Starwest Botanicals Cat's Claw Inner Bark Powder Wildcrafted, 1 Pound

I laughed at the flavor This is Cat's Claw it tast horrible But works Great

Used it for joint inflammation

very good quality, all of Starwest B. are that way. powder is easy to consume, finely ground

We started using Cat’s Claw as a natural alternative for our German Shepherd after deciding to take her off Apoquel due to concerns about long-term side effects and the high cost. Our GSD suffered from severe allergy symptoms—she would scratch her ears until they bled, constantly shake her head (resulting in hematomas), and was losing hair around her eyes. Her belly skin had turned black and leathery, resembling elephant skin. She was in a cone almost 24/7 to prevent further injury. Apoquel was the only thing that had worked up until that point, but we were desperate for a safer, long-term solution. To our amazement, Cat’s Claw began working after just a few doses. Her ears cleared up, the constant discomfort and scratching stopped, and her skin and coat started to heal. Within a short time, her fur grew back, her skin looked healthy again, and the dreaded cone was no longer necessary. She is now cone-free, comfortable, and allergy-free without any of the harsh side effects of Apoquel. We also gave Cat’s Claw to our Corgi to test for general allergy relief, but noticed an increase in water intake and some accidents in the house. Once we stopped giving it to him, those issues resolved. So while our German Shepherd had absolutely no adverse reactions and saw huge benefits, it may not be ideal for every dog—each pet may respond differently. Pros: Natural alternative to prescription allergy meds Cleared up severe ear and skin issues quickly No side effects for our GSD Cost-effective and easy to administer Cons: May not be suitable for all dogs (caused increased thirst/urination in our Corgi) I’ve since recommended Cat’s Claw to numerous other pet owners online facing similar struggles with dog allergies, and I truly believe it can be a game changer. If you’re looking for a natural, effective alternative to Apoquel, this is absolutely worth trying.

I have been buying dried herbs and botanicals for many years. It's really important that what you buy is fresh and has not been sitting around on a shelf or in storage for many years because then it will likely be much less effective. As soon as I got this package of Cat's Claw from Starwest Botanicals I gave it a preliminary exam; the color was rich (instead of faded, as is common with older product) and the smell was potent (again, another thing that tends to fade with prolonged storage). This reassured me that this was actually a fresh product that hadn't been sitting around in a warehouse somewhere for a long time. At first I made a decoction with it (boiled it for 20 minutes, as is customary with roots), but the resulting tea was incredibly bitter (as it's supposed to be). I thought I could tolerate it, but it turns out that it's too bitter for me. Since the bark is shredded very fine, almost powdery, I was able to encapsulate it in gelatin capsules. Not the easiest thing in the world, but definitely doable. I combined the capsules with some ascorbic acid mixed in water since I read that consuming Cat's Claw with something acidic aids the absorption. I'm not sure if this is true since it is incredibly difficult to find information on the best ways to ingest it. There is, however, a lot of research on using Cat's Claw for various health issues. Overall, I'm pleased with the quaility of this product and I would feel confident buying other botanicals from this company. If you have any questions, feel free to ask, and if you found this helpful, consider leaving me feedback - I really appreciate it!