Like humans, dogs have issues with their health…sometimes they are just daily occurances like headaches, allergies, upset stomach, etc. Unfortunately, they can’t tell us. That’s why you know your dog best, and the decision to go to the vet or not, is best made by you. Some telltale signs that a trip to the vet would be good are blood, lethargy, uncharacteristic behavior, excessive/obsessive licking/scratching, limps, and bumps. That’s all I can think of for now, but I’m sure there are others.
This post is about some neat home remedies, tips, and tricks I’ve learned since I started raising my dog Brownie. And I consider them all “frugal” because they are generally a lot cheaper than getting a prescription or getting them from a pet store. Have a look…share yours!
- Ear cleaner. Good for helping with ear infections. Many folks at the lab forums swear by this. Made up of 3 ingredients:
- 16 oz. bottle isopropyl alcohol (or witch hazel)
- 4 tablespoons Boric Acid Powder
- 16 drops Gentian Violet 1% Solution
- Directions: Mix all ingredients in the alcohol bottle & shake. (make sure you shake before every application).
- Read more here.
- Diarrhea? First off, if there’s any blood in it, see your vet immediately! But if not, and it’s a occassional occurance, use Immodium AD (2mg caplets). If your dog is small, half a caplet would suffice.
- Diarrhea continuing? Remember, you should still see a vet in case they have some parasites or other issues. But if it’s all clear and just an upset tummy issue, then give them a “bland diet.” Boil some chicken (boneless, no skin, fat is okay), carrots, and celery…add some rice (white or brown). The ratio of chicken to rice should be about 1 cup of chicken to 2 cups of rice, but it’s up to you really. Do not add salt or anything to make the dish tastier. Give your dog this for about 2-3 days straight. Then add back their regular food slowly. The process should take about 5-7 days.
- Ate something bad and you caught it right away? Hyrogen Peroxide! Literally dump about a 1/4-1/2 a cup down the dogs throat to force them to throw up. Sometimes takes about 5 minutes until they actually throw up. Another option is activated charcoal…mix 1:1 with water, and it’s supposed to bind with the offending chemical and be vomitted. Now here’s the caveat to making your dog throw up: Sometimes it’s better to let it pass…if it’s a chemical read the label, it should say what is best.
- Ate something bad and your too late? I’ve heard Sauerkraut works wonders in pulling that stuff out the other end. Celery works pretty well too.
- Need an emergency leash? Flip the leash and pull it through the loop. Tada! Install emergency leash around dogs neck.
- Having a rash? Allergy to something? Use Benadryl. Pill form or liquid works wonders. Just a teaspoon or so, and it’ll help Fido fight off that reaction.
- Need a something to keep your dog busy/entertained? Slip a couple of dog treats into a sock and tie it into a knot. It’ll keep your little friend busy for hours…okay maybe not, but enough time for you to make another one.
- Hot? Pour some water into the dog bowl, add some carrots, celery, dog biscuits, peanut butter, and a splash of juice (orange seems to work). Freeze. You have an instant frozen treat!
There you have it. Please share any additional ones you have. Brownie will appreciate it greatly!
Financial Freedumb & Brownie - A PF Blog » Got a Dog? Here Are 5 Tips On Saving $$$ & Being a Responsible Owner
August 15, 2006 at 12:37 pm
[...] Doggie Home Remedies. Going to the vet can be an expensive trip. You, as a dog owner, are always the ones to make the call on when it’s appropriate. However, there are certain situations when home remedies are just as good as the $$$ alternative. Here’s my post on some doggie home remedies. [...]
Financial Freedumb and Brownie - A PF Blog » What My Dog and His Poop Taught Me About Saving Money…Lessons In Doggie Frugality Maybe?
August 18, 2006 at 8:57 pm
[...] What inspired me to write this post? Well, this past Sunday, I took Brownie to the dog park. He ate a branch, and I didn’t think much of it. On top of that, I later fed him a pig ear. Two things that normally don’t cause any problems, although each can cause bowel irratability by itself, the combo just caused double the irritation. Especially bad when large chunks get swallowed, which happened to Brownie. This led to lots and lots of diarrhea and one instance of puke. I took him to the vet yesterday morning, after 2 days of bad diarrhea (a little blood too), and the vet confirmed, I just have to let it pass. It wasn’t a full blown obstruction, because if it was nothing would have been coming out. I was relieved. Later that day, I took him to the dog park and a big pile of $#!+ came out…Never in my life would I have thought that I’d be so happy to see a pile of $#!+. It’s like I struck gold…uhhh, black gold? I have to update doggie costs later, but yes, this whole incident inspired me to write about the lessons Brownie has taught me, and how some of them relates to money. So here we go. By the way, if you’re looking for info on treating diarrhea or doggie allergies, check out my post on home remedies. [...]