These home pet remedies should never be used in place of
taking your pet to the veterinary office. These remedies are the result of
Internet searches and I make no claims to their effectiveness, so use at your
own risk.
Anemia: Feeding your pet foods
high in iron and B vitamins will help this problem. A serving of liver once a
day is sufficient: 1 oz. for cats, 2 oz. for small dogs, 3 oz. for medium dogs,
4 oz. for large dogs.
Animals In Heat: Your pet's
affectionate (and sometimes annoying) actions are demands for attention, so give
them more than usual. The strong smell Vicks®
VapoRub ointment may help keep roaming males away: rub a little in the fur of
the tail on females and above the nose on males. Keep the windows closed; a male
cat can smell a female in heat a mile away, while a dog's range is about three
miles. Get your pet spayed/neutered.
Arthritis: For overweight pets,
losing weight will help lighten the load on those achy joints. A 20 minute walk
several times a day can reduce the progression of arthritis. If it's cold
outside, let them sleep inside. Make sure they are provided with soft bedding to
reduce discomfort. Moist heat applied for 20 minutes twice a day can be a great
comfort.
Asthma: Keep pets with asthma
free of excess weight; overweight animals have a harder time breathing. Use a
humidifier; dry air irritates the airway. If you, the owner, smokes, stop! Keep
them indoors during pollen season. For cats, use a dust-free kitty litter.
Bad Breath: A foul odor coming
from your pet's mouth is a sign of plaque. Prevent this by brushing your pets
teeth, feeding them a raw turkey neck or raw carrots; don't feed them canned
food or table scraps, and get them a rope to play with. Your vet can also
thoroughly clean your pet's teeth. Click
here for a recipe for Better Breath Pet Biscuits!
Broken Bones: Immobilize your
pet while holding him still and place him on a board, car floor mat, or a folded
blanket. Do not attempt to bandage or splint broken limbs as you can cause more
damage. Take your pet to the vet
immediately.
Car Sickness: Most animals
travel best on an empty stomach, so pick up their food 6-8 hours before travel.
However, some pets prefer to have a small amount of food in their stomachs. See
what works best for your animal. Other ways to reduce sickness includes letting
them sit in the front seat, allowing them to look out the windows, and cracking
the windows to allow fresh air to flow inside the vehicle.
Cat in a Tree: Cats will more
than likely come down on their own. Leave them alone to make their way down.
Give them an entire day to do so. Tempt them with their favorite strong-smelling
food. If the cat is injured, wearing a leash that could choke them, or hasn't
come down in a day, you need to climb up and get them, whether up the tree
itself, or with a ladder. Grab them by the skin on the back of the neck and make
your first attempt at reaching them a good one - they may flee further up the
tree. The Human Society may be able to assist you if you are not able to reach
the cat yourself.
Choking: Open your pet's mouth
to see if you can visualize the object and remove it. If you are unsuccessful, take
your pet to the vet immediately. If your pet is not
breathing and you can't find what's obstructing the air passage, try the
Heimlich maneuver: Hold your pet against you and clasp your hand around his
upper abdomen OR place your pet on their side, on the floor and put one of your
hands on top of the other so that the bottom hand is just below the rib cage.
Push or lift upward to dislodge the object.
Diarrhea: Ensure your pet is
drinking enough fluids. In addition to their water bowl, a bowl of Gatorade®
will further help. Stop feeding for 24 hours from the onset of the diarrhea.
When your pet is ready to eat again, try 2 parts cooked white rice mixed with 1
part boiled hamburger or skinless white meat chicken, feeding small amounts
every 4 hours for 2 days. Slowly introduce their regular food back into the
diet. If the diarrhea doesn't subside, seek
the advise of your veterinarian. It may be caused by
intestinal parasites or something more serious.
Ear Mites: You can temporarily
treat the ear mites by soaking a cotton ball with mineral oil and swabbing the
ear canal. Then, seek the assistance of
your veterinarian for treatment with Ivermectin.
Fever: Normal temperatures of
cats and dogs ranges from 100.5 and 102.5 degrees. Sooth away the heat with a
cool compress on their belly or a 10 minute cool bath. Ensure they are drinking
enough water. Consult your vet,
as fever can mean serious illness and/or infection.
Flatulence: Exercise helps move
gas out of the system, so take them for a walk. Stop feeding table scraps and
dairy foods and ensure they aren't getting into the trash. Check the soy content
of your pet's food; high soy content causes gas. Many yogurts contain
digestion-friendly bacteria that can help decrease flatulence. Give 1/4 tsp.
plain yogurt to cats and small dogs, 1 tsp. to dogs 15-20 pounds, and 1 Tbls. to
large dogs. Raise their food dish to eliminate air digested while eating.
Fleas: Though a preventative
such as Advantage® , Frontline®
, Revolution®, or K9 Advantix®
is the best way to treat and prevent fleas, a diet including Brewer's Yeast and
garlic prove to keep them away, as well. Flea collars, powders, and dips only
work temporarily; don't consider them for long-term use or you'll find the fleas
returning.
Getting Out Mats: Wet fur is
more difficult to unmat, so keep them dry. Starting at the ends of the hairs and
working inward, divide the mat in half with your fingers. Then divide the halves
into quarters, the quarters into eighths and so on until all the clumps are
gone. A light sprinkling of cornstarch makes stubborn mats easier to pull apart.
For a particularly tough mat, clip the mat in half with scissors.
Hairballs: First try a
commercial hairball lubricant or a tsp. of petroleum jelly. Sometimes,
high-fiber diets accelerate the passage of hairballs. Keep fleas under control
to reduce licking. Brush your cat often, then follow with wiping the coat with a
moist towel to pick up any loose hairs.
Hot Spots: Dissolve 2 adult
aspirins in 1 Tbls. rubbing alcohol. Steep 1 tea bag in 1 cup warm water;
discard tea bag. Stir together aspirin mixture and tea; allow to cool. Shave
hair around hot spot. Blot prepared mixture over spot with a cotton ball. Follow
with over-the-counter cortisone spray or crème. Repeat as necessary.
Insect Bites and Stings: Remove
stingers, if present. Dab a mixture of baking soda and water on the spot to help
reduce discomfort. Milk of Magnesia and meat tenderizer works in the same way,
as well.
Itchy Skin from Allergies: Give
your pet a 10 minute cool bath to relieve itching. For further soothing, you may
also add colloidal oatmeal (Aveeno®)
to the bathwater. For dogs with itchy feet, fill the tub with enough cool water
to cover their feet, dissolve a couple cups of Epsom salts in the water, and
soak the dog's feet for 5-10 minutes. Be careful not to let them drink the
water.
Kitty Litter: To keep cat litter
fresh smelling, mix baby powder in with the litter.
Poisoning: Call
your vet immediately and have on hand the substance your
pet ingested. If your pet has gotten into pills, antifreeze, or other toxic
substances (but not caustic substances) getting him to vomit will help eliminate
some of the danger (click
here to learn how). If your pet has ingested something
alkaline, such as cleaner or kerosene, don't induce vomiting. Give him about 3
tsp. vinegar or lemon juice diluted in an equal amount of water. If your pet has
ingested something acid, maybe from chewing on a battery, give Milk of Magnesia,
1 tsp. per 5 Lbs. of pet.
Puppy Diarrhea/Dogs with Soft Stool:
Plain canned pumpkin works well for puppies with diarrhea and adult dogs with
soft stool. A few spoonfuls in their food will often stop it right away. The
pumpkins adds fiber to the diet, therefore firming up the stools. It often works
more completely and more quickly than Kaopectate®
if your pet isn't ill from something else.
Reduce Anal Sac Problems: Stop
feeding your pet table scraps. The fatty foods soften the stool, making the
fluid more likely to build up.
Removing Burrs: Remove burrs in
your pet's coat as soon as possible. Allowing their fur to get wet makes it
worse, so keep them dry. Most burrs can be removed with your fingers or
tweezers. For the more difficult ones, soak the area in vegetable oil to help
slide them out.
Seizures: Dogs don't swallow
their tongues, so don't put your hand in their mouth. Move furniture out of the
way and try to keep the area as dark as possible. Gentle talking and stroking
may help to shorten the length of the seizure. If the seizure lasts more than 10
minutes, take your pet to the vet
immediately. If this is the first time your pet is having
a seizure, take him to the vet for assessment.
Severe Bleeding: Place gauze
over the wound and apply direct pressure using your hands for 5 minutes,
recheck, and continue applying pressure until bleeding stops or you've reached
the vet. Do not use a tourniquet, as they are dangerous. Cold packs over oozing
wounds can help reduce swelling and bleeding. Take
your pet to the vet immediately.
Skunk Spray: If your pet's eyes
are watering, use an eye wash to flush out any irritating spray. Shampoo with a
mixture of 1 quart 3% Hydrogen Peroxide, 1/4 cup baking soda, and 1 Tbls. liquid
dish soap. Follow with a washing of regular pet shampoo.
Stop Bleeding from a Nail Trim:
When you've cut a nail too short, stop the bleeding by pressing the nail in
styptic powder or flour, then tap the powder in.
Urinary Infections: The common
human remedy of cranberry, orange, and other citrus juices also work for pets in
boosting the acidity of the urine and decreasing the amount of bacteria. A
chewable vitamin C tablet a day will reduce the acidity to prevent further
infections.
Pet Urine on Carpet: First, blot
up what you can with paper towels. Then, with warm, soapy water and a clean
cloth, blot the area clean; rinse with clean water; blot until dry. Next,
combine 1/3 cup white vinegar with 2/3 cup water and dab it on stain; rinse with
clean water; blot until dry. Once the area is totally dry (at least 24 hours),
sprinkle entire carpet with baking soda or rug deodorizer; vacuum after a few
hours.
Vomiting: Stop feeding your pet
for 24 hours, only providing water. Afterwards, slowly introduce mild foods back
into the diet over a 3 day time period, to include boiled hamburger, boiled
chicken, cooked rice, and/or cottage cheese. If the vomiting continues after the
first 24 hours or if there is bloating, consult
your veterinarian immediately.
