Just like children, our four-legged friends can have a laundry list of ailments as they grow up. But not everything needs a medication or a costly trip to the vet. In most cases, a natural remedy can do just the trick.
I always encourage you, if in doubt, to call the vet. You always want to keep them in the loop with what’s going on with your pet. Once you’ve ensured there is nothing life threatening or of major concern going on, there is often a natural treatment to help alleviate their symptoms. Here is a list of common minor ailments and natural remedies for dogs.
Itchy/ Irritated Skin
An easy DIY chamomile spray can do the trick when it comes to minor skin irritations. Simply make a batch of tea, allow it to cool and pour into a spray bottle. You can use this to spray directly on raw skin to relieve irritation.
Tummy Troubles
From constipation to diarrhea, adding a probiotic to your dog’s food can help to relieve common tummy ailments. If your dog has recently been on antibiotics when these symptoms arose, a probiotic is almost definitely your answer. Talk to your vet about appropriate dosing for your pet.
Sore/Rough Pads
Unusually long walks, excessively hot pavement or other rough terrain can cause irritation to your pet’s paw pads. First, check their pads closely and look for any debris or potential irritants that have gotten stuck and remove any. Then, gently wash/soak the pads with warm water and apply a gentle (toxin-free!) moisturizer.
Itchy/ Hot Spots
Mix together oatmeal and water into a paste. Apply to the irritated area and let sit for about 10 minutes before rinsing off.
Gas
Once you have considered the potential causes of your pet’s gas (poor quality food, eating foods known to cause gas, eating too fast, etc.) and addressed them, if you are still having issues, discuss increasing their fiber intake or supplementing with a digestive enzyme or probiotic with your vet.
Sprains/ Strains
If your four-legged friend overdid it when they were playing outside, they may have suffered a strain or sprain. Help alleviate their discomfort with an epsom salt bath for about 5 minutes twice a day. If a bath isn’t exactly their thing, you can simply soak a cloth in warm water and epsom salt and use it as a compress for the same amount of time each day.
Constipation
A simple adjustment to your dog’s diet can bring quick relief when it comes to constipation. If you see your dog straining to go to the bathroom, try adding a small amount of canned pumpkin or diced prunes into their meal. Also, make sure they are getting enough water throughout the day.
Bad Breath
Your best bet here is staying proactive. If you ate dog food, had a couple biscuits and maybe an occasional sock or two, wouldn’t your breath stink if you didn’t brush your teeth afterwards? Same goes for your four-legged friend. Acclimating your dog to regular brushing can drastically reduce bad breath and will also prevent a painful (and very costly!) visit to the vet for dental work later.
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