Taking care of a pet is a huge responsibility. If you have a dog at home, you would be well aware that sometimes they can develop a range of complicated health issues. While having a good local veterinarian at hand is obviously necessary, they might not be available at all times. What if your beloved dog ingests poison accidentally or develops a bad cut in the middle of the night?
Our pets can be quite hyperactive and need to be monitored all the time. Sometimes, though, you just can’t get to a doctor right away. For these moments it’s important to know that some situations can be managed with a home remedy. In fact, several natural home remedies can help solve a range of health issues of your canine companions. Let’s take a look at a few of them.
1. Poison control
In case your dog or some other pet accidentally ingests some form of poison, the first step should obviously be to contact your veterinarian or animal poison control. You can also ascertain the level of toxicity by getting in touch with your local animal poison control center.
If you feel the degree of toxicity isn’t too severe, you can use hydrogen peroxide for inducing vomiting in your pet. Leading veterinarians suggest one teaspoon per five pounds of body weight would be ideal for this. Hydrogen peroxide is a gastric irritant and should be given under consultation with animal poison control. If your pet accidentally swallows some cleaning product, you should avoid making them vomit as that can increase damage to the esophagus. Milk of Magnesia would also work well for mild cases of toxic ingestion as it can help in promoting a bowel movement.
2. Cuts and skin sores
Minor cuts and sores are almost unavoidable for dogs given how active they can be. For such injuries, lavender oil can be quite useful. Lavender oil is one of the most popular essential oils used all over the world today. It has a wide variety of benefits and is known for its powerful antimicrobial, pain-relieving, and healing properties that will be super effective to treat mild cuts and sores on your dogs. Since this is such a gentle oil, you can apply it directly to their skin. You can also apply a thin film directly to the sore area.
Alternatively, you can even use sugar on the sore skin area. However, make sure that the sugar isn’t moistened and you apply it directly to the wound. Cover the area with a bandage to protect against infections. For cleaning wounds, many vets suggest using alcohol or peroxide as they are very gentle on the skin.
3. Thunderstorms
During severe lighting storms, you might often find your dog to be quite frightened. They become anxious and quiet and generally try to hide under the bed or in some other corner. We mostly assume that our lovable canine is scared of the flashes of light or the sound. According to experts, though, their fear is caused by a buildup of static electricity in their coat during a thunderstorm.
In such a scenario, rub a fragrance-free dryer sheet on their coat. It would be better if you do this on the morning of an anticipated thunderstorm. You can even use a flower essence like Rescue Remedy or CBD oil to ease their fear and anxiety during loud lightning.
4. Flea and ticks
Fleas and ticks are very common in dogs and can be really bothersome for them. You must have heard and used various remedies for curing the fleas and ticks off your dogs. In recent years, some vets have noted that a few drops of rose geranium oil applied to the dog collar can work wonders. You can also apply one drop directly behind each shoulder blade and follow it by putting one drop near the base of the tail. Do this for every 3 to 5 days and you should see some positive results in helping your dog repel unwanted ticks and fleas.
Some of the additional benefits of rose geranium oil are that it helps to lessen fatigue and boosts the mood. Thus, you will be doing your dog an extra favor by using this age-old oil.
5. Upset stomach
It is quite normal for your dog to get an occasional upset stomach just like we do. The causes can be many: one too many treats, seasonal allergies, or physiological related changes due to weather. If you feel that the issue is severe then immediately take them to the vet. However, if your dog has a mild stomach issue that does not appear to be life-threatening, then you can treat it with some useful home remedies.
Adding pumpkin, sweet potatoes, bananas, and oatmeal into your pet’s diet will help as they are gentle foods that will help settle the stomach. These foods can even help ease a chronic stomach upset. Some experts also recommend adding a little yogurt to the food at dinnertime for the dog to cure the upset stomach. You can even use several herbs like ginger, basil, goldenseal, or milk thistle as a treatment.
6. Cracked paw pads
Sometimes, abrupt changes in weather can cause the paw pads of your pooch to become dry and cracked. This is especially common in dogs during harsh winter weather. Walking with cracked paw pads is very painful and takes time to heal. Thus, you need to keep an eye out to check if your dog is limping, holding a paw off the ground, is licking its paws excessively, and is crying out or yelping. If it is showing any of these signs, then chances are that the poor animal is suffering from a cracked or dry paw.
You can dab plenty of natural oils and butter on the paw pads of your dog. Some of the most useful ones include coconut oil, shea butter, calendula extract, cupuacu butter, and vitamin E oil. Remember to cover your dog’s feet with socks after application of the oil so that they don’t lick it off. This remedy might take a few days to show results but these natural oils will certainly help in restoring your dog’s paw pads to their ideal condition.
7. Dog gas
If your dog is passing pungent gas regularly then it is not something you should laugh off. Stomach gurgling, burping, or even farting is normal for most dogs. However, excessive dog gas can be a problem. You must first determine if the reason for the gas is due to an allergy, a food intolerance, or some malabsorption issue.
Adding low-fat yogurt at mealtime should help control your dog’s gassy outbursts. Herbs like slippery elm, fennel, and plantain also help in soothing the GI tract and ultimately reducing loose stools and gas. Also, adding good bacteria to your dog’s GI tract would be beneficial as they are a natural source of probiotics and digestive enzymes.
Note: Bear in mind that even though home remedies can be quite effective in treating the health problems of your pets, you shouldn’t completely depend on them. Always consult with your trusted vet and keep them in the loop with the at-home remedies you are using for your animal companions.
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