Ares will be 4 this summer and it may be one of the most overused sayings ever but really and truly they grow up so fast. But in these past 4 years it's not just my once 1 pound puppy that has grown. We've expanded our furry family by 3 dogs and 1 cat since I first brought him home that summer and some much has changed. I was new to being a dog mom then but consider myself pretty seasoned at this point. As always, every family has things that work and things that don't, but I love reading about what works for others to see if it might work for us too. So today I'm sharing a few of the doggie essentials we've learned through trial and error that not only work for us, but make life as a family with multiple dogs a whole lot easier.
Coconut oil is pretty amazing stuff. There are a zillion uses for it but we always keep a big tub on hand specifically for the dogs. Each of our 4 canine furbabies gets a big spoonful mixed into their food bowls every day. Since it comes in solid form, we just plop it on top and then microwave the whole bowl until it melts. So far I haven't met a dog that wouldn't eat coconut oil and not only that, they seem to LOVE it. It has tons of health benefits from keeping the skin and coat hydrated, lessening the immune response to allergens and aiding in digestion just to name a few.
I was introduced to Vetericyn a couple years ago by a co-worker. She trains horses and told me she always keeps it stocked in her barn to spray on minor injuries her various animals including horses, dogs and barn cats sometimes acquire. We picked up a bottle to use on Chaos, since at the time we were struggling to get his allergies under control and his poor body had cuts from scratching. Guys, this stuff is awesome. It's an antiseptic that doesn't burn or sting when applied to a wound or rash and helps to speed up the healing time. Winning all around.
Since we are only human, sometimes we don't notice a tiny insect bite or wound on our pups until it's already infected. Chaos was our guinea pig using saline solution, yet again, when I noticed one day his paw was red and swollen. The vet said it could have been caused by a number of things but the easiest way to help it heal was to soak it in saline solution. Essentially like a mini salt bath, the solution helps to draw out the infection and promote healing if the infection is minor. The vet sent us home with a bottle of concentrated solution that we were to mix with warm water but you can buy a spray form from any drugstore. Not all dogs are going to submit to a soaking easily or maybe even at all. But lucky for us Chaos had no problem with us shoving his paw into the solution (which does not hurt), especially since he was being fed treats and petted the entire time. The instructions were to soak it as long as he would let us but I think he would have let us forever so we stopped at around the 3 minute mark. The swelling was significantly down by the next morning and looked completely normal just 24 hours later after 2 additional soaks.
Did you know dogs can take Benadryl? Along with several other "human" medications, this one is safe for pups when given the correct dosage. Check with your own vet first but we've always gone by the 1mg/every 10lbs of dog rule. If you haven't guessed already, we also learned this one with Chaos since he's allergic to life. Let me tell you how beyond glad I was to have a bottle of pills at home when he had a pretty severe allergic reaction a few weeks ago. He's allergic to bees and I'm fairly certain he was stung while out in the yard. The tell tale hives developed and spread quickly over his body so I shoved the pills into a big scoop of peanut butter and let him go to town. Benadryl works fast and about 15 minutes later the hives were disappearing before my eyes. We have given it to our other dogs if they seem a bit itchy or pink around the eyes after romping in fresh cut grass, a known allergen for many dogs, so it's definitely a staple around our house.
When Chaos was a little pup I was clipping his nails when Chris walked in the door and startled us both. The result was blood pouring out of my poor furbaby's nail when I cut too far down and me freaking out because he was certainly GOING TO DIE. I felt ridiculous when Chris pulled out the bag of baking flour, poured some out on the floor and stuck the bleeding nail into it and just like magic, it stopped. Styptic powder is actually made for this purpose so grab some to keep around but in a pinch regular old flour will do. I sure wish we would have caught Trinity's bleeding tail in time to use one of these methods before she wagged it all over the house leaving what looked like a crime scene in her wake over the weekend.
It's always the best idea to schedule regular check-ups for your dogs and head to the vet if something seems wrong. But if you can remedy the situation yourself at home it saves time and money and gives some precious peace of mind.
P.S. Trinity is fine but I spent Sunday afternoon scrubbing the blood splatter off walls and doors all around my house. #momlife
No comments
Post a Comment