infected areas ?
Yes you can! The general recommendation is 1/8 teaspoon per 10 pounds, so I’d round that up to a teaspoon. Start with it at twice a day and then back down to once after a month or so.You can keep her on the twice daily dose if the problem comes back — it’s more a financial than physical recommendation. YOu can apply neem oil on her skin, but I’d recommend the Nothing But Neem Stick instead. It’s much less messy!
Vicki
Glad I found this!
My neighbors cat has stomatitus so bad she can’t eat she has been at my house all day & I’ve tried several things but her mouth hurts too bad. I’m afraid she is starving to death but the flat refuse to help her & get her teeth pulled if I could afford it I would. Awful but she should be put down instead of a slow painful death.
Is it ok to use some neem leaf powder mixed with water on her gums? (if she let’s me)
This making me sick and angry at her selfish owners. I buy her food even but she eats very little in fact she’s onlty had a little milk all day. Any thoughts advice on using the neem in her mouth?
Thanks so much
Poor girl, I’m not sure neem would help but I would try the supercritical extract. If she swallows any, that will be even better. Email me separately with your address and we’ll send you some at no charge to hopefully save her.
do you have xylitol in any of your products?
Just one of the neem toothpowders, but nothing a dog would want to eat!
I can eat neem bark powder for humans?
Yes, it’s listed on both pages but it’s the same exact thing 🙂
any known side effects with neem bark powder and lactating cats?
No, but don’t feed it to them if they are pregnant or trying to get pregnant.
I’ve heard of some people feeding neem powder as a flea prevention and they claim it work? I’ve used the oil, messy, and don’t really see much of a help? I’m in Lakeland, not far from you, so you know how bad we get them here! 🙁 I have the oil and also both neem powder AND neem bark powder. (obviously one brown and one green) Can you explain the difference between the 2 and which one would be ingested as a flea prevention IF someone was trying to do so? And if you’ve heard if it helping??
Hi Joy,
No US company has EPA approval to use neem to treat or prevent any kind of insect, except on plants. That said, I feed my pack of rescued Shar-Pei neem every day to boost their immune systems.
I have neem leaf powder. I have a two year old American Cocker Spaniel who has lots of environmental allergies. Mostly everything that grows in my yard in Northern Ontario Canada. The worst allergy is dust and storage mites. I’d like to know if it is better to mix the leaf powder and spray him or should I give it to him internally? He weighs 25 lbs. The poor boy is constantly licking and nipping. He has no noticable rash or hair loss. His skin is dry and flaky. My vet now thinks he may have food allergies but I don’t agree. He is allergic to fish. Found that out when he ate the bones and skin out of my can of salmon. His dog food contains no fish or fish oil.
I would be using the neem leaf internally. The recommended dosage would be 1/4 teaspoon twice a day until the allergy clears up, then you can switch back to once a day. That once-a-day recommendation is based on the cost, not the safety of neem. You can keep him on the higher dose indefinitely if he actus like he needs it. For the dry skin, I’d try unrefined coconut oil if salmon oil causes problems.