When I first brought Ares home I was a completely novice dog
owner. Sure I had been around dogs before. I knew you had to feed them and walk
them and train them where to go potty. But there were so many things I didn’t
know and had to learn along the way. I now am the proud mama of 2 precious pups
and there are some pretty great tips I’ve discovered over the last few years.
While I certainly think the better safe than sorry attitude is most often
warranted, sometimes I think we can jump the gun on rushing to the vet. Our
furbabies are family and we want the best for them but there are times when you
can actually DIY. So here are 5 things I think every dog owner should know.
I’ve posted before about how to make your dog vomit. It’s
certainly not a pleasant topic but something all dog owners should be aware of.
A great article that is simple and to the point can be found here. If you have
a dog you know without a doubt they are going to put things in their mouths
they aren’t supposed to. It’s just how they explore their environment and keep
themselves entertained. Most of the time it’s something harmless or you can
catch him before he swallows the offending object. But there are times when
your sweet furbaby might get a hold of something potentially dangerous and you
don’t get there in time to stop her from ingesting it. You have about 2 hours
that whatever was eaten can still be thrown up as it only remains in the
stomach for about that length of time. If you think it’s been longer then don’t
bother with this and go straight to the vet. You should also know what it was
that your dog ate. Again, if you aren’t sure then don’t make him toss his
cookies. I’m saying you should call your vet immediately but in a pinch, or if
this has happened before and you called and had a veterinarian walk you through
the process, then this could possibly save your dog’s life or at least prevent
surgical intervention. Keep hydrogen peroxide in your home at all times. Of
course we know it sanitizes but it also can make your pooch projectile vomit.
Nice, huh? The rule of thumb is 1ml per pound of body weight but do not exceed
45 lbs even if your dog weighs more than that. It’s easiest to measure with a
syringe and if you are lucky you can pop it in the corner of your dog’s mouth
and shoot it down his throat. Otherwise you’ll have to improvise and mix it
with something delicious like yogurt or peanut butter. Try to get your dog up
and moving if possible and whatever she ate should come back up within about 15
minutes. If not, you can do a second dose. We have had to make Chaos do this a
few times and have been so relieved when it worked. Then again, let’s not
forget the ring incident. Parents of the year right here.
If your dog has an upset tummy (whether it be coming out one
end, both, or won’t come at all) some human foods can do the trick to get your
pup back on track. Pumpkin is kind of amazing in that it can both help with a
dog who is stopped up or one who can’t stop going. Just mix some in with your
dog’s food or give it to him straight up. Yogurt can also help restore balance
to the digestive tract. Make sure it’s non-fat and plain and you can even add
this to one of your dog’s daily meals like we do. If it seems pretty bad but
not to the point of being severe you can skip a feeding or if you free feed
just withhold food for about a half a day. Your dog might act like it’s the end
of the world but it’s really not a problem for him to miss one meal. Then just
boil some chicken and cook up some plain brown rice for the next meal or maybe
the next several until his body can get back on track. Chaos is not a picky
eater but Ares can be and they both devour all these foods. I think even if
your dog is really specific about her food, she will still go for these ones
but if not, call the vet!
Coconut oil is pure magic. I have used it on myself for a
while but recently found out it’s great for dogs too. Both Ares and Chaos have
had skin issues. Ares had Demodex Mange as a puppy and although his immune
system finally developed enough to kick those mites to the curb he still
suffers from dry skin from time to time. And if you’ve been following the blog
you know how bad Chaos’s allergies are. Coconut oil nourishes both internally
and externally. This is exactly the kind of product we need for a dog who has
both contact dermatitis as well as a respiratory response to allergies. It can
be applied topically on skin or given with food to ingest. Dogs LOVE the taste
of it so if you put it on your dog’s skin be aware he very well may lick it
off. But you’re still covered either way, it will just take a little longer to
work from the inside.
Some of the medicines you keep in your cabinet can also be
given to your dog. Benadryl allergy is always in our arsenal because it really
works and fast. We have seen Chaos at the onset of an allergic reaction as the
hives start to appear and given him the pills and within about 10 minutes they
are all but gone. Unfortunately his allergies are so severe we can’t just use
this in place of prescription allergy meds on a daily basis but it definitely
has saved us some trips to the ER. Benadryl is also safe to take with other
medications so that’s a big score for us. Follow the 1mg per pound of dog every
8 hours rule or read this article for further uses. Imodium is another human
medication we have given our dogs. The first time Chaos had a really upset
tummy (he’s just sensitive all around, poor guy) I took him to vet. We went
home with instructions to skip his next 2 meals, then feed him boiled chicken
and brown rice with a side of Imodium, make sure to give him plenty of water
and keep an eye on him. Worked like a charm. This one should only be used for
about 2 days and if pup isn’t perking up, get to the vet asap. Give 0.5 – 1mg
every 8 hours. Dogs are often better at hiding their pain than humans, but that
doesn’t mean they don’t feel it just the same.
This one is the most important so pay attention. Dogs love
human food. Duh. But many kinds of human food can be extremely harmful to your
dog, or even fatal. Yikes. Chocolate is probably the most commonly recognized
food that is a no no for dogs. But while your dog definitely shouldn’t eat it,
there are other foods that are far more dangerous. Cocoa has to be ingested in
fairly high amounts (based on weight) to do any damage. I remember at my
parents’ Christmas Eve party 2 years ago I found Chaos downstairs vacuuming up
fallen red and green M&Ms like there was no tomorrow. Naturally I flipped
out and was sure we were going to spend Christmas Eve at the ER. Well Chaos was
about 50 lbs at the time and a few little M&Ms didn’t do anything but make
him stupid happy. But there are some unsuspecting foods that could definitely
have negative effects on your dog. Like raisins. They are often in snack mixes
and cookies that might not seem like a big deal to you, but if your dog gets a
hold of even a few it could spell disaster, aka acute kidney failure, and fast.
It’s certainly your choice as a pet parent whether or not to feed your furbaby
from the table, use human foods as treats or share your ice cream, but for his
well-being and safety, choose to educate yourself on what he shouldn’t have.
Click here for a full list of dangerous foods to dogs.
I have to implicitly state that you should absolutely seek
medical attention for your dog if you think there is a major problem. I am also
not licensed in any way to give veterinary advice, I am simply using our
experiences to arm you with information. And for your peace of mind, here are
the numbers for the ASPCA’s Animal Poison Control Center (888-426-4435), or the
Pet Poison Helpline (855-213-6680). I know how terrible it is to come face to
face with a bad situation involving your furry munchkin and feel like you are unequipped to help. The best
thing you can do is try to stay calm and remember these tips. But if that
fails, do what I used to do. Freak out, put the furball in the car and drive
like Ricky Bobby to the vet’s office or nearest ER. Hey, sometimes that’s just
the way it goes.
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