Dog Health First Aid - Tips for Minor Ailments From Kevin The Collie
A guide to dealing with minor dog ailments - Dogs’ First Aid. When you adopt or buy a dog or puppy, the dog's health is top priority. You need to have a veterinary surgeon to turn to in an emergency. They do a wonderful job, and you should never ignore an animal’s suffering. However, it is a waste of money to take a dog to the Vet’s surgery when you could solve the problem at home. Even if you have dog health insurance the excess can be high, and you can end up paying more in future if you make frequent claims on a dog insurance policy. If the dog’s symptoms persist you can still contact the vet. Dog health need not always be a costly worry, and you can now buy pet medications online.
Some dog breeds do not like being handled: pitbull dogs and bull terriers for example.
When training your dog, make him accept regular handling, this is taught in dog training so that the dog understands you are entitled to treat him for his own good. After a country walk it is a good idea to give your dog a quick grooming or rub down, and check for any lumps or bumps that he may have picked up along the way. My own dog, Kevin, a Collie – German Shepherd cross, gets twigs and sticks caught round his rear and his bushy tail. Left unchecked, these can cause the fur to mat around them. The dog will worry at it and probably lick the area bare, leaving it open to infection. You can avoid this with a few minutes’ attention.
Dogs' Skin Allergies In the Summer an increasing number of dogs are plagued by itchy skin, with an uncontrollable urge to scratch and lick the itchy area. If your dog worries at an irritated patch of skin for too long, the fur comes off and his skin can get infected. There are all sorts of reasons why dogs' skin can be so sensitive: many dogs are allergic to fleas' saliva, so contact with a single flea can start the itching. We paid out a fortune to different vets to find a cure when Kevin had a distressing skin allergy, and finally we found a cure which was really simple. The vet prescribed Periactin, and anti histamine tablet that is also prescribed for humans. The itching stopped in just a few days, if your dog is having trouble with an itchy allergy then you can ask your vet about these tablets to help relieve the symptoms.
Fleas are annoying for dogs and their owners. Fleas are parasites that live on the dog or puppy, sucking blood and laying eggs. Flea bites make the dog itch, but some dogs are also allergic to flea saliva and this makes the problem worse. A dog with an allergy only needs to come in contact with one flea to cause an allergic reaction that makes him scratch and lick his skin intensely and lose fur. If your dog has this kind of allergy you may never see a flea on him. How do you know the dog has fleas? Part his fur and look for small dark brown insects (less than a quarter inch long), also their droppings – they look like specks of pepper. The infection must be tackled quickly as fleas can live on humans and in home furnishings. You and your family will also suffer from a flea infestation.
The best treatment for fleas is an oral medication for the dog, such as Frontline or Drontal, that interrupts the life cycle by killing flea eggs and larva. This works as long as the dog is not immediately exposed again to infection, so if fleas are in your carpets you may need to get them treated as well.
Constipation - when a dog or puppy is constipated try this natural home remedy first. For a large dog, add 3 to 4 tablespoons of mineral oil to its food. For a small dog reduce the dose to 1 to 2 teaspoons. Do this for two days and the problem should clear up.
Diarrhoea – If your dog or puppy is going to the toilet a lot and has diarrhoea, mix one heaped teaspoon of carob powder with a little water and mix into your dog’s dinner. Use half a teaspoon for a puppy or miniature breed. Keep his food light and simple for at least two days - chicken or lamb, rice and vegetables if possible.
Kennel Cough, otherwise known as tracheobronchitis, is one of the most infectious diseases your dog can get. It is caused by a number of airborne bacteria and viruses but your dog needs to be mixing closely with other virus carriers to contract kennel cough. This is how it gets the name – dogs involved in shows, staying in kennels, or walking in groups, are far more likely to suffer from kennel cough. A dry cough is the first symptoms of kennel cough, which is caused by an inflamed trachea and bronchi. Kennel cough is just like a bad cold or flu in humans. Although it is rarely fatal, it can develop into pneumonia or canine distemper if your dog's immune system is not fighting the infection. Many dog owners give a small dose of children's analgesics when the dog has a kennel cough, just as for us, most dogs will shake off the cough after the virus runs its course. If Kennel Cough persists for more than ten days the dog needs to go to the vet and if the diagnosis is confirmed, your dog will take antibiotics to avoid secondary infections while he is recovering.
Ticks are nasty. They have a one-piece body and the tick's harpoon-like mouth barbs attach to a host (your dog) for feeding. Crablike legs and a sticky secretion help the tick to hold on. Long-haired dogs like Schnauzers often suffer badly from ticks. When attempting to remove a tick, the aim is to prevent the mouth section from coming off and remaining embedded in the skin. The home remedy is simple and cheap – petroleum jelly, which is what you would get if you go to a pet shop and buy a proprietary tick remover! The most effective way to remove the tick is to put a big lump of petroleum jelly over the area where it has attached itself. Leave this for at least ten minutes. Once the tick’s grip loosens, you can wipe it away with a tissue.
Insect Stings If you can see the sting, remove it with tweezers: grasp the sting at the point of entry and pull it straight out. Try to avoid squeezing the poison sac, you do not want to release any more toxins into the bloodstream. To ease a bee sting, bathe with a bicarbonate of soda solution: for wasp stings, use a vinegar solution.
PoisoningFew dog owners realize the potential for fatal intoxication if your dog eats chocolate, which caused by the theobromine that it contains. The lethal dosage of theobromine in dogs can be as low as 12 oz of chocolate in a dog weighing 20lbs. If your dog has eaten a potentially dangerous amount and you can get the pet to your vet within two hours, vomiting can be induced to remove the poison. If the delay is longer than two hours, he may still need to be seen and treated.
The symptoms to watch for are: vomiting and diarrhoea, increased urination and nausea. These can progress to cardiac arrhythmias and seizures. It is vital to make sure that chocolate is not left anywhere that your dog can find it.
Choking Choking may not always be immediately clear: if your dog appears short of breath, drooling (more than normal!) and pawing around his mouth, check for obstructions in his mouth. If you can see an object stuck in the throat (and if your dog will let you), grab the object and test whether you can extract it. Do not pull on a string or thread that is part swallowed, as this can cause a spasm in the intestines. Get your dog to the vet as soon as possible!
Hypothermia If your dog gets extremely cold there is a danger of hypothermia, just as for humans. What to do:
- if the dog is wet, dry him very quickly with towels. If possible, use a hair dryer from a safe distance on the medium setting. Do not concentrate on one part of the body, move the dryer around to avoid burning the dog's skin.
- if the dog is dry, wrap him up in layers of warm coverings and keep him in a warm place.
Hyperthermia Never leave your dog in a hot car or in a vehicle that is parked in the sun. The buildup of heat is dangerously fast inside a car, and your dog could dehydrate and die in a frighteningly short time. IF you have to leave him, make sure the car is in a shady position, with some windows open, and check back at least once every 45 minutes. If you dog does get too hot - in or out of the car - you must help reduce his body temperature. First, offer fresh cold water, then wrap the dog in a cool damp towel. Keep him calm and quiet and if he does not recover within half an hour, call the vet.
Urinary tract infections – mix 30-40ml of cranberry juice into your pet’s food. This will boost the acidity of its urine, reduce bacteria and help relieve the discomfort.
And if you’re not sure what’s wrong – say your dog just appears ‘off colour’ – then here’s a tip we use all the time. Add half a dissolved aspirin or a small amount of children’s liquid analgesic to your pet’s food. It can perk up a Collie in minutes.
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Dog Behaviour Training Problems Dog Obedience Training Secrets to TRANSFORM Your Dog’s Behavior Problems!
When training your dog, make him accept regular handling, this is taught in dog training so that the dog understands you are entitled to treat him for his own good. After a country walk it is a good idea to give your dog a quick grooming or rub down, and check for any lumps or bumps that he may have picked up along the way. My own dog,