Our expert, Carol has been a practicing Registered Nurse for over 40 years. In her free time, she cares for her two Shih Tzu dogs, although she has had experience with all kinds of dogs and other pets. She is a co-leader of an online Dog Care Group, dispensing practical medical advice with alacrity, tact and compassion.
These tips are intended to help you during times when you are traveling and away from your regular vet, at times when the vet’s office is closed, or when various other situations prohibit an immediate call or visit to your vet. As soon as you have stabilized any problem, please seek veterinary assistance.
Itchies:
Hot spots and rashes: Hydrocortisone Spray (find it in most chain pharmacies) is good for treating scratches, “hot spots” or any rashes that may appear on your dog. Help your dog to avoid licking it.
General unusual itchiness: Bactine is also good for soothing itchy skin.
Severe discomfort: If your dog is itching a lot, you may give ½ of a 25 mg. Benadryl tablet to all dogs above 12 pounds. Under 12 pounds you should give ¼ tablet. This also works well as a sedative, if your dog is anxious (thunderstorm or other scary situation). But never medicate for an airplane flight and do not use sedatives in place of attention and soothing activities for storms. (Going into a tiled bathroom, ceramic tub, shower stall or even an underground basement also calms a dog in a storm.)
Sore Spots:
If your pup tends to lick sore spots: you can apply Noxema, then wipe it off in 5 minutes (use a cool washcloth). It will have soothed the area by then, but what residue is left will not be harmful if licked.
Burns:
For any kind of mild burn: Solarcaine Spray will alleviate the discomfort.
Tummy trouble:
For diarrhea: ½ childrens Pepto Bismol tablet MR 2 X. CAUTION: Pepto Bismol has Salicylate, an aspirin like prep, so this is not recommended if dog is vomiting. For diarrhea with vomiting, use Immodium tabs instead.
For diarrhea: Alternately (with or without vomiting) give ¼ adult Immodium tablet. May repeat 3 times a day.
For loose stools: feed boiled chicken breast and white rice. CAUTION: Do not use prepared (canned) chicken broth from the grocery store, as it usually has onion flavoring and anything with onion should not be given to dogs. When you boil the chicken, you can freeze the remaining unused broth so you always have some available in case you need it. Boiled lean ground beef can also be good, as long as it is cooked in water and drained well. White rice is now available in a cooked already version (Uncle Bens) and you don’t need to heat it! Comes in pouches found in the rice section of the grocery store.) Canned pumpkin is good for bowel issues also; one tablespoon is usually all it takes. The rest can be frozen and put into baggies & stored in the freezer to minimize waste.
For constipation: Only if you find the dog’s belly is soft and not painful to touch or bloated, you can use ½ tsp of Milk of Magnesia.
Ears:
If your dog develops a reddened outer ear and it has a yeasty smell, you can use clotrimazole cream (found at most groceries and pharmacies in the foot care section) and some hydrocortisone cream. Apply with a soft cotton swab (do not poke the swab into the ear canal) or cotton pad. Stroke the dog and try to prevent him/her from shaking the head for at least five minutes. Most often itchy, reddened outer ears are due to a yeast infection and while this needs to be looked over by a vet, this treatment will help a doggie be more comfortable until you can see your vet.
Pain:
For pain, ¼ to ½ baby aspirin can be given with some food once a day. If the pup weighs 15 pounds or over, ½ tablet is the dose we’ve used. If 8-15 pounds, you can use ½ tablet. Give with food. Try to use the enteric coated aspirin as it is gentler on the tummy.
In case of ingesting:
Administer 1 or 2 droppers of hydrogen peroxide orally to induce vomiting. Use a children’s flexible dropper when possible. Do not induce vomiting if your dog has swallowed anything bulky that will not come out easily, like a popsicle stick or any large solid mass. In the case of the latter, rush to the vet.
Cut paw pad:
If a dog has a cut paw pad, you can clean the area with hydrogen peroxide or Bactine. Apply some gauze squares to help the blood clot and wrap the foot with a neoprene bandage which adheres to itself and doesn’t need to be taped. Get the dog to a vet asap since the pad may need sutures or firmer bandaging.
Broken bone: If you suspect a bone has been broken in the leg or foot area, you can bandage to try to keep it immobile, and get the dog to the emergency clinic asap. To bandage, fold cardboard over to do a makeshift splint, wrap the leg snugly with the neoprene bandage to keep area stable.
Home Made Emergency Kit:
It is recommended that you always keep 5 items with you in your home first aid kit, or when you travel with your dog: a thermometer to check the dog’s temperature; a ¼ inch roll of neoprene bandage, a box of 2x2 gauze squares, a disposable sports cold pack and a bottle of hydrogen peroxide. A large, flexible dropper is helpful also if you have to administer peroxide to induce vomiting because your dog has swallowed poison of some kind. Other handy items to have are scissors, a pill splitter, Q tips, cotton pads and a simple saline eye wash preparation for flushing the eye in cases of foreign body in the eye or irritation.
A gel pack (found in eye masks in the drug store) is great to keep in your fridge or cooler to handle facial swelling or to apply to a swollen limb to give relief.
Some facts:
Normal temperature for dogs is 100-102.5. Temp should be taken for 3 minutes.
Normal pulse for dogs is 60-100 beats per minute. If you are not sure how to take a pulse, put your ear to the dog’s chest on the left side and listen for the heartbeat.
Normal respiration rate is 10-30 breaths per minute (in resting state).
For symptoms of shock (shivering, cold feet and legs, listlessness, weak pulse, mental depression, pale skin, white gums), wrap the dog up to keep as warm as possible, carry the dog in a “football” carry as you might a little human baby, with its head down so blood flow is directed toward the head. You can also rub the chest and abdominal area to help stimulate the circulation. Shock is a true emergency and needs to be seen by a vet ASAP.
Raja and I want to thank Carol for her good advice! We made up her suggested first aid kit and have it packed in Raja's travel bag so we won't have to worry on his next big adventure.
These tips are intended to help you during times when you are traveling and away from your regular vet, at times when the vet’s office is closed, or when various other situations prohibit an immediate call or visit to your vet. As soon as you have stabilized any problem, please seek veterinary assistance.
Itchies:
Hot spots and rashes: Hydrocortisone Spray (find it in most chain pharmacies) is good for treating scratches, “hot spots” or any rashes that may appear on your dog. Help your dog to avoid licking it.
General unusual itchiness: Bactine is also good for soothing itchy skin.
Severe discomfort: If your dog is itching a lot, you may give ½ of a 25 mg. Benadryl tablet to all dogs above 12 pounds. Under 12 pounds you should give ¼ tablet. This also works well as a sedative, if your dog is anxious (thunderstorm or other scary situation). But never medicate for an airplane flight and do not use sedatives in place of attention and soothing activities for storms. (Going into a tiled bathroom, ceramic tub, shower stall or even an underground basement also calms a dog in a storm.)
Sore Spots:
If your pup tends to lick sore spots: you can apply Noxema, then wipe it off in 5 minutes (use a cool washcloth). It will have soothed the area by then, but what residue is left will not be harmful if licked.
Burns:
For any kind of mild burn: Solarcaine Spray will alleviate the discomfort.
Tummy trouble:
For diarrhea: ½ childrens Pepto Bismol tablet MR 2 X. CAUTION: Pepto Bismol has Salicylate, an aspirin like prep, so this is not recommended if dog is vomiting. For diarrhea with vomiting, use Immodium tabs instead.
For diarrhea: Alternately (with or without vomiting) give ¼ adult Immodium tablet. May repeat 3 times a day.
For loose stools: feed boiled chicken breast and white rice. CAUTION: Do not use prepared (canned) chicken broth from the grocery store, as it usually has onion flavoring and anything with onion should not be given to dogs. When you boil the chicken, you can freeze the remaining unused broth so you always have some available in case you need it. Boiled lean ground beef can also be good, as long as it is cooked in water and drained well. White rice is now available in a cooked already version (Uncle Bens) and you don’t need to heat it! Comes in pouches found in the rice section of the grocery store.) Canned pumpkin is good for bowel issues also; one tablespoon is usually all it takes. The rest can be frozen and put into baggies & stored in the freezer to minimize waste.
For constipation: Only if you find the dog’s belly is soft and not painful to touch or bloated, you can use ½ tsp of Milk of Magnesia.
Ears:
If your dog develops a reddened outer ear and it has a yeasty smell, you can use clotrimazole cream (found at most groceries and pharmacies in the foot care section) and some hydrocortisone cream. Apply with a soft cotton swab (do not poke the swab into the ear canal) or cotton pad. Stroke the dog and try to prevent him/her from shaking the head for at least five minutes. Most often itchy, reddened outer ears are due to a yeast infection and while this needs to be looked over by a vet, this treatment will help a doggie be more comfortable until you can see your vet.
Pain:
For pain, ¼ to ½ baby aspirin can be given with some food once a day. If the pup weighs 15 pounds or over, ½ tablet is the dose we’ve used. If 8-15 pounds, you can use ½ tablet. Give with food. Try to use the enteric coated aspirin as it is gentler on the tummy.
In case of ingesting:
Administer 1 or 2 droppers of hydrogen peroxide orally to induce vomiting. Use a children’s flexible dropper when possible. Do not induce vomiting if your dog has swallowed anything bulky that will not come out easily, like a popsicle stick or any large solid mass. In the case of the latter, rush to the vet.
Cut paw pad:
If a dog has a cut paw pad, you can clean the area with hydrogen peroxide or Bactine. Apply some gauze squares to help the blood clot and wrap the foot with a neoprene bandage which adheres to itself and doesn’t need to be taped. Get the dog to a vet asap since the pad may need sutures or firmer bandaging.
Broken bone: If you suspect a bone has been broken in the leg or foot area, you can bandage to try to keep it immobile, and get the dog to the emergency clinic asap. To bandage, fold cardboard over to do a makeshift splint, wrap the leg snugly with the neoprene bandage to keep area stable.
Home Made Emergency Kit:
It is recommended that you always keep 5 items with you in your home first aid kit, or when you travel with your dog: a thermometer to check the dog’s temperature; a ¼ inch roll of neoprene bandage, a box of 2x2 gauze squares, a disposable sports cold pack and a bottle of hydrogen peroxide. A large, flexible dropper is helpful also if you have to administer peroxide to induce vomiting because your dog has swallowed poison of some kind. Other handy items to have are scissors, a pill splitter, Q tips, cotton pads and a simple saline eye wash preparation for flushing the eye in cases of foreign body in the eye or irritation.
A gel pack (found in eye masks in the drug store) is great to keep in your fridge or cooler to handle facial swelling or to apply to a swollen limb to give relief.
Some facts:
Normal temperature for dogs is 100-102.5. Temp should be taken for 3 minutes.
Normal pulse for dogs is 60-100 beats per minute. If you are not sure how to take a pulse, put your ear to the dog’s chest on the left side and listen for the heartbeat.
Normal respiration rate is 10-30 breaths per minute (in resting state).
For symptoms of shock (shivering, cold feet and legs, listlessness, weak pulse, mental depression, pale skin, white gums), wrap the dog up to keep as warm as possible, carry the dog in a “football” carry as you might a little human baby, with its head down so blood flow is directed toward the head. You can also rub the chest and abdominal area to help stimulate the circulation. Shock is a true emergency and needs to be seen by a vet ASAP.
Raja and I want to thank Carol for her good advice! We made up her suggested first aid kit and have it packed in Raja's travel bag so we won't have to worry on his next big adventure.
RSS Feed
