There is an ancient Asian legend that animals helped humans to discover the medicinal value of plants.
This seems likely to me since dogs naturally practice a form of herbal therapy when they eat grass. Cats certainly use grass to help them vomit a hairball and we all know they naturally love the effects of the catnip herb.
As I was taking a guided walk in the mountains near Innsbruck Austria, my guide, a botanist and herbalist, showed us all of the plants and herbs that are growing in the meadows close to town.  I was able to come up with a list of herbs that you can plant in your own Lowcountry backyard that can benefit you and your pets.
Obviously, the first one that comes to mind is catnip. This herb is in the mint family, so look out, it spreads.
And, it will attract unwanted neighborhood stray cats.
We use catnip in the hospital to help cats acclimate to their hospital environment. It seems to help them eat better. Catnip is also supposed to be a good remedy for dogs with upset stomachs secondary to anxiety.
Echinacea purpureais is another herb that people are very familiar with. As in people, this plant can help pets ward off infections.
Rosemary is one of my favorites, not only because it smells so good, but because it seems to grow whether I pay any attention to it or not.
This herb contains an ingredient that prevents the breakdown of acetylcholine in the brain. A low level of acetylcholine is associated with senility and Alzheimer’s disease in people. The same might be true in dogs. Rosemary also has lots of antioxidants which are good for inflammatory conditions like arthritis and skin disease.
Marshmallow is another plant with pretty flowers and it doesn’t require a lot of water. Herbalists use the dried root of Marshmallow for bowel inflammation, urinary stones and respiratory conditions.
All herb gardens should have plenty of parsley. This vitamin rich herb can be added to canned foods. It also has good antioxidants and the chlorophyll helps freshen breath. The seeds are said to help repel fleas. Holistic veterinarians sometimes use parsley as part of their treatment for arthritis.
Another good breath freshener is peppermint. This mint is also good for nausea, but I find dogs don’t like it very much.  
Thyme makes a nice ground cover in front of other flowers or herbs. In addition to being a wonderful flavoring for human foods, dogs seem to like it. Thyme has antiseptic properties which are useful for fighting gingivitis. It is also can also be useful for raspy coughs.
I can’t believe I waited so long to add valerian to my garden.
This stuff gets huge and has pretty pinkish blossoms. It is the root that is most useful for pets, but the leaves and stems do work in a weaker fashion. Valerian is an herbal sedative and is useful for nervous dogs. It can help calm animals during thunderstorms or trips to the vet.
Unfortunately, much of my guided tour was in German, so I didn’t understand a lot of it. This is probably just as well since most of the other plants that we saw wouldn’t grow in the heat of South Carolina.
But at least it got me thinking about ways to plant useful things that beautify my garden and help my pets.

(Dr. Katherine A. Saenger, DVM, owns Bees Ferry Veterinary Hospital and Boarding Kennel (www.beesferry.com) E-mail her at vetsaenger@bellsouth.net.)