Pets really are man’s best friend. They are always there for us when we need them. They always listen when we need a friend, and they never complain if we talk too much.
They give us more love than we could ever even give ourselves, but are we doing enough for our pets to be as happy as we are? Here are some tips to maintain a healthy and happy lifestyle for your dog or cat.
A Good Old Bath
Depending on each breed, there is a certain amount of time you can bath your dog within the month. An excellent old bath once keeps your doggy happy and healthy and helps keep the fleas away. Just make sure you don’t accidentally get any water in those gentle ears.
Comb Regularly
Combing your dog or cat regularly has many benefits. The first of which is a healthy coat. Just like your hair grows with time, so does a pet’s. Yes, maybe they do shed, and we don’t. That does not mean though that their coat can’t get matted, daily brushing helps keep a shiny, healthy coat that remains flea free.
Out Door Protection
A dog on a walk can pick up all types of parasites that hide between blades of grass waiting to latch on to the next animal that lays on top of them. Put an extra layer of protection of your doggy, and it will ensure that they will stay clean and parasite free.
Paw Treatment
Harsh terrain and extreme temperatures can wreak havoc on your canines’ paws. You’ll notice that throughout the summertime, your dog may have cracked or sore skin. The best thing to treat paw conditions is some antibiotic ointment.
Fighting the Itch
For those of you who believe in homeopathic medicine, here is a homeo-fix that “works” for dogs just as much as it does humans. An oatmeal bath. If your dog seems to be having skin irritation, go ahead and rub oatmeal on their skin, and presto, your pup will eat sweet, healthy oatmeal and have healthy skin as well.
Keep Em’ Hydrated
Dogs, like humans, need to stay hydrated throughout the day to stay healthy and happy. Dogs usually will drink on their own when they become thirsty. If you see that your dog is not drinking for more than a day, take him or her to the vet for a checkup.
Digestive Diets
As dogs grow older, their digestive tract starts to become more and more irritated. Older dogs tend to show more signs of constipation. Give your dogs digestive treats such as sweet potato, and pumpkin oil to soften up their digestive system.
When to Make Them Vomit
When you compare the things that dogs are able to eat, to what they can’t eat, there is a very stark difference. Dogs usually can digest most foods that even humans can’t. My German Shepherd has been keen on getting into the trash and eating pieces of chicken that sat out all night simmering and bacteria, and nothing happened to her. But if your dog eats something deadly like raisins or chocolate, for instance, it’s good to have a remedy to make them vomit in the house. Ask your doctor about options like hydrogen peroxide, or charcoal tablets.
Flea Earth
Fleas are not deadly and can be treated with tons of medicines that you can find at the doctor’s office. That being said, they are expensive and not always affordable. Diatomaceous earth can be found online. It is a substance that looks just like sand. Sprinkle some on the ground, and it will cut through the fleas as you vacuum.
Dirt and Wax
Cats and dogs can accumulate ear wax inside of their ears that if untreated, can become very uncomfortable. You can dip a cotton ball in some vegetable oil and swab the listeners to get all that pesky wax out and keep your pet’s ears nice and clean.
Happy Eyes
Some animals depending on the breed may have some irritation in their eyes, that can cause seeping, or tearing up. Apply a few drops of saline a couple of times a day, and your cat or dog should be on their way to a happy, healthy life!
Pet Massage
Message your dog’s legs and torso at least twice a day, and you will notice that your pup, and you will be much more relaxed than before. This is because both humans and canines release endorphins during affectionate petting sessions. And hey, dogs deserve a massage too!
Skunk Treatment
If you have a dog on the east coast united states, then you will know all too well the risks of your dog getting sprayed by a skunk. Dogs like to shove their nose right at the unknown creatures they come across. In the case of a skunk spray, wash your dog off in a tomato bath, and the smell will hopefully get replaced by the smell of tomatoes.
Avoiding Bee Stings
If you usually take your car to work in the morning, take a day of the week to walk to the bus station and search the area for any dangerous flying critters that may be lurking. Maybe then you can avoid a hornet’s nest or two, and your dog won’t look like this. If your dog does look like this, then make sure to visit the vet as soon as possible.
Cold Paws
Just like hot weather and pavement is dangerous for dogs, so too is cold weather and ice. Make sure to put a pair of doggy boots on your dog before going out in the snow. If you happen to see those paws get slight frostbite, apply some petroleum jelly to their paws and get them to vet ASAP.
Wound Treatment
If you find yourself waking up to a dog licking and itching at an open wound from scratching or flea biting, then you need something to sooth that wound until you can get to the vet on Monday. A great temporary solution is to soak your dogs wound in a bath salt to close it up and keep it from getting infected.
Ear Inflammation
A common condition that occurs in cats is an allergic reaction inside of the ears that results in inflammation. Dab some white vinegar on and cold tea on a cotton ball and rub the irritated spot to keep them cool and happy.
Borax Solution
Flea bombing your house should only be a last resort attempt to getting rid of a flea infestation in the home. An excellent substitute to flea bombing is spreading Borax powder on your floor, and then vacuuming it up after.
Puppy Gas
Puppy’s just like babies, tend to have farts that are even stinkier than their poops. An excellent way to keep them farts smelling normal, or not smelling at all is by sprinkling fennel seeds in your puppy’s food.
Yogurt Fun
If your dog seems to be showing signs of an overactive digestive system, try feeding them a bit of plain yogurt to sooth that digestive tract. They won’t mind the treat at all.
Flea Kryptonite
It is a well-known thing that fleas do not like the scent of citrus. If you spread lemons and limes throughout your house, the citrusy scent is enough to deter them from staying too long.
Homemade Shampoo
I personally buy dog shampoo at the store, but if you feel like you don’t trust the chemicals in those store-bought bottles, try making your own shampoo with different essential oils and vinegar.
Natural Skin Moisturizer
A perfect way to keep your dogs coat moist and supple is by applying a layer of coconut oil to their coat once a day. It’s perfectly healthy for their skin, and they will even help you rub it in by trying to lick it off their skin.
Brushing at the Door
If you have a dog or cat that likes to frolic out in the yard throughout the day, then first make sure to clean them before they come inside. You may find a tick or two lurking on their coat.
Hotspot Spray
If your dog has a hotspot they have been chewing on, it should go treated until you reach the vet. Try spraying a mixture of Listerine, baby oil, and water on the spot three times a day until the vet gives some antibiotics.
Furball Control
Cats tend to lick their coat incessantly throughout the day, and that creates a phenomenon called the furball. Despite what the cartoons show us, furballs don’t always come out so easy. Put some natural cow lard in your cat’s food to help lubricate its track and get that ball out on command so to speak.
Vitamin E
Another great way to fight irritated skin on your dog is by applying vitamin E oil on their skin. Massage the oil onto your dog’s coat a couple of times a week and chances are they will ich less and relax more.
Apis Mellifica
If your dog or cat gets a good bee sting or insect bite from other types of critters, trying giving them natural medicine called Apis Mellifica to help soothe their skin until they reach the vet’s office.
Arnica
As dogs get older, their muscles tend to get weaker, and they begin to suffer from widespread pain, stiffness, soreness, and musculoskeletal injuries. Arnica is a perfect short-term solution until you reach the vet.
Calendula
If your dog has any kind of external skin infection. You can apply a dilute amount of calendula oil and apply it to the irritated spot for a soothing skin remedy until you reach the vet.
Hypericum
Some dogs suffer from natural pain due to nerve damage or injuries to their spine. This pain tends to come and go and is usually harmless in the short term. To sooth, that pain apply hypericum ointment to their skin.
Rhus Tox
Rhus Tox is a perfect short-term solution for arthritis, general musculoskeletal injuries, swollen red eyes, skin infections, and itching. It may be just as costly as the medicine you get from the vet, but we only want the best for our pets in the first place!
Silicea
Silicea is the perfect alternative solution to extracting foreign bodies from your pet’s skin. Many animals come back home with fragments, or foxtails in their skin, Silicea is the perfect solution to just that.
Ledum
Ledum oil is the first choice for any type of puncture wound that your dog or cat may have such as insect bites, or open sores from self-grooming. Note that “Apis” will be hot and red, whereas bites that require Ledum will be cool and appear bruised.
Myristica
Myristica is a phenomenal remedy if your pet is suffering from anal sac infections, and or chronic anal sac problems. Look online for your local homeopathic medicine provider to get some.
Arsenicum Album
No this is not a new System of a Down album or anything like that. Arsenicum Album is great for Gi upsets that occur after your dog or cat eats spoiled food and helps with vomiting and diarrhea.
Feeding Schedule
It’s very important to enforce a tight feeding schedule for your dog. Dogs who eat many times a day usually end up gaining to much weight and developing many health conditions in older age. Fun fact, most dogs like to eat when the pack is all together, so don’t be afraid to fill the food bowl when you come home from work instead of the morning.
Mental Health
Dogs require a lot of outside play to keep them calm, happy and mentally collected. It is very good for both you and your best friend to go out and learn new tricks, play fetch, or just lay out in the sun together.
Crate Training
Crate training is another great way to have a happy, and mentally healthy canine at home. Make a crate with blankets inside, put your dog’s food in it, put nice blankets inside, and make it as dark as you can. Now your dog has their very own cave to dwell in when he or she needs some space.