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Herbsmith Calm Shen Calming Supplement for Cats and Dogs

$29.99

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Herbsmith Calm Shen Calming Supplement for Cats and Dogs 90 Tablets Herb Package Front

Herbsmith Calm Shen Calming Supplement for Cats and Dogs

Calm Shen supports dogs and cats who feel anxious day in and day out. This gentle herbal blend helps smooth emotional highs and lows without sedation or personality changes. Over time, it supports a steadier, more grounded emotional state for pets who live life on high alert. Calms without drowsiness. Vet-developed TCVM formula. Available in powder and tablets. Contains tree nuts.

A Different Kind of Anxiety Needs a Different Kind of Support

Many pet parents reach for calming chews, CBD, or quick fixes because that is what is familiar - and sometimes those tools help in the moment. But when a pet feels anxious every day, it is no longer just a moment. It is a pattern. Calm Shen does not sedate or override personality. It works gradually, building in the system to help anxious pets feel more settled in their world over time. On especially tough days - fireworks, travel, vet visits - July Third can step in with additional short-term support. Calm Shen is the daily foundation; July Third is the in-the-moment assist.

When to Use Calm Shen

  • Constant, daily anxiety: Helps pets who seem nervous, unsettled, or buzzing with worry most days.
  • Destructive behavior caused by anxiety: Helps ease the internal tension behind chewing, pacing, escape attempts, and other anxious habits.
  • Separation anxiety: Supports steadier emotions in pets who panic when left alone.
  • Environmental stressors: Gives pets a calmer baseline to handle guests, noises, schedule changes, or new environments.
  • Calming without drowsiness: Gently encourages emotional balance without dulling personality or energy.
  • Excessive barking caused by anxiety: Helps quiet the anxious energy behind reactive barking at sounds, strangers, or triggers.

Behind the Formula: Modified Tian Wang Bu Xin Dan

Calm Shen is a modification of Tian Wang Bu Xin Dan (Emperor of Heaven's Special Pill to Tonify the Heart), one of the most important classical TCVM formulas for Shen disturbance from Heart and Kidney Yin deficiency. In TCVM, the Heart houses the Shen - the spirit, consciousness, and capacity to feel settled in the world. The Kidney governs the body's foundational Yin (Water), and under normal circumstances, Kidney Water rises to cool and nourish Heart Fire, keeping the Heart calm and the Shen anchored. When excessive stress, aging, or chronic emotional demand depletes Kidney Yin, that cooling relationship breaks down. Heart Fire rises unchecked, Shen becomes unmoored, and anxiety, restlessness, and emotional reactivity follow. The formula nourishes Kidney and Heart Yin, tonifies Heart Blood, anchors the Shen, and clears deficiency Heat - without suppressing vitality or causing drowsiness.

Active Ingredients and Their Actions

  • Sheng Di Huang (Raw Rehmannia Root - Rehmannia glutinosa): The chief herb; enriches Kidney Yin, clears deficiency Heat, and nourishes Blood. Directly addresses the Kidney Yin depletion that allows Heart Fire to rise unchecked. Iridoid glycoside constituents have documented neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory activity.
  • Tian Men Dong (Asparagus Tuber - Asparagus cochinchinensis): Enriches Lung and Kidney Yin and clears deficiency Heat from the upper burner. Works alongside Sheng Di Huang and Mai Men Dong to provide deep Yin nourishment from both Lung and Kidney channels. Steroidal glycoside constituents have documented adaptogenic and anxiolytic activity.
  • Mai Men Dong (Ophiopogon Tuber - Ophiopogon japonicus): Enriches Heart and Lung Yin and clears deficiency Heat. One of the most important herbs for Heart Yin deficiency with heat signs - precisely the pattern driving anxiety and restlessness here. Steroidal saponin constituents have documented cardioprotective and anxiolytic activity.
  • Dang Gui (Angelica Tang Kuei - Angelica sinensis): Tonifies and invigorates Blood to nourish the Heart without causing stasis. When Heart Blood is sufficient, the Shen has a stable home and is less prone to disturbance. Ligustilide constituents have documented anti-anxiety and antidepressant activity in research models.
  • Wu Wei Zi (Schisandra Fruit - Schisandra chinensis): Prevents leakage of Heart Qi, astringes the Shen, and calms the spirit. In TCVM, anxiety is partly a Shen that has become uncontained; Wu Wei Zi acts to hold the Shen in place. Schisandrin B and gomisins have documented adaptogenic and anxiolytic activity via GABAergic modulation - among the most pharmacologically documented calming constituents in the formula.
  • Bai Zi Ren (Biota Seed - Platycladus orientalis): Calms the spirit, nourishes Heart Blood, and quiets restlessness from Heart and Kidney Yin deficiency. Fatty acid and terpenoid constituents have documented sedative-adjacent and cardioprotective activity without causing true sedation.
  • Suan Zao Ren (Sour Jujube Seed - Ziziphus jujuba): Nourishes Heart Yin, augments Liver Blood, prevents leakage of Heart Qi, and quiets the spirit. Jujuboside A and B saponins have documented anxiolytic activity via GABAergic and serotonergic modulation. Contains tree nuts.
  • Ren Shen (Ginseng - Panax ginseng): Strongly tonifies Heart Qi and Yuan Qi; supports the Heart's functional capacity to house and anchor the Shen. Ginsenoside constituents have extensively documented adaptogenic, anxiolytic, and neuroprotective activity.
  • Xuan Shen (Scrophularia - Scrophularia ningpoensis): Enriches Yin, clears deficiency Heat, and cools Blood. Adds additional Yin nourishment and Heat-clearing suited to deficiency Heat rising to disturb the Shen. Iridoid and phenylpropanoid constituents have documented anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective activity.
  • Dan Shen (Salvia - Salvia miltiorrhiza): Invigorates Blood, clears Heart Heat, and calms the spirit; tonifies Blood to nourish the Heart without causing stasis. Paired with Dang Gui to cover both moving and tonifying aspects of Heart Blood nourishment. Tanshinone and salvianolic acid constituents have documented cardioprotective and neuroprotective activity.
  • Fu Ling (Poria - Wolfiporia extensa): Tonifies Heart Qi, quiets the spirit, and strengthens the Spleen to support generation of Qi and Blood. When the Spleen is strong, adequate Blood and Qi are produced to nourish the Heart and anchor the Shen. Triterpenoid and polysaccharide constituents have documented anxiolytic and immunomodulatory activity.
  • Yuan Zhi (Polygala - Polygala tenuifolia): Calms the spirit, opens the orifices to clear phlegm misting the Heart, and strengthens the communication between Heart and Kidney. A critical herb in the formula - it directly addresses Shen disturbance and facilitates restoration of the Heart-Kidney axis. Tenuifolin and onjisaponin constituents have documented anxiolytic, antidepressant, and neuroprotective activity via monoaminergic and GABAergic modulation.
  • Jie Geng (Platycodon - Platycodon grandiflorus): Acts as a guide drug, conducting the actions of the other herbs upward to the Heart and upper burner where the Shen resides. Platycodon saponins have documented anti-inflammatory activity.
  • Flaxseed (carrier - powder format): Serves as the powder carrier; provides ALA omega-3s with mild anti-inflammatory activity to support neurological and cardiovascular health.

Directions for Use

Sprinkle powder over every meal, mix into a small meatball or cottage cheese, or freeze with broth into cubes. Tablets can be given with meals or hidden in a treat. Give twice daily. Calm Shen builds gradually in the system - consistent daily use is what allows shifts in emotional patterns to happen.

Powder - Dogs:

  • Under 3.75 lbs: 1/16 tsp twice daily, or as directed by your veterinarian
  • 4-7.5 lbs: 1/8 tsp twice daily, or as directed by your veterinarian
  • 8-14 lbs: 1/4 tsp twice daily, or as directed by your veterinarian
  • 15-30 lbs: 1/2 tsp twice daily, or as directed by your veterinarian
  • 31-80 lbs: 1 tsp twice daily, or as directed by your veterinarian
  • 81-120 lbs: 1-1/2 tsp twice daily, or as directed by your veterinarian
  • Over 120 lbs: 2 tsp twice daily, or as directed by your veterinarian

Powder - Cats:

  • Under 3.75 lbs: 1/16 tsp twice daily, or as directed by your veterinarian
  • 4-7.5 lbs: 1/8 tsp twice daily, or as directed by your veterinarian
  • 8-14 lbs: 1/4 tsp twice daily, or as directed by your veterinarian
  • Over 15 lbs: 1/2 tsp twice daily, or as directed by your veterinarian

Tablets - Dogs:

  • Under 3.75 lbs: 1/8 tablet twice daily, or as directed by your veterinarian
  • 4-7.5 lbs: 1/4 tablet twice daily, or as directed by your veterinarian
  • 8-14 lbs: 1/2 tablet twice daily, or as directed by your veterinarian
  • 15-30 lbs: 1 tablet twice daily, or as directed by your veterinarian
  • 31-80 lbs: 2 tablets twice daily, or as directed by your veterinarian
  • 81-120 lbs: 3 tablets twice daily, or as directed by your veterinarian
  • Over 120 lbs: 4 tablets twice daily, or as directed by your veterinarian

Tablets - Cats:

  • Under 3.75 lbs: 1/8 tablet twice daily, or as directed by your veterinarian
  • 4-7.5 lbs: 1/4 tablet twice daily, or as directed by your veterinarian
  • 8-14 lbs: 1/2 tablet twice daily, or as directed by your veterinarian
  • Over 15 lbs: 1 tablet twice daily, or as directed by your veterinarian

Cautions

Not for use in pregnant animals. If the animal's condition worsens or does not improve, stop product administration and consult your veterinarian. Not for use within 48 hours of surgery or anesthesia. Contains tree nuts.

Frequently Asked Questions

My dog has long barking spells. Is Calm Shen right for him?

It may be. Excessive barking can be fear-driven or rooted in ongoing anxiety. If you have ruled out boredom, normal alert barking, or a naturally vocal breed, those long barking bursts may be tied to chronic Shen disturbance - exactly the pattern Calm Shen supports. Daily use helps reduce the baseline reactivity that drives anxious barking over time, or as directed by your veterinarian.

Is Calm Shen safe to use with CBD or July Third?

Yes. Calm Shen works gradually as the daily foundation for emotional balance. CBD or July Third offer more immediate calming for out-of-the-ordinary stressors like fireworks, vet visits, or travel. Using both together is common and appropriate - they address different timescales of anxiety support, or as directed by your veterinarian.

Is Calm Shen safe for long-term use?

Absolutely. Calm Shen is formulated for daily use and can be used for your pet's entire life if needed. The herbs are gentle, cumulative, and well-suited to ongoing support of the Heart-Kidney Yin axis that underlies chronic anxiety patterns, or as directed by your veterinarian.

Will Calm Shen make my pet sleepy?

No. Calm Shen is calming, not sedating. The formula supports emotional grounding and reduces reactivity without dulling energy, personality, or alertness. Your pet will feel like themselves - just more settled, or as directed by your veterinarian.

Can cats use Calm Shen?

Yes. Calm Shen is formulated for both dogs and cats experiencing ongoing anxiety. Use the cat-specific dosing tables above, or as directed by your veterinarian.

When will I see results?

Because Calm Shen works by gradually restoring the Heart-Kidney Yin balance underlying chronic anxiety, results build over time. Most pet parents begin noticing a calmer baseline within 2-4 weeks of consistent daily use, with continued improvement over 1-3 months. Pets with long-standing anxiety patterns may take longer - the deeper the imbalance, the more time the herbs need to create lasting change, or as directed by your veterinarian.

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