Just like any two-legged member of the family, our furry friends can encounter little accidents around the house, yard, or neighborhood. If your precious pooch or faithful feline suffers a minor injury, there may be a quick fix within your reach.
Bee sting. Bees tend to sting animals on the paw or face. Bee stings are quite painful and it is possible your pet may experience an allergic reaction as a result of a sting. If your pet receives a sting, you will need to remove the bee’s stinger. Nope, don’t reach for the tweezers! Instead, grab a credit card from your wallet and scrape away the stinger, making sure the venom sac comes out with it. If Fluffy or Fido experiences a mild allergic reaction to the sting, give him/her a bit of Benadryl or any allergy medication that lists diphenhydramine or cetirizine as the only active ingredient. The average dosage for treating your pet is 1 mg per pound, given every 8 hours. If your pet suffers a serious allergic reaction, seek immediate assistance from your veterinarian or closest emergency veterinary clinic.
Cuts and scrapes. Perhaps Fido is running in the back yard and catches his paw on a wire, or Fluffy is pouncing from shelf to shelf and scrapes her leg on a picture frame… whatever the cause of a minor cut or scrape, there is a simple home remedy that can help. Use contact lens saline solution to clean any dirt and debris from the minor wound. It can also be used to flush out dirt, sand and other irritants from your pet’s eyes.
Nail injury. Whether you accidentally trim Fluffy’s nail too short, or Fido breaks a nail running outdoors over a rough surface, nail injuries are common for our pets. To stop minor bleeding, reach into your kitchen cabinet and grab some cornstarch or flour. Pour some in a small bowl and dip the injured paw into the powder. Both kitchen ingredients will aid in coagulation and stop the bleeding.
Minor digestive issues. It’s not unusual for our four-legged friends to come down with a stomach ailment. Constipation and diarrhea are common GI issues that can be eased with canned pumpkin. Feed your pet one teaspoon of pumpkin (100% pure, NOT pumpkin pie filling!) for every 10 pounds of body weight, once or twice per day. Pumpkin’s high content of soluble fiber has the power to sooth your fur buddy’s belly woes.
Thunderstorm phobia. It’s not uncommon to hear of a pet who suffers from a severe fear of thunderstorms. It’s not just the thunder and lightning that makes a pet anxious, it’s also the static electricity that can build up in the coat, giving your pet tiny electric zaps that are understandably confusing and unsettling for any recipient. If your pet is uncomfortable during thunderstorms, put him/her in a bathroom while running hot water in the shower, as the steam and humidity in the space will remove static from the coat. You can also try rubbing your pet’s coat with a non-toxic fabric softener sheet for the same effect. Brands that offer non-toxic sheets include Mrs. Meyer’s, Seventh Generation, and The Honest Company.
We all want our pets to be happy and healthy, but we also know accidents and issues can happen. While some obviously require professional assistance, there are some minor issues that we can handle on our own, if we have the right information and tools on hand. Hopefully some of the tips above will make an otherwise stressful situation involving your pet, a calm and cool exercise in the effectiveness of home remedies!
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