Dog First Aid - Do You Always Need the Vet For Minor Ailments

I am not saying that you should try and treat your dog for every single ailment that they might suffer from, but there are quite a lot of minor ailments that are easily treatable with a bit of knowledge. We are going to cover some that are easily treatable and will save the time and not inconsiderable expense of consulting your veterinarian. Vets do a great job and if you own any pets you should have them registered at a practice in order to get their inoculations done and get them checked over regularly. On the other hand, why should you constantly shell out money when you can easily treat some ailments yourself with some dog first aid tips.
Ear Mites
Lightly coat the inside of the dogs ear with mineral oil. The oil will help yo suffocate any ear mites present. After a few hours any waxy build up in the ears should have softened sufficiently to enable you to clean the ears with a cotton ball. Repeat this for at least the next three days. Be thorough because it can take up to four weeks of medication to successfully eradicate any eggs that may hatch. Regular bathing of the ears will prevent a build up of wax and irritants.
Constipation
If you are certain your dog has constipation, you can try using mineral oil. Make sure you follow the dosing instructions carefully. Too much can cause your pet diarrhea. Mix it in with your dogs regular food and after a couple of days the problem should have cleared up. Powdered Gingeris a common herbal remedy for constipation but it will probably have to be added to wet dog food as some dogs dislike the taste.
Diarrhea
For the first 24 hours give the dogs system a chance to settle down by withholding food but make sure your dog is getting water., perhaps by supplying ice cubes. After 24 hours if the diarrhea subsides you can start offering small portions of food.
Treat using carob powder. Carob powder is a chocolate substitute that is safe for dogs as it does not contain theobromine, which is toxic to dogs. Simply mix one heaped teaspoon with water and add to your dogs dinner.
Urinary tract infections
If you are treating a dog with a UTI, try giving your dog some citrus juices. Cranberry juice, lime juice and orange juice are all good examples. Citrus juices help increase the acidity of the dogs urine, which in turn reduces the amount of bacteria which is present, and which will decrease the amount of discomfort that your dog is in. Apple cider vinegar is an extremely popular home remedy used in treating UTI's. It is extremely effective for treating UTI's in dogs and also works very effectively in humans. Just add 1/2 a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar to your dogs food once per day or add some to your dogs water.
Bear in mind that if you have any doubts concerning your dogs health, please consult your veterinarian.

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