We are proud to bring this article “home” to Molly’s Herbals. Molly Nolte first shared these insights with InfoHorse.com in 2007, where her words helped thousands of animal owners explore natural herbal worming options. Today, her original formulas — Formula #1: Wormwood & Black Walnut and Formula #2: Weekly Maintenance Blend — are still trusted by goat keepers, horse owners, poultry enthusiasts, dog families, cattle ranchers, and many others.

By republishing this piece, we honor Molly’s vision: to make safe, effective, natural herbal care accessible for all animals. We’ve also included helpful links to formulas, usage instructions, and resources so you can easily put this knowledge into practice.

So How Is Molly's Herbal Wormer HOLISTIC?

About Molly...

Molly's Herbals has been a lifetime labor of love, careful formulation, study and knowledge of herbs and how they work within the body. Says Molly...

When I was in my 20s I had asthma. I have always believed in natural health care and really wanted to stop using medications so I started studying herbs to help with my breathing. I developed an herbal blend and three years later I had no symptoms of asthma. I then started to develop my own herbal formulas for my own use on my own animals, because there really were no herbal animals related products available out there. I actually never really set out to sell my formulas. In the early 2000s people were using herbs for themselves and many wanted to use herbals for their animals as well. I wanted to help people so I thought I would make my formulas available for others. I had no idea it would eventually grow become Molly's Herbals. It's wonderful being able to make my living by helping animals have a better quality of life.

What Is Holistic Health Care?

Modern Western medicine does not treat the entire animal or human. It directly addresses the problem, aiming to correct it as quickly as possible. In contrast, holistic therapies address the health of the entire organism by slowly and surely balancing the systems of the body, strengthening the immune system, and preventing disease.

So How Can Herbs Help My Horses and Dogs?

Understanding the proper use of herbs involves rethinking your understanding of how health care works (or should work). In today's mainstream medical profession (Western Medicine) the approach to health maintenance focuses on treating symptoms. When a person, or animal, gets sick, the conventional practice is to identify and suppress the symptoms of disease to achieve immediate relief (quick fix). The long-term well-being of the patient is not really addressed and to cure the real dis-ease is actually not pursued.

Note: In using herbs in a holistic manner, we look at the causes of the dis-ease. We take a curative approach and look for the origin and purpose. Once this is addressed, we can work toward reestablishing and maintaining the body’s own ability to heal itself.

How Can The Right Herbs Help My Horses or Dogs?

Says Molly:

Personally I choose to use natural and herbal health treatments for myself, so it made sense for me to try it for my animals as well. Herbs can provide a wise alternative to administering drugs that might cause unwanted side effects or even risk the long-term health of your animals. For example, one of the reasons I developed my A&J formula, for my own Basset Hound, was I was concerned about the possible side effects of the Rimadyl that the vet prescribed her for her arthritis. I wanted to try an alternative with fewer chances of negative long-term health side effects. Herbs were worth trying and worked for my situation. Another example is many chemical/drug deworming products are becoming less effective these days as the parasites are developing resistance. I didn't like giving my own animals the chemical-poison wormers that are so prevalent today, so I developed an herbal alternative that parasites have not developed any resistance to.

Is Consulting With A Vet Still A Good Idea?

Absolutely! If you feel your animal has any type of health issue, you may want to consult a vet or natural health pet practitioner. Remember to ask questions and don’t be afraid to seek alternative treatments if you think that is a better choice for you and your animals. Most vets have no experience with herbs and will not suggest using them, although I am having more of my customers telling me that their vets are so amazed with the results from my herbs, that they are actually starting to recommend them to other clients.

So Is Wormwood In Molly’s Herbal Wormer Safe For My Horses and Dogs?

Wormwood is a safe dewormer when used properly, but the continuous, long-term use of small doses of wormwood (every week—exactly how other natural wormers often prescribe) can be harmful to an animal's kidneys, liver, and nervous system. Wormwood can be used safely on animals in larger doses, on an occasional basis (every 6–8 weeks). Because of this I originated a new concept in herbal worming methods, and I created a new system using two Herbal Worm Formulas that work in conjunction with each other: the Formula #1 Herbal Wormwood Combination and the Formula #2 Herbal Weekly Worm Formula & Tonic.

Formula #1 Wormwood Combination: Administer once a day for 3 days in a row. Repeat every 6–8 weeks. Use in conjunction with Formula #2 (Formula #2 is given once a week the other 7 weeks).

Formula #2 Weekly Worm Formula & Tonic: Administer once per week on the weeks you do not give the Wormwood Combination. Intended to be used in conjunction with Formula #1.

Note: During the time an animal is pregnant, Formula #2 is substituted for Formula #1. The day after the animal gives birth, Formula #1 is then administered for three days in a row no matter where in the cycle they currently are.

Molly's Herbals Worm Formula: The original two-part system works holistically in multiple ways.

• By expelling live worms: the worms hate being around the herb so much they would rather leave the host than be around the herb. Because of this, you may see worms in the animal's poop after they have been wormed.
• By killing and expelling the parasites.
• By helping the animal build a stronger immune system so they can more easily fight an infestation.
• Working as a preventive: helping the animal build a stronger immune system so that they can resist the parasite and thus not become infected in the first place. Healthy animals are much less likely to get infected than unhealthy ones.
• There has been no evidence to show that worms build up resistance to this herbal system like they can do with chemical and drug wormers.
• Molly's Herbals Worm Formula is a two-part system and, when used as recommended, is safe to administer to pregnant and lactating animals.

How Is Molly’s Herbal Wormer Different From Other Herbal Wormers?

First, Molly understands how often, and when to administer. In addition, most herbal wormers, dewormers, and worm products also contain laxative herbs; her formulas do not. The idea behind using laxatives is to flush out parasites by loosening stool and stimulating bowel movement. However, this approach adds stress to the animal's system and may lead to laxative dependency. If constipation is associated with a worm infestation (which very rarely happens) you could administer Slippery Elm, which aids in lubricating the digestive tract without pulling needed fluids from the body.

So How Is Molly’s Herbal Wormer HOLISTIC?

Molly’s Herbal Wormer is designed to work in sync with your horses’ or dogs’ bodies. Holistic therapies address the health of the entire animal by slowly and surely balancing the systems of the body, strengthening the immune system, and preventing disease. Because of this, you need to understand that herbal wormers are also used as a preventative, as opposed to just waiting until you have a major problem or infestation. This system is intended to be used all year round; do not quit using it in the winter.

Molly’s Herbal Wormer Is The Natural Way To Rid Your Animals’ Body of Parasites!

Molly’s Herbal Wormer has been helping animal owners for years rid their horses and dogs of worms—naturally! Easy to use, just follow the directions and maintain a regular program as prescribed and your horses and dogs can enjoy a healthy, parasite-free life for years to come. Be sure to order today!

FAQ

• Can I use Molly’s Herbal Wormer for horses?
  Yes, Formula #1 (Wormwood & Black Walnut) is commonly used by horse owners. Always check with your veterinarian before beginning any worming routine.
• What’s the difference between Formula #1 and Formula #2?
  Formula #1 is a stronger herbal worming blend, while Formula #2 is a gentle weekly maintenance formula. They work best when used together.
• Is Black Walnut safe for horses in Molly’s Herbal Wormer Formula #11?
  We have many customers who use Formula #1 safely with their horses, but some folks choose to use only Formula #2, since it does not have black walnut. The part of the Black Walnut tree that can be toxic to horses is the roots and wood — this is why Black Walnut should never be used in bedding for horses.  Molly’s Herbals uses the hulls, and in over 20 years of use, Molly’s Herbals has not received any negative feedback from horse owners using these formulas.

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Important Disclaimer These statements have not been evaluated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration or USDA. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Always consult with a qualified veterinarian before making changes to your animal's health care routine.