Why a Doggy Medicine Bag
My name is Dr. Marika Zoll. I am a clinical psychologist by trade whose passions have evolved. Over the years I have learned much. Initially, I came to this field of Alternative Medicine for my Dogs due to lack of money. I had a Jack Russell Terrier in those days. His name was Milo. What a doll.
At about age 6 he started coughing one day. The cough sounded sort of like a kennel cough, raspy and short, but much worse and more often. It got worse as the days went by so I had to go to the vet. After a week I thought he might be dying. At that time in my life I was fully immersed in school. My plan was to get through school in half the time so I was enrolled in double normal classes. I was working on my masters degree in psychology. I had a child, age 15, and was unemployed collecting welfare in order to not starve. Point is, funds were limited. But when it comes to your dog, who feels like a second child, what else can you do? I didn’t know about alternatives then and just went to the vet anyway.
After a blood test the diagnosis was Valley Fever. This is one of the rare viruses that people and animals can get. I was told the dog would die if we didn’t attack the virus with some pretty hefty medicine that would cost 2 thousand dollars to start. At best, I could go to Mexico and pick it up for $500.00. Guess what, I didn’t have that kind of money.
This is now more than 10 years ago but the internet was starting to flow with “AskJeeves.com” as the major search engine. I don’t think I even knew what Google was back then. With an interest in alternative medicine, but knowing nothing, I searched “alternative medicine dog valley fever”. Wow! Within minutes I found an article written by a vet who had cured her dog with Sulfur http://www.goldacregoldens.com/valleyfvr.html . Sulfur is bought in a powder form for about 4 dollars at a pharmacy. I was instructed by the website to purchase empty gelatin caps. The dosage for my dog was lined out in that article.
I followed the instructions. The only bad side affect was the dog let off gas that smelled like sulfur pits. Really bad! But a small price for a cure. Within 2 weeks I took my dog went back to the vet. They tested his “titer” and the levels were down to normal. The vet was shocked and wanted all my literature. Today I hope that vet has expounded on the uses of alternatives into his practice. Too bad I don’t have his number anymore.
In the mean time, my dogs journey to well health was so amazing that I could not let go of the idea “what else” could be cured with natural substances.
Time passed. I went to school a lot. I got my Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology and got a job where I designed an art program for the mentally ill. Even during those years of working with people that were taking numerous drugs for their mental illness, I always felt swayed to look for an alternative healing method. In that art program I studied the effects of creative expression on the brain. Over time, a 3 year study, I concluded in my Ph.D. research that art making helps to stabilize some symptoms of mental illness. The work was rewarding. But eventually the program ran out of money and a job for me.
This led me to today. Unemployed and loving my animals I moved out to the country on an acre of land and started accumulating furry little children. I have six dogs in all http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHlS1Xm2Lfk and a few times a year I breed or now after years my family members are breeding too. My website is loaded with cute pictures if you want to smile. www.FrenchBullDogsLA.com . Eventually my life has become very full with caring for six dogs, part time therapist , journalistic article writing and my blog NaturalDogCare.org. Throw 4 cats into the mix and you can imagine what a vet bill I would encourage every time something goes a little wrong. I have 10 times the odds against me with so many pets.
A couple of years ago my 20 year old cat had a swollen face. I opened her mouth to look for a bad tooth since there was nothing visible on her outer cheek. With minimal pressure inspecting her mouth, out squirted something that looked like thousand island dressing. An abscess! Yuk. She didn’t complain of pain but I knew there was something inside of there that wasn’t good.
I went back to the computer like so many years before and searched for alternatives to healing an abscess in a cat. This led me to buy the book that would change my life forever.
A veterinarian in Canada, Dr. Jones, wrote this book. He spoke to me on a personal level because he knows exactly what people spend on the vet. He is a vet! And, he has pets of his own and has learned so much beyond his normal scope of veterinary school. Like a student I sucked in all of what he had to say. The most important thing at hand that day was how to treat the abscess.
The book recommended a treatment of “Silicia”, a homeopathic remedy for under the tongue, “Goldenseal” as a topical on the outside of the wound and “Echinacea” as a tonic in the water. Within 2 days the cat, 20 years old, was acting like a kitten, grabbing at my foot as I walked by the bed. The wait time limit for going to the vet was 3 days or if she started acting sickly. We beat the cutoff by a day and I had a healthy cat again and had cured her with an alternative method that cost about 6 bucks. Although now I can afford the vet unlike years before, it still feels good to save money and to have learned at the same time. I felt empowered to help myself.
Since then I have studied Dr. Jones books. I have his home course, and have not actually been to the vet in about a year. I would not be stupid about not going to the vet, but I feel empowered to know what I do now know, so that I can treat my own animals wisely and often times not subject them to unnecessary drugs. I continue to research and have extended my degrees into the field of animal behavior psychology. I am a qualified animal trainer and with the internet as a resource there is no reason to not be learning every day. And of course, with six dogs and 2 cats, I have frequent excuses to look for cures.
Do you know that every time you or your animal take an antibiotic your body’s bad bacteria learns better how to resist being killed by that specific antibiotic for the next time. The bad guys get smart. Eventually, when you are really sick, your body might not respond to antibiotics. In most cases when you go to the vet, as a precaution, antibiotics are administered. Certainly at times they are necessary, but always? For a cold or flu? Animals get viruses just like us. Difference is they don’t talk so we are afraid so we run to the vet for answers we don’t have. Often times the vet doesn’t know either without a test of some sort. To keep costs down antibiotics are given.
Why not learn the basics and arm yourself with the tools necessary.
Over time I have accumulated more knowledge to add to my arsenal that started with Dr. Jones book. In addition to telling you about his book I want to share with you a sort of “summary list” that will arm you very quickly with the “must haves” of your Doggy Medicine Bag.
Just in case it is Sunday night and your dog steps on a chunk of glass you missed in the kitchen from an earlier glass falling, what would you do to stop bleeding and hold you over to Monday morning when the vet opens?
Did you know crazy glue is approved for veterinary medicine and that it has antiseptic ingredients that will prevent infection. Read my story about Crazy Glue in this addition of my Doggy Medicine Bag. Hope this helps one day. Copy the list for friends. Pass it on. It could save a life. Or not. But why not have it handy and commit it to memory. That’s what I did and everyone I know asks me if I have written a book just because I have so many answers. Read and learn.
I can’t compete with Dr. Jones. His book is thorough, although he doesn’t mention crazy glue, but just about everything else. I have put together here for you a summary of NECESSITIES that you should always have handy.
Know it and have you and your furry friend be always safe. If you find this interesting I hope you will visit my site NaturalDogCare.org again and keep discovering more and more ways to a healthier and happier life with your dog.
Check out my “Vet Secrets” page for the link to Dr. Jones book that changed my life.
I recommend you print this file out by selecting “pages” on the print page and put in 7-18. Then ask your printer to print 2 to a page so you have a handy little document that will fit easily into your purse or glove box. There is one blank page preceding the cover in order to print for you a foldable front and back page to put the others into. Cut up the others, staple and place inside.
MEDICINE BAG INGREDIENTS
- Benadryl
- Hydrogen Peroxide
- Pepto Bismol
- Tums
- Activated Charcoal
- Baby Aspirin – 81mg.
- Crazy Glue
- Wound Cleaner
- Quick Stop” for bleeding
- Neosporin – antibiotic ointment (petroleum base)
- Hydrocortisone Cream (not petroleum base, rather cream)
- Goldenseal Tincture
- Scissors
- First Aid Paper Tape (best tape for not sticking badly to fur)
- Syringe (ask your pharmacist)
- Gauze Pads (non stick)
- Thermometer (5 second)
- Vinegar 50/50 solution
Why and what for;
BENADRYL
(diphenhydramine) – is an antihistamine. It is probably the safest thing medically you can give your dog in the event of an allergic reaction. You might be seeing swelling, or itching or stuffy breathing.
IE; FOOD allergy or BEE STING. In a severe allergic reaction the vet will give this intravenously. It comes in 25 mg. and 50 mg. doses. Figure up to 2 mg. per pound. Typically I give just 1 mg. per pound. It can be given every 6 hours. Tablets are much easier to give than liquid. Give in some peanut butter or cream cheese or butter. If none of these are available then push the pill down the side of your dogs throat. Hold dogs head up with nose pointed at the ceiling and gently stroking downwards on the throat area. If you do not see FAST RESULTS (15 minutes), in the event of a bee sting, GO TO THE VET. But, it is always good to get the Benadryl into the system anyway. You will be helping out your vet and decreasing chances of an even worse reaction. Crushing the pills into dust by pushing two spoons into each other with the pill in-between and then dropping the dust off a spoon onto the gums of the mouth could encourage quicker absorption.
I give my dogs a Benadryl as a “preventative medicine” on days that I worry for bees if I am away from the house and my dogs are free roaming in the yard. It gives me peace of mind for the “just in case” when I am not home. On two occasions I arrived home to a dog unrecognizable due to a recent sting. No telling what would have happened if I had not come home when I did.
Benadryl Best Buy is Walmart; 100 tabs under 4 dollars.
HYDROGEN PEROXIDE
– use it for cleaning a wound and to INDUCE VOMITING.
To clean a wound first use running water and wound cleaner. If no wound cleaner, actual soap is better than nothing. Touch with pressure the wound under running water to provoke bleeding. Bleeding is good in the beginning. After washing and drying follow with Hydrogen peroxide. In the worst case scenario you have no water, use hydrogen peroxide to rinse a wound until reaching water.
APPLY direct PRESSURE to bleeding wound long enough to have bleeding stop without movement. In the event of a moveable surface, like an ear, bleeding will reoccur when they shake their head. Keep holding on!
To INDUCE VOMITING when poisoning is suspected:
NEVER induce vomiting if a caustic substance is suspected like drain cleaner or bleach. I am talking here about poisonous plants or pills typically.
DOSE: 1 teaspoon per 10 lbs. of body weight. You can also dissolve table salt in water; 1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon of water. If you don’t have a syringe it works well to soak up liquid into a piece of bread.
See this link for more thorough details.
http://www.1800petmeds.com/Diphenhydramine+(Generic+Benadryl)-prod10834.html
PEPTO BISMOL
for fast relief of diarrhea and upset stomach. If your dog has recently vomited, this could be soothing.
DOSE: 1 ml. per 10 pounds of body weight. Remember that 5ml. is a teaspoon. A syringe has ml. measurements on it. Give dose 3 times daily and on an empty stomach, before feeding. Never continue for more than 7 days. Although tablets are easier to give, the dose is much heavier in a pill and harder to break up. You can figure it out but the liquid is more efficient.
Follow a typical diarrhea diet. Starve your dog for 24 hours and then enter rice into the diet for 24 hours before mixing with protein of boiled chicken breast on the 2nd meal. Give the bowels a chance to rest. Dogs don’t starve easily. Give fluids only for first 24 hours. If you are concerned about enough hydration because perhaps you don’t see the dog drinking enough, supplement by using an “electrolyte” product such as sports drinks or infant pedialyte. These products can be easily found at any grocery store. Administer with a syringe into the side of the dogs mouth. Remember head up and stroke their throat downward to encourage swallowing. They aren’t going to like these drinks but they can be life saving so be patient with your dog and force it down.
TUMS
For upset stomach, bloat, excessive gas. Give after your dog ate something it shouldn’t have, such as cookies or milk. It is also a good calcium supplement. Most dogs will take it as a treat. If not, crush on a spoon and dump into the mouth.
ACTIVATED CHARCOAL
is also good for stomach upset. The label says for “indigestion”. But as with your water filtration system, it absorbs the bad stuff. So, if you suspect “bad” food or poison it will DELAY ABSORPTION of the toxic substance. I use this as a safety measure if I ever suspect my dog might have ingested a bad plant or spoiled food. Using it in combination with Hydrogen Peroxide is ideal for garbage eating dogs. Make them throw it up and then give charcoal afterwards for anything leftover inside the gut. The capsules are easily given. Make them wet with your saliva and push down the side of the throat. Stroke the neck with the nose of the dog upwards to encourage swallowing.
BABY ASPIRIN
You have more control with dosing if you buy the baby aspirin. Also, get dissolvable ones for easier absorption.
DOSE: 10mg. / lb. body weight. So a single baby aspirin is about right for a 10 pound dog. Multiply the amount of pills based on weight. I often give half the dose and see if the dog seems better (45 minutes wait time). DO NOT GIVE ASPIRIN TO A CAT. And do not substitute aspirin with any other type pain reliever. NO TYLENOL !!! Re-dose not sooner than 8 hours.
CRAZY GLUE
– now this is probably the biggest surprise of all for most. Unless you are a surgeon. Only upon research did I learn that crazy glue was used during the Vietnam War, during crisis, to glue body parts together. I have a friend that is an OB-GYN surgeon who told me later that he too uses a product like crazy glue for many procedures where stitches are difficult. Then I learned that the “exact” ingredients of crazy glue have been approved for veterinary medicine. It is also recommended for paper cuts on children and ripped fingernails. It has an ingredient that actually acts as an anti-bacterial. So here is the thing, only when in dire need, only after excellent cleansing of a wound that has stopped bleeding, that you want to hit first with a blow dryer, has it worked splendidly to add glue to the cut.
IMPORTANT: leave a part of the wound open, just the tiniest bit. A wound needs to be able to drain.
And REMEMBER to continue to clean and soak the wound 3 times daily for 5 days, re-bandaging each time. The crazy glue eventually sloughs off.
This technique has saved my dogs life. He cut his pad horribly late one night walking a bloody paw into the house. I applied it to the pad after using “quick stop” first to stop bleeding. Remember, LEAVE OPEN a small part of the cut. I also used this on a dogs ear that got a chunk bitten out of it. Today you cannot see the ear was ever nearly missing.
Incredibly, in all 4 cases that I used it I never had any infection. Not even pinkness. In all cases my intention was to go to the vet in the morning. But in the morning the wounds were all so well recovered that I decided to give it a little time and watch for infection. Never any problem. I did in all cases also soak the wound with warm water to encourage circulation. REMEMBER keep a small part open so things can get out. BUT, keep it clean so nothing can get in.
DO NOT USE GLUE IF IT’S A PUNCTURE WOUND, like a bite !!! A puncture needs to continuously be kept open for 5 days. Soak 3 times daily in warm water for 5 minutes and vigorously clean with each soaking, even if it hurts. Wrap wound in gauze with petroleum based antibiotic ointment so that a scab does not develop.
WOUND CLEANER
Any wound needs a good cleaning. When without a special cleaner, one that won’t sting like HIBICLENS, use soap and water. Run lots of water on the wound. Let it bleed well at first before applying direct pressure to stop bleeding.
QUICK STOP
For bleeding , Sometimes feet and ears have a hard time stopping bleeding. JUST IN CASE have on hand “Quick Stop” . It is a powder that you sprinkle onto the wound that encourages quicker clotting. It is much like a styptic stick for men that cut themselves shaving. Although , the powder is even better because it can get into the wound and clot on contact without applying any painful pressure. There are many companies that make these products. The local feed store where thy sell horse supplies is a good start. Look on line and find numerous hits for the word “blood stop”.
NEOSPORIN
– antibiotic ointment (petroleum base). Any triple antibiotic generic ointment is a necessity, especially for deep wounds. It should look like Vaseline. Keep it away from the eye area. I WOULD NOT put it in the ears.
HYDROCORTISONE CREAM
(not petroleum base, rather cream) Is an excellent itch reliever and acts well as a healing salve. Cream works best through hair. It looks white and not like Vaseline. I have rubbed it onto my dogs ears when they get inflammation that I can see from the outside. Female dogs can get itch around their vulva from yeast. Dogs might scoot across the ground when they have an itch down there. Don’t assume it is worms. Check for irritation. This cream is safe on outer sensitive areas around the genitals.
Goldenseal Tincture
This tincture is easily found in any health food store. It is bright yellow and stains. As the name indicates it seals things up and out. It has antibacterial benefits. I have been known to squirt it directly into the wound or rub it all over bad scratches. After it dries apply other ointments.
Scissors
A good sharp pair of small pointed scissors to cut gauze, cut out hair around a wound and who knows what else.
First Aid Paper Tape
(best tape for not sticking badly to fur) An injury needs a good cleaning and then to be wrapped. I have tried many methods with toes and fur etc. and nothing works betting in the end than this tape in combination with non- stick gauze pads. It won’t rip the fur out when removing but sticks well.
Syringe
(ask your pharmacist) This is the gadget that the needle goes into for a shot. But you don’t need the needle. Just the plastic syringe. It comes with measurements to help give medicines like pepto bismol or to squirt water into a thirsty dogs mouth. Remember that 5mls. = 1 teaspoon.
Gauze Pads (non stick)
You can cut them up to whatever size you need. Band-Aids don’t stick well enough. Use this with the paper tape.
Thermometer (5 second)
Be ready to take your dogs temperature anytime you are wondering if they are OK. A fever, over 102.5 F. is a sign of something more than a little upset stomach. Aspirin is good for the fever. But you need to know first right. Get the 5 second model for it is super simple and even if your dog hates it , it will be over before they know it. Periodically take your dogs temperature so you know what your dogs “normal’ is. Take their temperature like a baby, in the anus. Using any cream or ointment could make it more comfortable. If they hate you for it, remember 5 seconds and it is over.
I worry if it gets to 103 F and over. First thing, GIVE ASPIRIN and put your dog in a tepid (room temperature) bath, at least with feet and tummy in the water. You could also apply cool compresses, like a cold washcloth, to the tummy area. For quickest results though, and I have lots of hot dog experiences, submersing the dog in cool water up to its belly works wonders. Poor cool water over the neck as well. I always recommend keeping a kitty pool around the yard for unexpected HOT occasions. Every few days if you don’t cool the dog off you can water the yard plants with it.
Vinegar 50/50 Solution
There is no need to ever again have an ear infection that takes you to the vet if you regularly clean your dogs ears with this solution. 50% water and 50% vinegar. I prefer apple cider but white is good too.
For a myriad of remedies with Vinegar see my site DrDogTalk.com for a great list of additional alternative uses for this delightful liquid.
You can download eBook here for better “in your pocket” formatting.